Beach at Poor Man’s Paradise

Sunset Poor Man’s Paradise

POOR MAN’S PARADISE, OSA PENINSULA

IMAGINE  a small village of 600 residents whose blood line goes back to Costa Rica’s indigenous people who  live off the land and more recently off tourism which is rapidly growing is this little tropical paradise. No electricity except for occasional  small diesel generators  running only a few hours of the day.  No television or video games.  No crime and no guns. Children run and play freely on the beach and learn to read and write in a one room school house with one teacher for forty students in grades one through  six.

ADVENTURE INTO A TROPICAL PARADISE
It was a hot April morning  when we headed south out of  San Jose…a four hour bus ride taking us to Sierrpe where we boarded a small boat headed for  Poor Man’s Paradise, located in the Osa Peninsula– in the south western part  of Costa Rica.  Osa’s   more outstanding geographical assets are it’s blue green Pacific  coastline with  sandy beige beaches,  and dense primary rain forest filled with hundreds of tropical birds, wild animals, and giant trees whose canopies  seems to reach the sky.

We had never visited this specific area of  the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica, so many pleasant surprises were in store for us.  Upon arrival we had to walk along a long stretch of sandy beige  beach lined with  primary rain forest– trees with 4 meter wide buttresses.   Poor Man’s Paradise is located south of Drake Bay on the Osa Peninsula, and consists  of  ten rustic cabins nestled in a thicket of almond trees and lush tropical vegetation.  Best part  it’s  right on the beach.   No high rises, no condos.  Only these quaint little cabins made from local wood and tin roofs where you can hear the pitter patter  of the afternoon rains.   No electricity on the property except that produced by a small . generator and lasts about  three hours per day.  There is no TV.   Cell phone service does reach  “sometimes”.  Owned by the Amaya family- parents,  eight children and numerous grandchildren, the property was homesteaded forty years ago  and today retains its pristine natural beauty.

The accommodations are sparse, with no hot water and bed mattresses are hard.  The breeze from the ocean flows through the room and I can hear the Big Surf of the Pacific ocean.  I begin to relax and enjoy the tropical sounds.  The hammock on my balcony becomes my favorite resting place.  Afternoon showers patter down upon the tin roof…such a peaceful sound.

The strong under tow of the ocean prevents us from diving in for a quick swim. But the most gorgeous sunset beckons and the children from the near by village come to play in the edges of the waning surf.  Mothers gather to visit with their small babies in arms.

I hear the crackle of the almonds as the Scarlet Macaws are devouring them by the dozens.   I look overhead, over the canopy of the almond trees and see dozens of  Scarlets flying two by two- across a clear blue  sunny sky.

From Poor Man’s Paradise Lodge  one can hire  a guided  trek along a trail inside Corcovado National  Park, known for it’s giant primary rain forest- with  trees  hundreds of years old.  Here we find  one of the last remaining protected lowland rain forest in the world.

We hire a small boat to take us out to Cano Island Biological Reserve, a thirty minute ride from Poor Man’s Paradise.   Cano is best known for its snorkeling and scuba diving.   Among the coral reefs are many species of fish- big eye jacks, smaller manta rays, and reef sharks. Scuba diving is for beginners  with a certificate (about 40 feet depth)  And also for more advanced-deeper current dives.
No people live on Cano Island, only the rangers at the  station.  Robinson Crusoe’s story could have been written here.  Lonely long stretches of beautiful beige sandy beaches  stretch for miles.  We hike up into the rain forest where we find  ancient burial grounds of  the Diquis indigenous people, and

Strangler Fig Tree At Poor Man’s Paradise

remnants of the  small perfectly round spheres molded from stones hundreds of years ago by these indigenous people

I would have loved to stay here longer, get to know the local people.   A Unique Earthly Paradise!

Price for the room  includes three meals.  Cost of the boat round trip  is extra and of course cost of getting to Sierrpe by land  and also by air is also extra.  Poor Man’s Paradise has a package which includes transportation plus lodging.  You can book this by contacting  anncreed23@gmail.com    “The Costa Rica Learn Travel Company.   www.costaricalearn.com

SAD THING IS
A  gravel road has just been completed from Drake Bay to this area!  And is passable in the dry season only.
This brings the four wheeled modern invention called the automobile, which means hoards of people who are not from this area will flock to this pristine paradise and there goes the peace and tranquility.    Although, money will be spent  in Poor Man’s small local restaurants and  Costa Ricans will pay  to pitch their tents on Poor Man’s  property as well as the other places on the beach and the economy related  to income will improve–is it worth it? …. To lose this special unique quality of life style which is “gone with the wind” in most parts of our world today?

Would you like to visit the beautiful Osa Peninsula?   Contact Vacation Planning to Costa Rica by Ann, the Costa Rica Expert  Contact her:  anncreed23@gmail.com      She can design for you the perfect vacation to this most pristine region of Costa Rica.