Playa Cativo Lodge, Golfo Dulce

It is a wonderful location and lodge, but too expensive for me, even in the off season. If price is no problem for you, I highly recommend this “away from everything” place where the final leg of your trip will be by boat from Golfito and there are no other lodges nearby. It was recommended to me by one of my doctors. See more about it on their website at https://www.playacativo.com/

View from my cabin of Golfo Dulce.

Would I Return to this Lodge?

Yes. If and when there is more money available.

Likes

  • Immersed in the rainforest on the Golfo Dulce bay in Parque Nacional Piedras Blancas.
  • Isolation, to some degree more than most lodges.
  • Plenty of trails, birds, butterflies and other wildlife.
  • Basically a plush hotel with gourmet food out in the wilderness! 🙂

Dislikes

  • Price
  • i.e. Nearby Esquinas Rainforest Lodge offers as much or more wildlife for a fraction of the price! Though it is not on the water if that is important.
  • Band-tailed Barbthroat
  • Yellow-headed Caracara
  • Red-capped Manakin
  • Boat-billed Heron
  • Brown Pelican
  • Great Curassow
  • Common Tody-Flycatcher

Nature & Other Activities

  • For me, walking their trails and photographing birds and butterflies was how I spent my time. I photographed 24 species of birds, 15 species of butterflies and 20 species of other wildlife, like monkeys.
  • While I stuck to the self-guided trails, they have many guided hikes for birding, other nature focuses, and a hike into the national park.
  • Their website Experiences page also includes many other activities within their property, out on the gulf waters and a birding boat trip up a mangrove river. Plus snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, whale & dolphin watching, kayaking, waterboarding, and boat trips to nearby sights, gardens or reserves. And a private, romantic dinner.
  • But like most rainforest venues for me, I find plenty to photograph right around my cabin! 🙂
  • Fiddler Crab
  • Red-eyed Tree Frog
  • Central American Agouti
  • American Crocodile
  • Bottle-nosed Dolphin
  • Green Iguana
  • Transandean Cattleheart
  • Mantled Howler Monkey

Rooms & Food

  • Rooms are 4 or 5 Star hotel rooms and the food is gourmet!
My cabin facing the beach.

Getting There

  • To drive from Atenas, it is about 511 km or about 5 hours +
  • I Fly Sansa which is about 45 minutes and about $100 each way.
  • Either way, you go to Golfito where the lodge picks you up at the dock in one of their boats to the lodge.

My Trip Gallery

CLICK image above to go to gallery.

To me, when I come back with a lot of photos like the above gallery, it is a good lodge! 🙂 24 bird, 15 butterfly and 20 other wildlife species! 🙂

ÅS

¡Pura Vida!

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To and from the lodge by boat.