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Your Questions Answered...
The Chalet
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Is The Rainforest
Chalet a resort or hotel?
The chalet is
neither a resort, nor a hotel. The Rainforest Chalet is one
very romantic, very private vacation home.
Peaceful, quiet, and surrounded by the beauty of nature - The
Rainforest Chalet is where you'll discover your own, personal,
Drake Bay. |
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How many
guests does the chalet accommodate?
From
2 to 4 guests. The chalet has an open floor plan. As such,
there are no individual bedrooms. This modern, yet elegant
design yields nearly 360° panoramic views of the surrounding garden
and forest.
For
families, we can accommodate the chalet with one king bed and one full
bed. For children, there is also a twin day bed, along with a
roll-out trundle bed. |
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Who will
we contact when we have a question or request at the chalet?
The owners, Tracie Stice and Gianfranco Gomez, live in a private bungalow located on
the property. The two homes are separated visually by the
chalet garden, forest, and a flowing creek. When a question
or request arises, there is two-way radio communication between
the two homes. |
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Where is
the chalet located in Drake Bay?
The chalet is located on the Agujitas River. From Cocalito Beach, there is an inland trail that
leads to the chalet. The walk from the beach to the chalet takes
about 15 minutes. The chalet can also be reached by kayak at high
tide. The closest resort is La Paloma Lodge, which is about a
fifteen minute walk from the chalet. |
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Is the
chalet right for me?
Given our remote location,
travelers considering The Rainforest Chalet should be in good physical condition,
and enjoy hiking.
Most tours and activities depart by boat
from Cocalito Beach. The walk between the chalet and the
beach is along a hilly forest path. During rainy season, the
trails can get quite muddy. When the trails are muddy, we do
supply complimentary rubber boots.
If you think that you might
have difficulties hiking the trails, we would be happy to recommend
one of the area resorts. |
What
sets the chalet apart from the area resorts?
First and foremost,
at The Rainforest Chalet you will enjoy the luxury of a private
retreat. In your home away from home, you can indulge
yourself with comforts found nowhere else in Drake Bay:
spacious accommodation set in a private garden with an abundance
of flowers and trees, luxury bath with sunken tub for two,
satellite TV and home stereo system.
Given our inland
forest location, the chalet is also excellent for wildlife
viewing. Guests will delight in the top-of-the-line Swarovski
spotting scope for use at the chalet.
Then after a
wonderful day of exploration in Drake Bay, you can stretch
out on the cozy wicker chaise-lounge, backed with a silk Balinese
pillow, and enjoy a great read from the chalet's diverse
collection of books. |
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Food and
Drinks at The Rainforest Chalet
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Is food included with the
chalet?
Meals at
the chalet are self-catering.
Because
there are no grocery stores nearby or road access to the chalet,
for your comfort and convenience we will purchase and transport
your groceries. All products are purchased in Palmar, transported
by taxi, then by boat from Sierpe.
If you have
chosen a vacation package, food is included with the rate.
If you
reserve the chalet on a nightly rate, we will send you a list of
available canned and dry goods, fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy
products, meats, fish and poultry. Guests may select only
those items they wish to have on stock. Your food bill will be
added to the chalet rental rate. When you arrive in Drake Bay,
you'll find your requested products at the chalet.
Basic
ingredients (milk, flour, sugar, salt, cooking oil, spices and
condiments, ect.) are complimentary and are always on stock at the
chalet.
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Are there
restaurants we can dine at?
With advanced
reservations, guests may be able to dine at any of the local resorts,
depending on availability.
All the resorts in Drake Bay serve set lunches and dinners. Meals
are served family style, with usually twelve or more guests per
table. The forest trails are safe to walk at anytime. But,
unless you feel comfortable walking at night, if you would like to
dine out, you might wish to
consider lunch rather than dinner. |
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Are there
bars in Drake Bay?
For guests
who would like to go out for a drink, the resort bars do welcome
visitors. There are also a few small cantinas in town and dances
are often held on the weekends. The walk to town takes about 40
minutes.
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Are
alcoholic beverages available at the chalet?
Alcoholic
beverages are available at the Chalet. There are always bottled
soft drinks, juices, and local beer on stock (one dollar each). If
you would like to order any liquor or wine we would be happy to
get it for you at the retail price. |
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Packing
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Are there
any restrictions on luggage?
SANSA and Nature
Air, the two airlines that service Drake Bay and Palmar Sur, do
place a weight limit on luggage. Nature Air allows 30 lbs.
SANSA allows 25 lbs. |
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What should
we pack for our trip?
There are some
essential things that every traveler to Drake Bay should always
pack, here are a few:
- Flashlight
("Mini-Mags" are small and they work great)
- Hiking boots or
tennis shoes
- "Tevas" or sport
sandals
- Insect repellant
- Sun block
- Binoculars
- Swimming suit
- Shorts
- Lightweight T-shirts
- One pair of long
pants
- Hat
- Camera
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Health
Concerns
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Is there a
mosquito problem in Drake Bay?
Most travelers are
pleasantly surprised by the lack of biting insects in Drake Bay.
At the Chalet there are very few mosquitoes throughout the year.
For a week or so in January there is normally a small population
boom. Even then, there are not pesky swarms. In Corcovado
there can be biting insects, especially sand flies, so travelers
should bring repellent. |
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Money Matters
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Will we
need to bring cash to the chalet?
US Dollars or
Costa Rican Colones are accepted in Drake Bay. There are no
banks or ATMs in the area. Tours and bar tabs must be paid
in cash.
If you have chosen to reserve
one of our vacation packages, you may want to bring some cash for
tipping guides, and to pay for any additional tours, and bar tab.
If you have chosen to
arrange your own transportation to Drake Bay, you should certainly bring
some cash to pay the taxis and boat captains. |
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Do you
accept credit cards at the chalet?
We do not accept
credit cards at the Chalet. Anything that you wish to pay for with
a credit card, including any tours, must be prepaid prior to
arrival via Pay Pal. |
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Tours
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What tours are available to guests of The Rainforest chalet?
Corcovado National
Park (San Pedrillo Ranger Station), Corcovado National Park (Sirena
Ranger Station), Overnight Camping Tour at Sirena, Caño Island Tour, Scuba Diving, Sport
Fishing, The Night Tour, Kayaking, Horseback Riding, Bird
Watching, Mangrove Forest Tour, Dolphin/Whale Watching Tour,
Cano Island Snorkel Trip and Dolphin/Whale Watching Combo Tour, Poison Dart Frog Tour, Mountain Biking Tour |
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Who leads the tours?
Tours we
offer are run by independent guide companies based in Drake Bay or
other area hotels. They employ some of the finest naturalist
guides in the area. The tours include: round trip boat
transportation, lunch, park entrance fees and a naturalist guide
equipped with a telescope and a first aid kit. |
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Do we need to reserve our tours prior to our arrival in Drake Bay?
We do recommend
advanced reservations for any tours to ensure their availability.
No deposit is required to reserve a tour. Tours can be
prepaid by credit card or bank transfer with the chalet deposit,
or they can be paid directly in Drake Bay in cash.
This year, the
National Park system of Costa Rica may implement new regulations
requiring advanced reservations to visit Corcovado National
Park and Cano Island. The number of guests allowed in the
park at one time may also be limited. |
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How long do
the tours normally last?
Depending on your
destination, full day tours may depart Cocalito beach anywhere
from 6:30 am to 8:00 am. Normally, you would be getting back to
the beach by 2:30 or 3:00pm. |
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Other
Activities
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Apart from
the organized tours, what are some of the activities that we can enjoy
on our own?
There are plenty of
activities you may enjoy on your own, including:
Hike to Rio Claro
- a beautiful 1.5 hour walk along the coast to a scenic jungle
river where you can enjoy a picnic lunch and refreshing swim.
Rio Claro has been the backdrop of many Animal Planet wildlife
shows hosted by Jeff Corwin, O'Shea, and Austin Stevens.
Explore the
Pacific Coast tidepools along our stunning beaches - At low
tide the rocky outcrops and tidepools along the coast invite
exploration. Beautiful rock formations become tidal
aquariums where you can find such treasures as hermit crabs, sea
urchins, delicate corals, and tropical fish.
Hiking the forest
trails around the Chalet, as well as the miles of beautiful beach
trails - Along the way, you may encounter white face
monkeys, howler monkeys, toucans, scarlet macaws, and much more.
Wildlife watching
from the Chalet balcony and garden - The comfy rocking
chairs on the chalet balcony provide a wonderful vantage point for
discovering birds and other wildlife. You'll find the most
activity during the morning and late afternoon hours. The
Swarovski spotting scope set on a tripod will get you really close
to the action.
Kayak down the
lovely Agujitas River out to the ocean.
Enjoy a refreshing
swim down in the river at our delightful swimming hole.
Relax and enjoy a
picnic lunch under the shade of a almond tree at one of our
countless beaches. |
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Laundry and
Housekeeping
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Electricity
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How does
the chalet receive its electricity?
In 2009 the
Costa Rican Electric Company (ICE) constructed an electric line running
from the village of Agujitas towards Caletas. In October 2009 the
project was completed and the chalet in now on the grid.
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Travel to Drake Bay
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What options are there for traveling to Drake Bay?
To reach Drake Bay from San Jose, you may either fly to Palmar Sur or
directly to Drake Bay.
If you choose to fly via Palmar Sur (1 hour), you would then take a taxi
to Sierpe (20 minutes), and then boat to Drake Bay (1 hour, 15 minutes).
If you fly
directly to Drake Bay (1 hour), upon arrival you would then take a taxi
to the village (25 minutes), and then boat to Cocalito Beach (10
minutes).
You could
also travel overland by bus to Palmar Sur (5.5 hours, including a rest
stop, $6.50 US one way ). You would need to depart on the 5:00am
Tracopa bus to Palmar in order to arrive in Sierpe in time to meet your
boat captain at 11:00am.
We can also
arrange taxi service from San Jose to Sierpe. Rates vary, but
normally run about $180 one way by minibus. The trip will take you
through the second highest mountain range in Central America. By
minibus, it takes about 5 hours to reach Sierpe. Departure time is
5:30 am.
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Can we drive to Drake Bay?
There is a dirt
road for 4-wheel drive vehicles that goes as far as the village of
Agujitas. Road conditions are quite poor and there are
a couple of rivers that must be forged. At times, during the
rainy season, the road into Drake is impassable. There is no
road between the village and the chalet. Your car would have
to remain parked in Agujitas.
If you are
planning on driving, a better option would be to drive to the town
of Sierpe. There is a safe rental car parking lot in Sierpe.
You could then travel by boat to Drake Bay. You would
need to arrive in Sierpe no later than 11:00am to meet your boat
taxi. |
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About Drake Bay
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Where is Drake Bay located?
Pleasantly isolated on the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica,
Drake Bay lies on the northernmost point of the Osa Peninsula.
Claimed by many as one of the most beautiful regions in the world,
the Osa Peninsula is where the Costa Rica of legend still exists.
With eighty per cent, or 430,000 acres of the Osa Peninsula
protected by Corcovado National Park and private forest reserves,
the region stands as one of the last great tracks of unspoiled
primary rainforest in Central America. To this day, Corcovado,
along with the majority of the peninsula remains road-less.
This, along with government and grass-root protectionism, has
shielded the region from over-development. |
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What is
the population of the Drake Bay area?
According to the 2006
census there are 350 homes and 1,030 inhabitants in the Drake Bay
area. This area encompasses 12 districts including the villages of
Progreso, Agujitas, Los Planes, Los Angeles, Caletas, and Rincon, as
well as the area south to Corcovado. |
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What
kind of weather can we expect?
Temperatures average in the mid to upper eighties year round.
There are two seasons in Costa Rica...the dry and the rainy
season. In Drake Bay, the dry season begins in December and
typically runs to April. September and October are the rainiest
months of the year. Many of the local resorts close for the month
of October. |
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