This was the view each morning from the deck off of our villa at Laguna Vista Villas. Perched high above the Pacific Ocean, so many scarlet macaws flew by that my son dubbed it "The Macaw Highway."  This extraordinary place is located on the remote Osa Peninsula near Corcovado National Park, and while not easy to reach, it is entirely worth the effort.  

 

The Osa Peninsula, in southern Costa Rica, is home to almost half of the species of flora and fauna found in the country, and about 3% of the biodiversity of the western hemisphere. Remote, isolated, dense with vegetation, and teeming with wildlife such as the elusive red-eye tree frog, the rare harpy eagle, the iridescent blue morpho butterfly, and the deadly fer-de-lance snake, this is the landscape of movies and lore. 

 

Situated along the Pacific Coast, Corcovado National Park covers 164 square miles, about a third of the Osa Peninsula, and includes a wide range of habitats including both marine and land ecosystem that comprise the largest primary forest on the Pacific coastline. The park is home to 140 species of mammal, almost 400 bird species (including 1 endemic and 17 endemic subspecies), 40 species of freshwater fish, 46 amphibian species and an estimated 8,000 species of insects (yes, that is three ‘0's’). Explorations of Corcovado are not for the faint of heart and all visitors should expect close encounters with critters of various sizes. While some may get queasy thinking of venomous snakes and deadly spiders, despite the varied and plentiful wildlife, the likelihood of encountering any of the truly dangers animals are extremely minimal. You are more likely to find pests of the more mundane variety such as mosquitos and no-seem-ums. 

 

Given its remote location, Corcovado does not see huge crowds and until fairly recently the only people who visited were scientists, conservationists and crazy adventurers. Today tourists seeking out truly off-the-beaten path wildlife destinations visit Osa. As a result it is now possible to explore this fantastically diverse park from a base far more comfortable than what was available in the past. Featuring private villas with decks and plunge pools, and commanding dramatic ocean and rainforest views, Laguna Vista Villas checks all of the boxes for understated luxury in an unexpected and unbelievable location. 

 

To reach Laguna Vista Villas we flew from San Jose to Puerto Jiménez and then drove to Carate on a winding road for about an hour and a half, covering about 23 miles. Under good conditions the road contains very large potholes (really just ‘holes’), steep slopes, river crossings, and such dense tree coverage that the iridescent blue morphos pop like lights suddenly switched on. Under less than optimal conditions you can also expect copious amounts of mud. The Osa Peninsula is one of the rainiest regions of Costa Rica, and while there are certainly charms and advantages of visiting during the rainy season, in this remote area this means more than just getting wet. Rain here means mudslides, overflowing riverbanks, roads strewn with trees and other debris, and insects that are fiercer than ever. Generally the rainy season (referred to as winter in Costa Rica) runs between April - November, with October having particularly heavy downpours. During this time it will generally rain every day, which usually means heavy afternoon and evening showers that can be accompanied by thunder and lighting. Many roads become impassable and Corcovado in particular can become inaccessible. They don't call it the rainforest for nothing! 

 

Located atop a peninsula high above the Pacific Ocean, Laguna Vista Villas (LVV) has a commanding view of a freshwater lagoon that attracts a plethora of birds and Playa Carate. The property consists of villas scattered around a central dining area and striking infinity pool. The grounds are lush and home to a variety of wildlife, which can be explored on a network of walking trails that connect the villas, and meanders around the hillside upon which LVV is situated. Two types of villas are offered and accommodate either doubles, or larger rooms which feature two king beds and room for an additional single. Villas are not air conditioned and are run via solar power, which may not be to everyone’s liking  but really adds to your feeling of being immersed in the setting. All villas feature beautiful outdoor bathrooms/showers and expansive decks with a private plunge pool. Meals are served family-style in an intimate, open-air dining hall with dramatic views.

 

LVV is the type of understated luxury that I really look for in accommodations. As you will know from reading other posts on this site, I dislike air conditioning. Having said that, I also hate sweating like a fiend while trying to sleep, but I find that well designed tropical hotels manage to find the right balance by designing spaces to take advantage of prevailing breezes and circulating air with ceiling fans. This may still not be enough for some, and certainly Osa can get hot and humid, but I never felt uncomfortable at LVV. If you do get hot, take the opportunity to soak in your private plunge pool or enjoy the seemingly endless vista from the infinity pool with a lovely frozen drink in hand. With all of the spectacular rainforest trails, beaches, and walking trails available it may feel too indulgent to be wasting precious time soaking, but if this feeling creeps up just order another drink and start focusing on the parade of birds, including the brilliantly colored scarlet macaws that fly by at eye level along the “the macaw highway.”

 

You don't need to venture far to find fascinating wildlife. On the way back from dinner one night we found a massive cane toad blocking our path. I was with my son at the time and just a little bit freaked out by this large animal just staring at me as we attempted to get around. Further along we encountered an ant mound bustling with industrious ants who were building their new home right along the path, all in the short time since we had left for dinner. This is Osa. I started to feel that during the time we were asleep the rainforest would completely overtake the property and we would be consumed by moss and vines or would wake up to an anthill so large it would block the door. While that didn’t happen, one of my most often repeated travel stories involving insects did take place here during our first visit in 2005. One evening I took my son. Spencer, who was then 5 years old, back to the room to sleep while my husband hung out with other guests enjoying drinks. Spencer climbed into bed under the mosquito netting and I went to the outdoor bathroom to get ready for bed, leaving the light on behind me and the door to the deck open. Lesson one when visiting Osa…never do this! Minutes later I came rushing back when I head Spencer screaming. There he was standing in the middle of the floor, his little arms and legs moving at furious pace trying to brush away the multitude of insects that seemed to have emptied out the rainforest and took up residence on the walls of our villa. It was something out of a nightmare but yet insanely hilarious at the same time. Shutting the lights off, curling up under the mosquito netting and never peaking out until morning solved the problem. This is Osa. 

 

When you do manage to tear yourself away from LVV, exploring Corcovado should be first on the agenda. The wildness and wildlife diversity of the park is what drew us to this remote location, and is why most people come here. Within the park there are several extremely rare animals including the puma and jaguar, as well as those more common such as anteater, peccary and four types of monkey - howler, white-faced capuchin, spider, and squirrel. Among the many unique flora and fauna are the glass frog, which has translucent skin through which it is possible to see the internal organs; the largest tree in Costa Rica, the silk cotton, which can grow to over 70 meters; the elusive harpy eagle; and the endangered tapir. LVV can easily make arrangements for your visit to Corcovado and will assist you in deciding how much of an adventure you are really up for. 

 

In addition to exploring Corcovado, there are numerous other actives to enjoy. Take advantage of LVV's canoes and boat, which you can use to explore the lagoon; hike down to Carate beach for miles on unspoiled coastline to explore; walk the network of onsite nature trails; go horseback riding in the rainforest; spend time fishing the rich waters; or just wile away the hours enjoying the serene vista. Everything to do here is related to the outdoors. What you won’t find are shops, restaurants or much of anything else other than a handful of other small hotels and private homes.

 

In Osa you really get the sense that you are but a speck in the ecosystem. Some of my fondest wildlife viewing memories are from time spent at LVV and on the Osa Peninsula. In referencing Laguna Vista Villas, my son often responds, “Oh you mean the macaw highway.” Recalling the flocks of passing macaws that almost felt as if you can reach out and touch are the types of memories and experiences that I want to give to my son through travel. It always warms my heart when he recalls his first visit to Osa when he was only five years old so fondly, and is the reason why we continue traveling to remote and wild places that give us these special moments. This is why we love Osa and if you love wildlife-rich environments, you will too.