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Voykit pocket guide · Costa Rica
Cabo Matapalo
Matapalo
Skip unless you want a remote surf-and-wildlife escape: 2–3 nights, no shops, no ATM. Go for the waterfall and empty beaches; leave your car at Puerto Jiménez.
Cabo Matapalo is the quiet southern tip of the Osa Peninsula, a scatter of beachfront lodges and dirt tracks between Puerto Jiménez and Corcovado. There is no town, no bank and one restaurant. You come for the waterfall, the surf and the monkeys. Most visitors stay 2–3 nights and treat it as a base for Playa Matapalo and the King Louis Waterfall.
- Country
- Costa Rica
- Local name
- Matapalo
- Best months
- Dec–Apr (dry season)
- Avoid
- May–Nov (rainy, roads worsen; some lodges close)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CRC
- Money
- Currency is the Costa Rican colón (CRC, ₡); US dollars are widely accepted in tourist areas, with change often given in colones.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₡25,000–45,000 excl. bed · Mid ₡75,000–150,000 excl. bed · High ₡250,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Kölbi, Claro and Liberty sell SIMs at SJO and in towns; passport required.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · US-style plugs.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10% service is in the bill; extra optional.; Guides: US$5–10 per person per tour.; Shuttle drivers: US$2–5.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in most of the country, including San José; drink bottled on parts of the Caribbean coast and in remote areas.
- Toilets
- Western toilets; put paper in the bin in many places.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Colectivo Puerto Jiménez → Matapalo | ₡2,000 |
| Surfboard rental per day | ₡10,000 |
| Breakfast at the restaurant | ₡5,000 |
| Camping on the beach | Free |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PJM · Puerto Jiménez Airport
- 50-min flight from San José (SJO); then 45–60 min by colectivo or taxi to Cabo Matapalo
Typical fares
- Colectivo Puerto Jiménez → Matapalo
- about ₡2,000, 45–60 min (check)
- Taxi Puerto Jiménez → Matapalo
- about US$30–40 (check)
- Flight San José → Puerto Jiménez
- about US$100–150 one way, 50 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk or rent a quad/motorbike from Puerto Jiménez. The village is small; everything is on foot.
See and do
Known for
- King Louis Waterfall
- Surf breaks at Playa Matapalo (experienced) and Pan Dulce (beginners)
- Remote beaches with howler monkeys and scarlet macaws
- Lapa Rios Eco Lodge
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Puerto Jiménez | Colectivo or taxi, about 45–60 min | 1–1.5 h |
| Corcovado National Park (Carate entrance) | Colectivo or taxi to Carate, about 30 min, then walk into the park | 1–1.5 h |
| Drake Bay | Taxi to Puerto Jiménez, then boat or 4WD via Rincón | 3–4 h |
Sleep
- Playa Matapalo beachfront
- Most lodges line the beach; walk to the waterfall and surf breaks.
- Inland fincas
- Budget options like Osa la Vida and Finca Roca Dura; a 10–15 min walk to the beach.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How much does it cost? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-to KWES-ta |
| Where is the waterfall? | ¿Dónde está la cascada?DON-de es-TA la kas-KA-da |
| I need cash | Necesito efectivone-se-SEE-to e-fek-TEE-vo |
| Is the road passable? | ¿Está transitable el camino?es-TA tran-see-TA-ble el ka-MEE-no |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Buenas' and a handshake; cheek kiss among friends; avoid: Skipping the greeting
- Conflict: Stay polite and indirect; avoid: Raised voices
- Time: Be on time for tours; avoid: Expecting social events to start on time
- Nature: Stay on trails, keep quiet; avoid: Feeding animals
Scams and watch-outs
- No ATM, no bank, no fuel station: bring cash (colones or dollars) from Puerto Jiménez.
- The only restaurant is expensive (breakfast about US$10); self-cater if you can.
- Road from Puerto Jiménez is unpaved and can be impassable in heavy rain; check conditions.
- King Louis Waterfall requires hiking up a stream — wear shoes that will get wet.
Safe for tourists; no violent crime reported. Risks: strong rip currents at Playa Matapalo (surf only if experienced), snakes on trails, and the unpaved road after rain.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Cabo Matapalo yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- King Louis Waterfall
- Surf breaks at Playa Matapalo (experienced) and Pan Dulce (beginners)
- Remote beaches with howler monkeys and scarlet macaws
- Lapa Rios Eco Lodge
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Cabo Matapalo, revision 4665427 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4665427
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Cabo MatapaloMatapalo
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
Nearest embassy is in San José; no consulate on the Osa Peninsula.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/cabo-matapalo). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.