I’ve been looking into getting reservations in Costa Rica since flights and lodging fill up early. Airfare is pricey — about $250 from Guatemala and close to that for puddle-jumpers within the country. Jill, who’s still on the Oso Peninsula now, says that the Sirena station in Corcovado National Park is one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. It’s also hard to get to. Here’s this from their Web site:
Sirena Biological Station is deep in the park and access is difficult and visitation is somewhat restricted to space. To visit Sirena you need written authorization from the ACOSA office. There are no roads and walking to Sirena from any of the any of the three stations surrounding stations (Los Patos, San Pedrillo or La Leona) requires some physical condition. Sirena is 14 km from La Leona (this hike includes one big river mouth to cross and an area restricted by the tide), 23 km from San Pedrillo (with two big river mouths to cross) and 20 km from Los Patos. A short but expensive flight from Puerto Jimenez will land at the airstrip in Sirena if money is not an issue ($175 each way). Or by boat from Drake, Sierpe, Golfito or Puerto Jimenez, big loads are possible this way.
On the list of required items to bring are rubber boots, since the place is slithering with often-seen poisonous reptiles: coral snakes and pit vipers and countless other beautiful, deadly creatures.
WHOA-dee, as Anna would say.
I filled out the “solicitude request” necessary to get a reservation at Sirena. Unfortunately, thus came the response:
Tenga en cuenta que le solicitamos que haga su reservación con bastante tiempo de anticipación ya que siempre hay mensajes previos al suyo; o Turistas presenciales aquí en la oficina los cuales son el 100% de la prioridad que el mensaje enviado por usted. Disculpe las molestias que pueda ocacionar el no responder a tiempo si mensaje de correo electrónico por que se deben atender conforme van llegando…
Oh, wait — after that was this:
We will respond 24 hours minimun working schedule, Please wait our answer…. Please when you send the Reservation request, you must to send the message many days before the date you will enter in to the park. First, we attend the tourism in our office, it’s 100% and then Emails.
That helps. Sort of.