Palo Seco where tropical beach vacation homes are for rent

After months of intensive exploration of the central coast and its many fine beaches, we settled on Palo Seco as the location for our operations. Why Palo Seco? One Spanish word, needing no translation, gives the reason: Tranquilo. Bounded on one side of its length by a continuous beach, lined with coco palms and an occasional almendral, and on the other by the estero (estuary) with its manglar (mangrove), and protected by both the maritime zone and the manglar protection zone from over-development, the island offers the best promise of lasting tranquility between Jacó and Quepos.

Isla Palo Seco, also called Playa Palo Seco or "Mar y Sol" ("Sea and Sun"), is not in fact an island: Although there is water under the bridge at all but the lowest of tides, and although at the highest tides there are a few inches of water in the wilderness area behind "Skip's Garden" (see Houses for Rent), it is almost always possible to walk on dry (or at worst damp) land from the areas at and near "Skip's Garden" to the shrimp-pan, which is definitely on the mainland. The "island/peninsula" issue has political and touristic aspects and is often a subject of debate. In any case, the island/ peninsula runs from the mouth of the Rio Parrita to the mouth of the Rio Palo Seco. Across the Rio Parrita there is Bandera; Isla(s) Damas is just across the Rio Palo Seco.

Shortly after the bridge you come to the intersection where the road from Parrita ends in the beach road. This point is called "the corner" and is used, here and officially, as the starting point from which locations are measured. In our discussions of houses for rent at Palo Seco, distances from "the corner" refer to this point. The burned-out buildings there were very popular restaurant named "Mar y Sol," and that is where the island's nickname originated.

Although the estero widens as one travels toward the southeastern end of the island, it is less than twenty feet wide at the bridge connecting the island to the mainland. The island is about six miles long, and its width varies from about 350 meters to more than 700. In the widest parts of the island side roads lead to a few secluded houses but for the most part all of the houses are "on the beach" -- that is, they are between 50 and 100 meters from the actual waves, have frontage on the beach road, and unobsructed access across it to the beach. This is true of all the vacation homes we offer.

Parrita, the town from which you come to Palo Seco and where, driving from the beach, you reach the coast road, is about 2/3 of the way from Jacó to Quepos, the two nearest tourist centers. Thus, given that Quepos has more night-life and is the gateway to Manuel Antonio National Park, whereas Jacó is the major surfing and touorist location, Palo Seco is ideally located for those who do not necessarily want to spend their whole vacations "away from it all."

Nevertheless, Palo Seco itself is not without its own tourist attractions. A new "action sports resort" named "timarai" (they don't capitalize the name) opened in January 2005 offering a wide selection of activities ranging from parasailing to kayaking. They also offer equipment rentals (surf boards, bicycles, kayaks etc.)

The existing record snook (called "robalo" in Spanish) and the previous record-holder were both taken from the riverbank at the end of the island, and there is good fishing in the estuary as well. There are frequent fishing contests in the estuary, fun to watch for the antics of the contestants (though there are some serious catches too), with plentiful beer and snack foods available. At least once a month, usually the last Saturday night, there is a disco at the "Hawaillanas," a local restaurant/bar on the island.

Birds and monkeys abound in the manglar, with the monkeys eager to visit the backyards if fruits are offered. And there is some rough-n-ready night-life, both in La Julieta (the main part of the town usually but inexactly referred to as "Parrita"), and in Pueblo Nuevo, which is about halfway from the coast road to the beach road, on the way to the island. Just outside of La Julieta, toward Jacó, there is a large community center/all-purpose building on the left side of the road, behind a large vacant lot used for parking, at which, irregularly scheduled, there are disco dances and open bar. Both La Julieta and Pueblo Nuevo also have occasional festivals, especially during holiday seasons, with the usual small-carnival attractions such as Ferris wheel, cotton candy etc. but also native foods. There is also in January the annual "Festival of the Mules" featuring the Costa Rican equivalent of a rodeo, including bull-jumping etc.

Although our vacation homes include fully-equipped kitchens, there are also a number of restaurants on the island. Just to the west of the "Corner" there is the Hawallanas which features excellent whole-fish dinners from an oral menu otherwise variable from day to day. A little to the east of the Corner the "Babylon" bar also offers a menu of light foods for lunch and dinner. By prior arrangement (you must call in the morning) the Beso del Viento (a bed-and-breakfast) offers its dinner service for non-resident guests. The Hotel La Isla has a spacious restaurant and bar with an extensive menu of dishes that might be available from the kitchen. Timarai's restaurant and bar opened in August 2005 and offers a varied menu including haut-cusine specialties. Still to be further sampled, we have found the flavors not up to the excellence of the presentations: Be sure to ask for salt.