Golfito
All information about Golfito Cruise Port. Timetable for the arrival of ships, the time of their stay and the number of passengers. Golfito Port news. Weather forecast and historical weather, as well as water temperatures around Golfito.
Golfito: tourist information
The former banana port of Golfito, 33km north of the Panamanian border, straggles for 2500m along the water of the same name (golfito means "little gulf"). The town's setting is spectacular, backed up against steep, thickly forested hills to the east, and with the glorious Golfo Dulce – one of the deepest gulfs of its size in the world – to the west. The low shadow of the Osa Peninsula shimmers in the distance, and everywhere the vegetation has the soft muted look of the undisturbed tropics.
Golfito's history is inextricably intertwined with the giant transnational United Brands company – locally known as "La Yunai" – which first set up in the area in 1938. United Brands built schools, recruited doctors and police, and brought prosperity to the area, but following fluctuating banana prices, a three-month strike and local social unrest, they eventually decided Golfito was too much trouble and pulled out in a hurry in 1985. The town died, and in the public eye became synonymous with rampant unemployment, alcoholism, abandoned children, prostitution and general unruliness.
Today, at the big old muelle bananero, container ships are still loaded up with bananas processed further up towards Palmar Norte. This residual traffic, along with tourism – Golfito is a good base for getting to the Parque Nacional Corcovado by lancha or plane – has combined to help revive the local economy. The real rescue, though, came from the Costa Rican government, who in the early 1990s established a depósito libre – or tax-free zone – in the town, where Costa Ricans can buy manufactured goods imported from Panamá without the 100-percent tax normally levied.
Golfito straggles for ages without any clear centre. The town is effectively split in two – by a division in wealth as well as architecture. In the north is the zona americana, where the banana-company executives used to live and where better-off residents still reside in beautiful wooden houses shaded by dignified palms. Here you'll find the depósito libre, an unaesthetic outdoor mall ringed by a circular concrete wall. To the south, the pueblo civil (civilian town), is a very small, tight nest of streets; hotter, noisier and more crowded than the zona. It's here you'll find the good-value hotels and sodas, as well as the lancha across the Golfo Dulce to Puerto Jiménez and the Osa Peninsula.
Location
Golfito Cruise Port Schedule
Golfito in the News
- Mar 2, 2023
Fred Olsen's MS Borealis to set sail on a 2nd world cruise from Southampton UK in early 2024 Fred Olsen Cruise Line's ship Borealis recently set sail on the Around the World in 80 Days voyag... - Jan 15, 2023
Big Day for Costa Rica as Nine Cruise Ships Visit on Same Day On January 13, 2023, Costa Rica experienced a historic day in the cruise industry as nine ships a... - Oct 6, 2022
Costa Rica welcomes cruise ships to the country Costa Rica commenced one of the most awaited seasons for its coastal areas: the cruise ships' arr... - Aug 31, 2022
Emerald Cruises launches its 2023-2024 yacht cruise brochure Emerald Cruises launched its 2023-2024 yacht cruise brochure featuring a range of new sailings on... - Aug 6, 2022
Five Unique Atlas Ocean Voyages Itineraries Building up its luxe-adventure product, Atlas Ocean Voyages has a unique set of deployment on off...
Port rating and occupancy
Port of Golfito ranks 212th in the world in terms of the number of tourists visiting it.
Number of cruise ship calls in the coming year: 0.
The total number of tourists (passengers) of cruise ships in the port of Golfito in the next 12 months is 0.
According to the popularity rating among more than 1,000 cruise ports in the world, Golfito ranks 450.
Weather in Golfito
Current water temperature in Golfito now is 86°F (30.2°C)
Water temperature data provided by seatemperature.net.
Annual Weather