Golfito

Golfito is a district and port town of the Golfito canton, in the Puntarenas province of Costa Rica, located on the southern Pacific Coast, near the border of Panama.

Toponymy
Literally translated as 'little gulf'.

Geography
Golfito has an area of 357.32 km2 and an elevation of 5 metres.

From the northern section, which was the old United Fruit Company headquarters, trails go up to the Golfito Mixed Wildlife Refuge on the hill, which is part of the National System of Conservation Areas. Tall, 30 - 45 m high, evergreen rain forests surround the coastal lowlands around the town. The region receives an average of 400 - 500 cm of rainfall annually.

Golfito Bay is within the larger Golfo Dulce, and separated from the open Pacific Ocean by the Osa Peninsula. Ferry boats cross the Golfo Dulce from Golfito to Puerto Jimenez, which is an access point to the Osa Peninsula and Corcovado National Park.

The town lies on a narrow strip of land between the eponymous bay and a hill and consists of two parts, the town proper and shopping area to the south, and a residential area near the port.

Demographics
At the 2011 census, Golfito had a population of 11,284 inhabitants.

Road transportation
The district is covered by the following road routes:
 * CR RNP 14.svg National Route 14
 * CR RNS 238.svg National Route 238

Airport

 * Golfito Airport airstrip.

Agriculture
In the mid-20th century, Golfito was a major banana growing region (also resulting in it being a major port of southern Costa Rica), but a combination of worker unrest, declining foreign markets, rising export taxes and banana disease led to the closing of the United Fruit Company in 1985. Palm oil plantations have replaced the old banana plantations and, due to their success, more and more land is devoted to growing this palm. A small flow of tourists began to arrive in the mid-1990s, and by mid-2006 sport fishing had become the most important tourist attraction.

Duty free shopping centre
The Golfito duty free shopping centre (Depósito Libre Comercial de Golfito), with forty nine retail stores, attracts shoppers from other regions of the country, with the caveats that it is limited to a sum of up to USD $1000 annually per person and that the individuals have to stay at least a night in the area, as there is a shopping permit that should be acquired the day before doing the shopping. Doing so promotes the local hospitality and tourism business in the area. This shopping centre was created in 1986 as the banana production ceased in the area.

Tourism
The beaches in the region provides for tourist activities, even during the tide fluctuation, which averages about 3 m.

Fishing and boating
The town offers small marinas, yachting and boating services, sport fishing, and a destination for cruise ships. Much of the tourism in the Golfito area focuses on the sport fishing industry. Many of the lodges and hotels have their own sport fishing boats and captains. Yachting, boating, water sports and beach activities are also possible. The beaches south of Golfito — Playa Zancudo, Pilon and Pavones — offer excellent surfing.

The controversial approval of permits for construction of a new big marina in Golfito was an unsuccessful process that lasted over nine years. Environmentalists and local residents opposed the project. Among the issues were the lack of a scientific study to determine the environmental impact of anti-fouling paint, sewage and oil spillage, and the lack of space to install a water treatment plant. The Regulatory Office for Marinas in Costa Rica (CIMAT) ordered the Golfito Municipality, in early 2010, to withdraw all permits for this marina project.

Tours
There's a lot of things you can do in Golfito such as Dolphin and whale watching boat tours, horseback riding, hiking tours to the Golfito Wildlife Refuge or the Piedras Blancas National Park and it's also a famous spot for bird watching tours and sportfishing.

Education
The town of Golfito has five primary schools, one secondary school that also offers a separate night schooling. The University of Costa Rica has a branch campus in Golfito where students mostly from the region attend. As a public university, UCR-Golfito offers scholarships and housing to about 90% of its students. UCR-Golfito has student housing facilities (called Bachers), a library, laboratories, and a student union called Club Centro, where art and recreational activities take place.