Golfo Dulce, on Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula, offers a rare chance to move through landscapes where ocean and rainforest edge into one another, each pushing and pulling like eager neighbors. The best coastal trails here thread a careful line between jagged shorelines, dense tropical forests, and the constant hum of wildlife that claims this place as its own.

Start with the Bahía Drake Coastal Trail — a 7-kilometer trek hugging the beach and climbing through occasional forest canopies. Its elevation gain is moderate, around 200 meters, but the terrain demands sturdy footwear: expect damp sands, rocky outcrops, and slippery roots invited by the rainforest’s embrace. The trail challenges you with surprise river crossings, where you meet rivers daring you to find balance without losing your footing. Morning is prime hiking time; the sun hasn’t yet coaxed the humidity’s full weight, and the trail’s natural sounds awaken with you.

Closer to town, the Playa Ventanas Loop offers a shorter, more accessible 4-kilometer route that balances beach strolling with forest edge exploration. Expect gentle undulations rather than steep climbs, but watch for tides that can shift the path look and footing. The ocean here is a living force, currents pushing and pulling on tide pools and rocky bends, creating windows to spot small crabs and fish navigating their microhabitats.

For those looking to extend their adventure, the trail connecting Playa Escondida and Playa Matapalo stretches about 10 kilometers. It weaves through coastal mangroves, sandy beaches, and thick jungle fringes, with an elevation change of about 300 meters. Each step asks you to adjust: mud can challenge your boots, while tree roots claw at stable ground. The canopy provides intermittent shade, but the sea breeze waits on the ridge to reward your climb.

Preparation is straightforward but essential—carry adequate water with purification options, footwear that grips across wet and dry surfaces, and timing that avoids midday heat and rainy bursts. Mosquito repellent and a light rain jacket can make the difference between a slog and a smooth excursion. Trust the land’s fierce independence and respect its rhythms, and this coastal stretch will offer you close and active communion with both beach and forest.

These hikes are practical invitations—paths where the natural world remains fiercely itself, transforming constantly, inviting all levels of adventurers to witness a coastline alive with edge-of-forest tension and calm ocean views.