Costa Rica Fishing Lodges & Resorts

#1 – Zancudo Lodge

Located just south of Golfito near the mouth of the Golfo Dulce, the Zancudo Lodge is the premier Costa Rica fishing lodge. Its location gives anglers access to some of the best inshore and offshore fishing in all of Costa Rica’s Southern Zone. With just 15 rooms total, the Zancudo Lodge is very exclusive and typically fills up 9-12 months in advance for peak dates. The luxurious accommodations offer guests spacious air-conditioned rooms, fiber optic internet, flat screen TVs, high end linens, cotton waffle robes & slippers, and twice daily maid service. Your stay at Zancudo Lodge is all inclusive, so three meals a day plus happy hour bocas are all included at the open-air restaurant, The Gamefisher. Much of what you eat during your stay comes from their organic garden, their own organically fed pigs, or of course what you catch throughout the week. Non-alcoholic drinks are available from 5:30 AM to 8 PM, while alcoholic drinks are available to enjoy from 12 PM to 8 PM.

Luxurious accommodations and great service are part of what makes Zancudo Lodge the best fishing lodge in Costa Rica, but the fishing operation is what leaves it without equal. Their fleet of 32’ Contenders are some be the fastest and best equipped boats in the entire country. Each one is outfitted with twin 300 HP Yamaha engines, tuna tubes, a live bait well, Rockford Fosgate audio systems for your music, and brand new Simrad HD Radar that have an incredible five-mile range to help you find birds that are feeding with yellowfin tuna.  For an ultra-luxury fishing experience, anglers can upgrade the owner’s very own boat – a brand new 44’ Contender Z1. This boat features triple Yamaha 425’s, a tower with shaded seating underneath, a small cabin with AC to cool off, and a SeaKeeper. You’ll slay fish all week on Okuma rods & reels, BKK hooks, tackle from big names like Squid Nation, Black Bart, and Savage Gear, and Bubba knives & gaffs for when it’s time to bring home dinner.

How to Arrive: You’ll take a 50-minute charter flight from San Jose to Golfito early in the morning on your second day after spending your first night in the capital. Once in Golfito, you’ll take a 20-minute taxi-ride to the Zancudo Lodge
Accommodations: 15 rooms including Standard and Deluxe Rooms, a private1-bedroom suite
Includes: 3 meals a day, wine with dinner, open bar until 9 PM, pool, and a beachfront location
Boat Fleet: Zancudo Lodge’s fleet consists of top of the line 32′ Contenders. They also have two 28′ Center Consoles for smaller groups. For an upgraded experience, you can rent the owner’s very own, brand new 44′ Contender Z1. Complete with a Sea Keeper and triple Yamaha v8 435 HPs, this is one of the nicest charter boats in all of Costa Rica.
Target Species: Marlin, sailfish, yellowfin tuna, dorado offshore as well as roosterfish, cubera snapper, jacks, snook inshore.
Best Time to Fish at the Zancudo Lodge: December through June.

#2 – Crocodile Bay Lodge (now known as Botanika Osa Peninsula)

Since the year 2000, perhaps no other fishing lodge in Costa Rica has become more of a household name than the Crocodile Bay Lodge. Located in the exotic Osa Peninsula near Puerto Jimenez, Crocodile Bay offered all-inclusive accommodations, air-conditioned rooms, great food, a 5,000 sq ft spa, pool with swim up bar, and of course access to some of the best inshore and offshore fishing on the Pacific. The original lodge featured 34 comfortable, classic lodge-style rooms with local hardwood, comfortable beds, and private bathrooms. For the better part of two decades, it was the perfect mix of rustic luxury that anglers absolutely adored as it became the flagship Costa Rica fishing lodge.

All of that was written in past-tense because no other fishing lodge has gone through a greater makeover than Crocodile Bay. In the rumor mill and then construction phase for years, in 2021 the original Crocodile Bay Lodge ceased to exist and officially became the Botanika Osa Peninsula, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. Long gone are the charming lodge rooms as they have been replaced by 138 luxurious, chic guest rooms and suites. The small pool anglers loved to cool off and tell stories in has been replaced by a lagoon style pool. New amenities feature a state-of-the-art gym, spa, and several restaurants. The new Botanika is stunningly gorgeous and one-of-a-kind in the Puerto Jimenez area, but as someone who visited and enjoyed the original Crocodile Bay Lodge, it will take some getting used to! 

Even with the new Hilton Curio Collection property, the Crocodile Bay fishing operation still exists so anglers can still experience incredible numbers of billfish, dorado, and tuna offshore as well as the variety of light tackle inshore species. A walk down their private 800 ft pier brings you to a large fleet of boats ranging from 24′ Boston Whalers to larger 33′ Strike boats. All boats are outfitted with 50 and 30 Penn International reels for offshore fishing and 20 and 30 pound conventional and spinning tackle for inshore and light tackle fishing.

How to Arrive: 50-minute charter flight from San Jose to Puerto Jimenez. Once in Puerto Jimenez, the Botanika is just minutes away.
Accommodations: 138 guest rooms and 1, 2, and 3-bedroom suites
Includes: The original Crocodile Bay Lodge was all inclusive, the new Botanika does not include any meals but has two restaurants on-site and offers room service.
Boat Fleet: The Crocodile Bay Marina still offers a large private sport fishing fleet from their 800 ft private dock. The boats from the original lodge are all still available, including 24′ and 25′ Boston Whaler Outrage for small groups and 33′ and 35′ Strike boats for larger parties.
Target Species: Marlin, sailfish, yellowfin tuna, dorado offshore. Roosterfish, cubera snapper, jacks, snook inshore.
Best Time to Fish at the Crocodile Bay Lodge / Botanika: December through June.

#3 – Rio Parismina Lodge

For the past 30 years, the Rio Parismina Lodge has been one of Costa Rica’s premier tarpon lodges. It’s no coincidence that the leadership of Judy Heidt, the founder of Rio P and a world record holder herself, still runs the operation. Built on 50 acres of tropical jungle, Rio P offers comfortable lodging, great food, and access to some of the best tarpon and snook fishing in the world. The lodge features just 12 rooms, each assigned it’s own boat and local tarpon guide for the week, so group sizes are never more than 24 and the comradery of a remote fishing lodge is enjoyed on every trip. The Rio Parismina Lodge is all inclusive so three delicious meals a day and full open bar are part of your fishing package.

The main reason anglers flock to Rio P is for the incredible tarpon and snook fishing found just a couple miles from the lodge. With access to five different river mouths, trophy fish can be found just about every day you hit the water. Rio P sends it’s tarpon anglers out on custom built 21′ deep-V hull boats that are fast, spacious and can punch through the waves of the river mouth with ease. They also have a fleet of 10′ John boats, which are perfect for exploring the miles upon miles of freshwater rivers and canals that are home to exotic freshwater species like machaca and rainbow bass as well tarpon and snook.

How to Arrive: 25 minute private charter flight from San Jose after spending your first night in the capital
Accommodations: 12 rooms, each with two beds, ceiling fan, oscillating fans, safe, and a private bathroom with hot water shower
Includes: 3 meals a day, full open bar, pool, jacuzzi, and hammock garden along the river
Boat Fleet: 21’ deep-V hull boats with T-tops, fighting chair, and Evinrude 150 hp outboards and 10′ John boats for exploring the
endless maze of fresh water rivers and canals that are home to exotic freshwater species
Target Species: Tarpon, snook, jacks, kingfish in the saltwater. Machaca, rainbow bass, snook, tropical gar in freshwater.
Best Time to Fish at the Rio Parismina Lodge: Mid-January to Mid-May and again in September & October