Costa Rica's Southern Pacific Zone | Perez Zeledon | San Isidro

Perez Zeledon, and the city known as San Isidro, an inland territory located to the southeast of the Capital City has been blessed in diferent areas such as its people, nice and friendly all the time, but also in topography and climate, and the history of a continuous development of the city makes the area of one of the best choices when relocating to Costa Rica from abroad or moving inside the country.

View of the City of San Isidro de El General.

Location of San Isidro inside the Costa Rica map.

Location and Accessibility: The city of San Isidro de El General belongs to the district of the same name, in the Perez Zeledon County, province of San Jose. It is located 135 Km (85 miles) southeast of San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, over the Route #2 of the South Interamerican Highway; 160 Km (100 miles) from the Juan Santamaria International Airport over the same way. From Liberia, province of Guanacaste, we are 340 km (212 miles) South over the Interamerican and Coastal Highway - which is a small section of the Panamerican Highway -. The city of San Isidro has a landing strip for small planes and helicopters just 5 km from downtown.

History: When the Spaniards arrived, the region was inhabited by the Boruca, Terraba, Cotos, Caecares, Bribris and Gymeies Indian Tribes - inhabited since 1500 years B.C., by the XVIII and XIX centuries, a migratory current from Panama and the Central Valley in Costa Rica had many people establish in the area actually know as San Isidro de El General and Perez Zeledon, then to Buenos Aires and the rest of the Southern Pacific of Cost a Rica. The county of Perez Zeledon was founded in 1931 with the name of "Ureña", changing eventually to his actual name. The Political-Territorial division was accomplished in 1973 after several peaceful negotiations took place to distribute the area of several counties as known today.

Topography: The South Pacific Region of Costa Rica is limited to the North - East by the Talamanca Mountains or "Cordillera de Talamanca", known also as the Chirripo Mountains because of his highest peak, the "Cerro Chirripó", with 3820 meters over sea level; to the West by the "Fila Costera", a small formation going along the Pacific Coast like a branch of the larger cordillera; also, a big amount of valleys are found inland. This is why you may find very steep land next to some valleys and flat areas that go for miles, repeteadly in the whole region. Many rivers have also formed beautiful canyons, waterfalls and mouths, but with water also came the blessed of animals, with many of the world's biodiversity in a very tiny section of the planet.

Climate: The area's climate is similar to the whole country: 2 marked seasons, rainy and summer. From the middle December to the middle April features high dry temperatures, from 30 to 38 Celcious in the coastal areas, warm in the middle lands and fresh up in the high mountains. The winter, from middle April to middle December characterizes for many sun shiney mornings with gray skyies with rain during the afternoon. Some storms might bring 2 to 3 days of rain once in a while, so will be the summer days we will enjoy.

Celebración del Día de Independencia. Niña Vistiendo el Traje Típico de Costa Rica durante las actividades de celebració de la independencia.

"Faroles" el Día antes de las celebraciones de Independencia. La noche antes de la independencia se celebra con lamparas y candelas en el parque de la ciudad.

Inhabitants: According to the census elaborated by the INEC ("Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos") in year 2000, the National Homes Census in 2006 and MIDEPLAN in year 2007, all the South Pacific of Costa Rica have around 341,000 people, being Perez Zeledon the most populated with a total close to 150,000 people.

Territory: The Perez Zeledon county has an extention of 1,905 Square Kilometers, the whole South Pacific Region, including the counties of Buenos Aires, Osa, Corredores, Coto Brus, Golfito and Perez Zeledon has a total of 9,524 square kilometers.

Montañas del Chirripó. Para llegar a San Isidro, sobre la Carretera Interamericana Sur, se encuentra la Cordillera de Talamanca, con el Parque Nacional Chirripó, Tapantí, y muchas zonas protegidas privadas.

Isla del Caño. Frente a la Peninsula de Osa, en el Oceano Pacífico, existe una serie de montañas marinas que dan origen a esta isla. Aqui se puede disfrutar de una gran diversidad de flora y fauna terrestre y marina.

Public Services: In the whole region, 91% of the population have access to Electric and 84% of the them have access to public drinking water. In more developed areas, like the city of San Isidro de El General and surroundings, there is access to High Speed Internet, Cable TV and sewage systems. In the mayority of the communities people have access to phone thru land lines and a fairly good cellular signal.

Health Care Services: The "Escalante Pradilla" memorial Hospital, located right in downtown San Isidro de El General city, is one of the biggest medical centers of the area. We also have important hospitals in Ciudad Cortes, Golfito and Neilly City, plus many small, public and private well equipped clinics all around the communities. Some of the bigger clinics - almost hospital - are located in San Isidro.

Puerto Golfito. en el Golfo Dulce encontrará esta comunidad, centro de comercio y turismo de la Zona Sur.

Playa Ballena. 5 Km al Sur de Playa Uvita, cuna del Parque Nacional Marino Ballena. Desde aquí se puede viajar en kayac hasta la isla del mismo nombre.

Education. In Costa Rica, elementary and highschool education is free, granted by the government, for all. There is an elementary school in almost every community of the Perez Zeledon county, for small it might be; there are highschools in many areas around the San Isidro city and a big number also within the urban area. One of the best private schools in town is "Colegio del Valle", with elementary and high school education in english and spanish. Several universities have presence in the area, like the UMCA, with branches in Perez Zeledon, Buenos Aires and more cities of the region.

Sierpe de Osa. Canales y ramificaciones del Río Sierpe, dentro de los cuales se puede practicar la pesca, observación de fauna y flora, viajes a la Isla del Caño y otras actividades.

Catarata El Diamante. Hermoso lugar localizado entre Playa Dominical y San Isidro de El General. Aqui las propiedades con vista de la costa tienen una gran demanda.

Isla Ballena. Esta isla tiene una gran diversidad de pájaros que anidan en sus picos y vegetación.

Isla del Caño. Imagen tomada a la llegada a la isla, al fondo se aprecia la casa de los guardaparques.

Playa Dominical. 35 Km al Suroeste de San Isidro se encuentra esta hermosa comunidad costera, playas muy buenas para la practica del surf. Ademas aqui encontrará hoteles, restaurantes, cabinas y otros servicios para turístas y propios.

Posa Azul. Cerca de Playa Dominicalito puede disfrutar de esta piscina natural, profunda, limpia y algunas veces desolada.