The telephone number of the Quepos Hospital is (tel) 2777-0922. In case of emergency, you can also call the Cruz Roja ((tel) 2777-0116; Red Cross). For the local police, call (tel) 2777-3608. The post office ((tel) 2777-1471) is in downtown Quepos. Several pharmacies are in Quepos, as well as a pharmacy at the hospital, and another close to the park entrance. A half-dozen or so laundromats and laundry services are in town.
Several major Costa Rican banks have branches and ATMs in downtown Quepos, and a couple of ATMs have sprung up along the road to the national park.
Profitable Palms
On any drive to or from Quepos and Manuel Antonio, you’ll pass through miles and miles of African palm plantations. Native to West Africa, Elaeis guineensis was planted along this stretch in the 1940s by the United Fruit Co., in response to a blight that was attacking its banana crops. The palms took hold and soon proved quite profitable, being blessed with copious bunches of plum-size nuts that are rich in oil. This oil is extracted and processed in plantations that dot the road between Jacó and Quepos. The smoke and distinct smell of this processing is easily noticed. The processed oil is eventually shipped overseas and used in a wide range of products, including soaps, cosmetics, lubricants, and food products.
These plantations are a major source of employment in the area—note the small, orderly “company towns” built for workers—but their presence is controversial. The palm trees aren’t native and the farming practices are notorious for threatening biodiversity in Costa Rica and around the world.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
