This transport and tourist hub is one of the few places in the Osa where there are always people in the streets and you can get reliable internet service and a cell phone signal. At the same time, here you are at arm's length from all the major activities and attractions – trips to Corcovado, dolphin watching, mangrove tours, kayaking, sports fishing, crocodiles, plus trips to the old gold-mining town where you can try your own hand at panning for precious ore. Although the center is somewhat dingy, you can chose to go as exclusive as you want here, with isolated luxury lodges on the far end of the beach.
The region was first discovered in 1519 by don Juan de Castañeda and don Hernán Ponce de Leon, though its original inhabitants were the brunca indigenous people. The first community established in what is now known as Puerto Jiménez was called “Golfo Dulce” and was founded in 1848 by Juan Maria Fernandez. The economy at this time was based on agriculture – crops included rice, beans, corn, palms and cocoa – as well as cattle ranching. The town also saw an influx of Panamanians who were attracted by the quality of the land and opportunities for hunting and fishing. The name of the town was officially changed to Puerto Jiménez in 1916, in honor of Costa Rican president Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno.
In 1934 the Costa Rican Banana Company abandoned its operations in the Caribbean and moved them to the Osa, starting up the new cultivations two years later. Puerto Jimenez then became the primary port out of which the fruit was exported, until 1941, when the company opened a new port in Golfito. At this time exports from Jiménez also included crocodile skin, mangrove and other woods, and gold from small-scale mining operations. Agriculture still forms part of Puerto Jiménez' economy, with ranching and tourism now the primary sources of income.