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The Diquis archaeological zone is also composed of topographically and climatically diverse subzones. While most of the Pacific coastal strip below Quepos and the broad upland valleys to the southwest of the Talamanca mountains have a severe, clearly demarcated dry season, a localized Pacific wind pattern causes parts of the Osa Peninsula and localities around the Golfo Dulce to experience the intense rainfall typical of much of the Atlantic Watershed, up to five meters a year, with no detectable dry season. Although they support a plentiful and varied natural flora, large upland valleys like the General have mostly red, relatively infertile soils compared with those of the Central Valley and the Atlantic Watershed. Fundamentally, this is because the nonvolcanic Talamanca range has failed to provide the soil nutrients so generously bestowed on other parts of Costa Rica by the volcanoes running along the center of the country.

Of the three archaeological zones, Diquis, with the smallest number of controlled excavations, is the least understood. No radiocarbon (C-14) dates are yet available, and the regional sequence of archaeological phases must be considered tentative. Culturally, Diquis is considered to form part of the larger subarea known as Greater Chiriqui, which includes the Panamanian province of Chiriqui, to the southeast.

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