Three weeks of wandering through Costa Rica - pura vida!
Mar 5th, 2013, 08:22 AM
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Three weeks of wandering through Costa Rica - pura vida!
February 9 was the start of my sixth trip to Costa Rica over the past five years and my goal was to visit some off-the-beaten track destinations, return to a few of my favorite spots, stay in as many locally owned lodges as possible and (hopefully) utilize and improve my Spanish. This report will be in bits and pieces since I’m in the process of editing way too many photos, but will post a link to them later.
Arrival at SJO was a major effort to coordinate as I was bringing some items for an Alajuela friend along with an extra suitcase full of goodies for another friend’s grandson and meeting up with my two travel companions who had picked up our rental car from Wild Rider a few hours earlier. My United flight via Houston was on time, customs/immigration wait was minimal and the ATM by baggage claim was easy to spot.
Rosti Pollos by SJO turned out to be the perfect place to meet and hand over the extra bag and laptop. After a quick roasted chicken salad for lunch, we hit the InterAmerican by 3:00 pm. I knew that we couldn’t make it to La Carolina before dark, so I looked for a closer alternative – and there’s not much in this part of the country. Although Cañas is not a tourist destination, but strictly a place to drive through, it worked out well for us to stay at Hacienda La Pacifica. http://pacificacr.com/english/hotel-2.html
Arriving at sunset, we found expansive grounds with deer grazing in front of our room. There were very few guests – the three of us along with a small tour group from Europe that we saw in the restaurant that evening. The room was large, clean and had some beautiful woodwork. I believe that the majority of the grounds are used for research purposes, but this is a good place to overnight if you know you can’t make it to your Guanacaste destination before dark. We had some great cerviche, grilled tilapia, veggies and margaritas for dinner. Downside was that this was probably our worst place for mosquitoes during the entire three weeks of travel.
Next morning I woke up to my “alarm clock” of howler monkeys and looked out to see agoutis hopping around the lawn and coatis heading back in to the forest. After a good breakfast of scrambled eggs and fruit, I got my first taste of driving in Costa Rica – I loved it! The road up to Bijagua was quite deserted on a Sunday morning, well paved and beautiful scenery with Miravalles and Tenerio volcanoes beside us. It was a great way for me to get used to driving a manual transmission once again.
Turning off just past Bijagua I hit positively the worst road I’ve ever experienced in the country – and that includes the infamous roads in Monteverde, the Osa and Arenal Observatory Lodge. It was slow going, but arriving at La Carolina was worth it. This hidden gem has 170 acres of rainforest and pastureland, main lodge and several private cabins. It is rustic and geared for independent travelers, not anyone who is looking for luxury accommodations. Bill and Karien Harwell are the owners and are very outgoing, friendly and helpful. The staff (including guides) does not speak English, so you’ll certainly get more out of guided tours, etc. if you have a basic understanding of Spanish.
http://lacarolinalodge.com/
Karien had upgraded us to a private cabin by the river with a queen and single bed, fireplace, large front and back porches with a hammock and our own hot tub overlooking the jungle and river. It was so peaceful and quiet on our porch that we never even made it to the other hot tub by the river.
The meals at La Carolina were mainly casados. They were delicious, hardy and served family style, so you get to chat with other guests. We met a couple who had just left Santa Teresa and said it was so hot, dry and dusty there that people were wearing masks – that made us appreciate our beautiful setting even more. Much of the food is grown on their land in the orchards, gardens or from their dairy. The rates per person included all meals, guided tour of the property, horseback riding and a guide to accompany you to Tenerio National Park. At night there is limited power available and most lighting is by candlelight for a wonderful atmosphere. Do bring a flashlight for your walk back to your cabin.
Karien and Bill (and their two small boys) are only here five months a year and the staff runs the lodge in their absence. We had great fun hiking the property with Justin spotting a blue jean frog, violaceous trogon and howler monkeys. Birding and photography in the garden can occupy you for hours with toucans, tanagers, hermit hummingbirds, wild turkeys, woodpeckers and honeycreepers flying in to the fruit stations. We went horsebacking riding with Justin and Juan Carlos and found the horses to be well cared for, gentle and easy for novice riders.
Our morning at Tenerio National Park exceeded all expectations. Juan Carlos accompanied us to the park, but it is not necessary to have a guide. The trail was slick in spots, but because it had not rained in a few days, it was no problem walking it.
Rio Celeste waterfall is probably the most beautiful spot in Costa Rica – and we were the only three people there, truly a pura, pura vida moment in time!! It was magical standing there absorbing the intense blue/turquoise colors of the water and thinking it just can’t be real. We were so fortunate that it had not rained since that will dilute the color of the water. They have recently built some new railings and you are no longer allowed to go sit on the rocks close to the waterfall or to swim there. Because the roads are so bad and it’s a remote area, you are not going to be overrun with other visitors. Legend has it that when God was creating the world, he dropped his paintbrush and splattered blue paint in the river, thus creating the intense color of the water.
If you are looking for gourmet restaurants or higher end luxury hotels, then you probably would not be comfortable at La Carolina. We loved it and would happily return if we are in this region again. Hint: stop in Bijagua for beer or wine and you can keep it chilled in an ice cooler off the rancho. Alcohol is not available from the lodge.
Sadly leaving there after a few nights, we spent ½ day driving through the idyllic countryside on our way to Arenal, getting lost a few times, waving to ranchers and farmers on horseback, waiting for cows to move out of the road or off the bridges, smiling at baby calves and foals frolicking in the pastures. La Fortuna is definitely not an off-the-beaten track spot, but since it was my friends’ first visit to Costa Rica, I figured they would want to spend a couple nights there.
We spent a few hours driving the Cabanga road and found a nice little bakery run by a man who spoke perfect English after living in Canada for years. As we made our way down the slopes to Nuevo Arenal, we had a beautiful day to view the lake and all but the very top of the volcano.
We had a small cabina at Arenal Green, a family owned lodge on the road to La Fortuna waterfall. It was a pretty tight fit for three women and luggage, but it was clean and convenient with nice landscaping, great breakfasts and good birding near their small stream where I saw siskins, hummingbirds and tanagers. http://www.arenalgreen.com/
That evening we did a bit of shopping in town and had a delicious casado de pescado at Soda la Parada followed by mora and coco ice cream at Pops. In fact, we enjoyed the food at la Parada so much that we returned the next night – dinner for under $10 can’t be beat - and their banana batidos were soooo good!
The next morning was spent hiking the trails at Arenal Observatory Lodge - $6 pp for non-guests. The lush grounds there are a mecca for birds and offer plenty of photo ops. We walked down to the waterfall and enjoyed the hummingbirds feeding in the porterweed. The colorful Montezuma Oropendulas were taking over the fruit feeders, but once in a while some tanagers flew in.
EcoTermales was the ideal spot for the afternoon and was my main reason to return to Arenal. I love the tropical atmosphere and soaking in the thermal waters. Sitting under the waterfalls with the water massaging my back and neck was another pura vida moment! After my first trip and zip lining at Arenal Paraiso, I realized that I am not an adventure seeker, but enjoy the quieter, more relaxed pace of hiking, bird watching and photography. This will probably be my last trip to the Arenal region since other areas fit my interests a lot more.
Back to San Jose where I met up with some Tico amigos to celebrate St. Valentine’s Day at Café Mundo. Traffic was totally insane that night since so many people were heading out to celebrate. We had a great evening catching up since my last visit in May.
Up very early the next morning and off to Tortuguero where we met Modesto Watson at the Moin dock. The Limon highway has some major roadwork projects so it took longer than usual to get there, plus we stopped off at Rio Danta for breakfast. This was my third trip to Tortuguero with Modesto www.tortuguerocanals.com who runs Riverboat Francesca tours. He is an excellent guide and during our three day/two night visit we spotted numerous species of herons, egrets, crocs, sloths, kingfishers, swallows, spider and howler monkeys, blue morphos, frogs, parrots, northern jacana, pelicans, basilisks and caimans. We enjoyed the beautiful grounds and beach at Laguna Lodge and doing all the boat tours. http://www.lagunatortuguero.com/en/
Arrival at SJO was a major effort to coordinate as I was bringing some items for an Alajuela friend along with an extra suitcase full of goodies for another friend’s grandson and meeting up with my two travel companions who had picked up our rental car from Wild Rider a few hours earlier. My United flight via Houston was on time, customs/immigration wait was minimal and the ATM by baggage claim was easy to spot.
Rosti Pollos by SJO turned out to be the perfect place to meet and hand over the extra bag and laptop. After a quick roasted chicken salad for lunch, we hit the InterAmerican by 3:00 pm. I knew that we couldn’t make it to La Carolina before dark, so I looked for a closer alternative – and there’s not much in this part of the country. Although Cañas is not a tourist destination, but strictly a place to drive through, it worked out well for us to stay at Hacienda La Pacifica. http://pacificacr.com/english/hotel-2.html
Arriving at sunset, we found expansive grounds with deer grazing in front of our room. There were very few guests – the three of us along with a small tour group from Europe that we saw in the restaurant that evening. The room was large, clean and had some beautiful woodwork. I believe that the majority of the grounds are used for research purposes, but this is a good place to overnight if you know you can’t make it to your Guanacaste destination before dark. We had some great cerviche, grilled tilapia, veggies and margaritas for dinner. Downside was that this was probably our worst place for mosquitoes during the entire three weeks of travel.
Next morning I woke up to my “alarm clock” of howler monkeys and looked out to see agoutis hopping around the lawn and coatis heading back in to the forest. After a good breakfast of scrambled eggs and fruit, I got my first taste of driving in Costa Rica – I loved it! The road up to Bijagua was quite deserted on a Sunday morning, well paved and beautiful scenery with Miravalles and Tenerio volcanoes beside us. It was a great way for me to get used to driving a manual transmission once again.
Turning off just past Bijagua I hit positively the worst road I’ve ever experienced in the country – and that includes the infamous roads in Monteverde, the Osa and Arenal Observatory Lodge. It was slow going, but arriving at La Carolina was worth it. This hidden gem has 170 acres of rainforest and pastureland, main lodge and several private cabins. It is rustic and geared for independent travelers, not anyone who is looking for luxury accommodations. Bill and Karien Harwell are the owners and are very outgoing, friendly and helpful. The staff (including guides) does not speak English, so you’ll certainly get more out of guided tours, etc. if you have a basic understanding of Spanish.
http://lacarolinalodge.com/
Karien had upgraded us to a private cabin by the river with a queen and single bed, fireplace, large front and back porches with a hammock and our own hot tub overlooking the jungle and river. It was so peaceful and quiet on our porch that we never even made it to the other hot tub by the river.
The meals at La Carolina were mainly casados. They were delicious, hardy and served family style, so you get to chat with other guests. We met a couple who had just left Santa Teresa and said it was so hot, dry and dusty there that people were wearing masks – that made us appreciate our beautiful setting even more. Much of the food is grown on their land in the orchards, gardens or from their dairy. The rates per person included all meals, guided tour of the property, horseback riding and a guide to accompany you to Tenerio National Park. At night there is limited power available and most lighting is by candlelight for a wonderful atmosphere. Do bring a flashlight for your walk back to your cabin.
Karien and Bill (and their two small boys) are only here five months a year and the staff runs the lodge in their absence. We had great fun hiking the property with Justin spotting a blue jean frog, violaceous trogon and howler monkeys. Birding and photography in the garden can occupy you for hours with toucans, tanagers, hermit hummingbirds, wild turkeys, woodpeckers and honeycreepers flying in to the fruit stations. We went horsebacking riding with Justin and Juan Carlos and found the horses to be well cared for, gentle and easy for novice riders.
Our morning at Tenerio National Park exceeded all expectations. Juan Carlos accompanied us to the park, but it is not necessary to have a guide. The trail was slick in spots, but because it had not rained in a few days, it was no problem walking it.
Rio Celeste waterfall is probably the most beautiful spot in Costa Rica – and we were the only three people there, truly a pura, pura vida moment in time!! It was magical standing there absorbing the intense blue/turquoise colors of the water and thinking it just can’t be real. We were so fortunate that it had not rained since that will dilute the color of the water. They have recently built some new railings and you are no longer allowed to go sit on the rocks close to the waterfall or to swim there. Because the roads are so bad and it’s a remote area, you are not going to be overrun with other visitors. Legend has it that when God was creating the world, he dropped his paintbrush and splattered blue paint in the river, thus creating the intense color of the water.
If you are looking for gourmet restaurants or higher end luxury hotels, then you probably would not be comfortable at La Carolina. We loved it and would happily return if we are in this region again. Hint: stop in Bijagua for beer or wine and you can keep it chilled in an ice cooler off the rancho. Alcohol is not available from the lodge.
Sadly leaving there after a few nights, we spent ½ day driving through the idyllic countryside on our way to Arenal, getting lost a few times, waving to ranchers and farmers on horseback, waiting for cows to move out of the road or off the bridges, smiling at baby calves and foals frolicking in the pastures. La Fortuna is definitely not an off-the-beaten track spot, but since it was my friends’ first visit to Costa Rica, I figured they would want to spend a couple nights there.
We spent a few hours driving the Cabanga road and found a nice little bakery run by a man who spoke perfect English after living in Canada for years. As we made our way down the slopes to Nuevo Arenal, we had a beautiful day to view the lake and all but the very top of the volcano.
We had a small cabina at Arenal Green, a family owned lodge on the road to La Fortuna waterfall. It was a pretty tight fit for three women and luggage, but it was clean and convenient with nice landscaping, great breakfasts and good birding near their small stream where I saw siskins, hummingbirds and tanagers. http://www.arenalgreen.com/
That evening we did a bit of shopping in town and had a delicious casado de pescado at Soda la Parada followed by mora and coco ice cream at Pops. In fact, we enjoyed the food at la Parada so much that we returned the next night – dinner for under $10 can’t be beat - and their banana batidos were soooo good!
The next morning was spent hiking the trails at Arenal Observatory Lodge - $6 pp for non-guests. The lush grounds there are a mecca for birds and offer plenty of photo ops. We walked down to the waterfall and enjoyed the hummingbirds feeding in the porterweed. The colorful Montezuma Oropendulas were taking over the fruit feeders, but once in a while some tanagers flew in.
EcoTermales was the ideal spot for the afternoon and was my main reason to return to Arenal. I love the tropical atmosphere and soaking in the thermal waters. Sitting under the waterfalls with the water massaging my back and neck was another pura vida moment! After my first trip and zip lining at Arenal Paraiso, I realized that I am not an adventure seeker, but enjoy the quieter, more relaxed pace of hiking, bird watching and photography. This will probably be my last trip to the Arenal region since other areas fit my interests a lot more.
Back to San Jose where I met up with some Tico amigos to celebrate St. Valentine’s Day at Café Mundo. Traffic was totally insane that night since so many people were heading out to celebrate. We had a great evening catching up since my last visit in May.
Up very early the next morning and off to Tortuguero where we met Modesto Watson at the Moin dock. The Limon highway has some major roadwork projects so it took longer than usual to get there, plus we stopped off at Rio Danta for breakfast. This was my third trip to Tortuguero with Modesto www.tortuguerocanals.com who runs Riverboat Francesca tours. He is an excellent guide and during our three day/two night visit we spotted numerous species of herons, egrets, crocs, sloths, kingfishers, swallows, spider and howler monkeys, blue morphos, frogs, parrots, northern jacana, pelicans, basilisks and caimans. We enjoyed the beautiful grounds and beach at Laguna Lodge and doing all the boat tours. http://www.lagunatortuguero.com/en/
Mar 5th, 2013, 12:20 PM
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Next up was Cahuita – loved this funky little village! We stayed at a simple Tico owned lodge on Playa Negra called Atlantida – large rooms with ceiling fans, nice pool and lush gardens. http://atlantida.cr Our evening entertainment was sitting in the village at Coco’s eating garlic shrimp, drinking mojitos and watching a sloth maneuver his way across town on the phone wires.
We booked a trip through ACTUAR for the following day to visit the Bribri indigenous village on the Yorkin River located in the Talamanca Mountains. Passing through the town of Bribri I was surprised to see how large it was and the number of services located there. We were supposed to meet our guides in the village of Bambu, but there was a mixup in dates, so we waited a while. We walked through the sugar cane fields down to the river and watched the canoes heading upstream. Our Bribri guides in dugout canoes with small motors finally arrived and off we went for an hour ride through beautiful jungle, tranquil waters and fast rapids. Our guides would have to jump out and push through the rapids as the current was too strong for their motors. We went along the border with Panama on one side, Costa Rica on the other seeing kingfishers, herons and egrets along the way.
The village is located high on a hill and was pretty amazing with some substantial structures such as the brand new school, small guesthouse for overnight visitors and numerous houses, ranchos, etc. We toured the cacao plantation and learned about the fungus affecting much of the fruit, watched workers thatching a roof and enjoyed a delicious casado de pollo fixed on a wood burning stove. The sound of the grinder brought a lot of children into the rancho as we watched them prepare chocolate from the cacao beans. Dipping organic bananas into chocolate was a great way to end the afternoon.
If anyone is interested in going here, I would advise you to go soon as the government is building a road in the region which will certainly change the village’s way of life, making it much easier for transportation via bus or car instead of relying upon boats.
http://www.actuarcostarica.com/app/cms/www/index.php
As we started back towards Bribri we saw something bright yellow in the road – yep, my first sighting of the eyelash pit viper – dead as doornail. That evening we walked five minutes down the beach road to Chao’s Paradise, run by Jimmy Chao. Two of us shared an enormous, tasty broiled red snapper with garlic sauce - what a fantastic meal! Jimmy was very personable and made sure we had an enjoyable evening. I think I’d return to Cahuita just to have this snapper again!
Next morning we were supposed to go snorkeling, but high waves pretty much ruled it out. There was no sense in even trying with all the sediment that was raised up – oh well, it could have been fun. Instead we took a boat out to the far point of Cahuita National Park and spent the morning hiking back towards town, swimming at a sheltered beach, watching white-faced capuchins, howlers and sloths in the trees. Pretty soon some guides told us about an eyelash pit viper right off the trail, then another one – all I can say is thank God for good zoom lenses! It was very cool to see them, but at a distance….back in town we grabbed lunch at Roberto’s just a block or so away from the national park entrance – another yummy casado de pescado. By this time, I’m beginning to grow gills and fins from all the delicious fish and have put a complete hold on rice – too much!
We signed up (via ACTUAR) for a Caribbean cooking class in Puerto Viejo that night offered by Veronica, who runs Veronica’s Restaurant. She offers this at her home so we met her family, helped grate fresh coconut, marinate the chicken, had yummy ginger and passionfruit juice and listened to their many stories. What a delicious meal and a fun way to meet more local people!
Leaving Cahuita behind we stopped at the Sloth Rescue Center, saw the babies in the nursery and took a short boat ride out on the Estrella where we saw a green heron, blue mica snake (non-poisonous), sloths, howlers and a hummingbird nest.
Off to Sarapiqui and La Tirimbina Lodge with a lunch stop at Roberto’s Rancho in Guapiles for a quick bite. The construction on the Limon highway can really add some time to your drive, so we were starving by the time we got to Guapiles.
I had wanted to stay at Selva Verde, my favorite lodge in Sarapiqui, but they were full, so we booked a couple of nights at La Tirimbina which turned out just fine. Our rooms were clean, large, ceiling fan, nice patio with chairs and tables opening into the garden, easy trails that are well-marked and great birdwatching with my only motmot sighting. The downside is that you need to decide early if you want to eat lunch or dinner there so the staff can prepare enough – and no alcohol is served….it is nice to have an Imperial at dinner!
We headed into Puerto Viejo (de Sarapiqui) to check out restaurants and found a great one at Hotel Bambu with the most delicious tilapia in palmito sauce….so good that I am still craving it.
On TA I had noticed a review for a new place in Sarapiqui called Nature Pavilion/EcoObservatory and wanted to check it out. www.costaricanp.com Opening in summer 2011, this private reserve adjoins the Tirimbina property and is a goldmine for birds. This is a must-see hidden gem for anyone interested in bird watching and photographing birds. Renowned nature photographer Greg Basco helped set up the feeding stations to maximize the best lighting situations, assuring photographers that there would always be some shade versus direct sun. I had met Greg a few years ago at Bosque de Paz, so I knew it would be a winner if he was involved. We photographed collared aracaris, keeled billed toucans, chestnut mandibled toucans, numerous varieties of tanagers, woodpeckers, honeycreepers, hummingbirds, orioles, and saltaters amongst others. The shots are some of my best ones ever!
Run by father and son team, David Lando, Sr. and David Lando Ramirez they have owned the property for 25 years and have been reforesting it from its original pastureland and have now recorded over 220 species. Nature Pavilion is an excellent addition to the other activities in the Sarapiqui area.
Heading back towards Alajuela, we took the newly rebuilt road from San Miguel to Varablanca that had been destroyed in the Jan. 2009 earthquake. The road is in fine shape up past La Paz, and then it deteriorates slightly from Peace Lodge into Varablanca because it has not been rebuilt. There is little evidence of the damage caused by the earthquake, but in some spots you can still see bare earth from the landslides. Cinchona has been rebuilt and is now known as “Nueva Cinchona.” We saw a few structures that had been destroyed and never cleared up, but overall most people would never know of the destructive forces that this region endured.
More to come!
We booked a trip through ACTUAR for the following day to visit the Bribri indigenous village on the Yorkin River located in the Talamanca Mountains. Passing through the town of Bribri I was surprised to see how large it was and the number of services located there. We were supposed to meet our guides in the village of Bambu, but there was a mixup in dates, so we waited a while. We walked through the sugar cane fields down to the river and watched the canoes heading upstream. Our Bribri guides in dugout canoes with small motors finally arrived and off we went for an hour ride through beautiful jungle, tranquil waters and fast rapids. Our guides would have to jump out and push through the rapids as the current was too strong for their motors. We went along the border with Panama on one side, Costa Rica on the other seeing kingfishers, herons and egrets along the way.
The village is located high on a hill and was pretty amazing with some substantial structures such as the brand new school, small guesthouse for overnight visitors and numerous houses, ranchos, etc. We toured the cacao plantation and learned about the fungus affecting much of the fruit, watched workers thatching a roof and enjoyed a delicious casado de pollo fixed on a wood burning stove. The sound of the grinder brought a lot of children into the rancho as we watched them prepare chocolate from the cacao beans. Dipping organic bananas into chocolate was a great way to end the afternoon.
If anyone is interested in going here, I would advise you to go soon as the government is building a road in the region which will certainly change the village’s way of life, making it much easier for transportation via bus or car instead of relying upon boats.
http://www.actuarcostarica.com/app/cms/www/index.php
As we started back towards Bribri we saw something bright yellow in the road – yep, my first sighting of the eyelash pit viper – dead as doornail. That evening we walked five minutes down the beach road to Chao’s Paradise, run by Jimmy Chao. Two of us shared an enormous, tasty broiled red snapper with garlic sauce - what a fantastic meal! Jimmy was very personable and made sure we had an enjoyable evening. I think I’d return to Cahuita just to have this snapper again!
Next morning we were supposed to go snorkeling, but high waves pretty much ruled it out. There was no sense in even trying with all the sediment that was raised up – oh well, it could have been fun. Instead we took a boat out to the far point of Cahuita National Park and spent the morning hiking back towards town, swimming at a sheltered beach, watching white-faced capuchins, howlers and sloths in the trees. Pretty soon some guides told us about an eyelash pit viper right off the trail, then another one – all I can say is thank God for good zoom lenses! It was very cool to see them, but at a distance….back in town we grabbed lunch at Roberto’s just a block or so away from the national park entrance – another yummy casado de pescado. By this time, I’m beginning to grow gills and fins from all the delicious fish and have put a complete hold on rice – too much!
We signed up (via ACTUAR) for a Caribbean cooking class in Puerto Viejo that night offered by Veronica, who runs Veronica’s Restaurant. She offers this at her home so we met her family, helped grate fresh coconut, marinate the chicken, had yummy ginger and passionfruit juice and listened to their many stories. What a delicious meal and a fun way to meet more local people!
Leaving Cahuita behind we stopped at the Sloth Rescue Center, saw the babies in the nursery and took a short boat ride out on the Estrella where we saw a green heron, blue mica snake (non-poisonous), sloths, howlers and a hummingbird nest.
Off to Sarapiqui and La Tirimbina Lodge with a lunch stop at Roberto’s Rancho in Guapiles for a quick bite. The construction on the Limon highway can really add some time to your drive, so we were starving by the time we got to Guapiles.
I had wanted to stay at Selva Verde, my favorite lodge in Sarapiqui, but they were full, so we booked a couple of nights at La Tirimbina which turned out just fine. Our rooms were clean, large, ceiling fan, nice patio with chairs and tables opening into the garden, easy trails that are well-marked and great birdwatching with my only motmot sighting. The downside is that you need to decide early if you want to eat lunch or dinner there so the staff can prepare enough – and no alcohol is served….it is nice to have an Imperial at dinner!
We headed into Puerto Viejo (de Sarapiqui) to check out restaurants and found a great one at Hotel Bambu with the most delicious tilapia in palmito sauce….so good that I am still craving it.
On TA I had noticed a review for a new place in Sarapiqui called Nature Pavilion/EcoObservatory and wanted to check it out. www.costaricanp.com Opening in summer 2011, this private reserve adjoins the Tirimbina property and is a goldmine for birds. This is a must-see hidden gem for anyone interested in bird watching and photographing birds. Renowned nature photographer Greg Basco helped set up the feeding stations to maximize the best lighting situations, assuring photographers that there would always be some shade versus direct sun. I had met Greg a few years ago at Bosque de Paz, so I knew it would be a winner if he was involved. We photographed collared aracaris, keeled billed toucans, chestnut mandibled toucans, numerous varieties of tanagers, woodpeckers, honeycreepers, hummingbirds, orioles, and saltaters amongst others. The shots are some of my best ones ever!
Run by father and son team, David Lando, Sr. and David Lando Ramirez they have owned the property for 25 years and have been reforesting it from its original pastureland and have now recorded over 220 species. Nature Pavilion is an excellent addition to the other activities in the Sarapiqui area.
Heading back towards Alajuela, we took the newly rebuilt road from San Miguel to Varablanca that had been destroyed in the Jan. 2009 earthquake. The road is in fine shape up past La Paz, and then it deteriorates slightly from Peace Lodge into Varablanca because it has not been rebuilt. There is little evidence of the damage caused by the earthquake, but in some spots you can still see bare earth from the landslides. Cinchona has been rebuilt and is now known as “Nueva Cinchona.” We saw a few structures that had been destroyed and never cleared up, but overall most people would never know of the destructive forces that this region endured.
More to come!
Mar 8th, 2013, 03:43 AM
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Photo albums from the first two weeks - still one week of the adventure to go!!
La Carolina, Rio Celeste and Arenal
https://picasaweb.google.com/vcvance...eAndArenal2013
Caribbean coast
https://picasaweb.google.com/vcvance...eroCahuita2013
La Carolina, Rio Celeste and Arenal
https://picasaweb.google.com/vcvance...eAndArenal2013
Caribbean coast
https://picasaweb.google.com/vcvance...eroCahuita2013
Mar 8th, 2013, 05:20 AM
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colibri, I am reading your report with fascination and taking note, because I think we have similar travel styles. I'm sorry to read that a road to Bribri is being built; I hope it will be worth the increased pace of tourism and development.
You were lucky with Rio Celeste waterfall. It was actually quite crowded the day we were there, though still wonderful.
We too greatly enjoyed Modesto Watson's tour. Did you meet Fran as well?
You were lucky with Rio Celeste waterfall. It was actually quite crowded the day we were there, though still wonderful.
We too greatly enjoyed Modesto Watson's tour. Did you meet Fran as well?
Mar 8th, 2013, 06:46 AM
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Cattail - we just missed you (according to Shillmac) at La Carolina, would have been fun! We were so lucky with Rio Celeste since as we were leaving there were people just hitting the trails. I loved seeing it alone!
I think the road to Yorkin will certainly improve the ease of transportation for the villagers, but will also change the pace of their lives with changes in technology, increase in visitors, etc. Right now, it's not easy to get there - it's about one hour from Cahuita to Bribri, then another 30 minutes or so out to Bambu, then an hour via dugout canoe.
Yes, Modesto and Fran are good friends and I've traveled with them three times. Fran was coordinating a group to arrive as we were leaving, so she wasn't up at the lodge with us, but we met up along the river just before Moin, tied up the boats and chatted, then Modesto hopped into their boat to head back upriver.
Next trip - back to the Osa and BdC for the GTG - are you coming?! Would be fun to meet!
I think the road to Yorkin will certainly improve the ease of transportation for the villagers, but will also change the pace of their lives with changes in technology, increase in visitors, etc. Right now, it's not easy to get there - it's about one hour from Cahuita to Bribri, then another 30 minutes or so out to Bambu, then an hour via dugout canoe.
Yes, Modesto and Fran are good friends and I've traveled with them three times. Fran was coordinating a group to arrive as we were leaving, so she wasn't up at the lodge with us, but we met up along the river just before Moin, tied up the boats and chatted, then Modesto hopped into their boat to head back upriver.
Next trip - back to the Osa and BdC for the GTG - are you coming?! Would be fun to meet!
Mar 8th, 2013, 07:00 AM
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Thanks, VG - glad you enjoyed the photos and hope they give you a good idea of La Carolina and whether it would be a choice for you. Hope you make it to Rio Celeste sometime!
The birding photography is excellent at Nature Pavilion in Sarapiqui; found out about it by chance when I was reading a Tirimbina review on TA. It has opened since my last trip there and I hadn't heard anything about it. Very cool place!
That basilisk was in the frog garden at Laguna Lodge and stayed there for about 1/2 hour. Posing very pretty, wasn't it? Couldn't take a bad photo of it if you tried!
The birding photography is excellent at Nature Pavilion in Sarapiqui; found out about it by chance when I was reading a Tirimbina review on TA. It has opened since my last trip there and I hadn't heard anything about it. Very cool place!
That basilisk was in the frog garden at Laguna Lodge and stayed there for about 1/2 hour. Posing very pretty, wasn't it? Couldn't take a bad photo of it if you tried!
Mar 9th, 2013, 09:11 AM
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Loved, loved, reading (and seeing) your trip report. I hope we have the opportunity to enjoy Rio Celeste as you were able to on our upcoming trip. We too are staying at La Carolina. Can't wait!!! We are counting down the days! Thanks for sharing.
Mar 10th, 2013, 11:14 AM
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C and C - you are going absolutely love La Carolina. If Karien and Bill are there, pls. tell them hello from Vicki!
Cattail - maybe our paths will cross in 2014 or '15, would be great.
Photo link to Sarapiqui photos:
https://picasaweb.google.com/vcvance1956/Sarapiqui
Almost done w/ report and final pics - whew.....
Cattail - maybe our paths will cross in 2014 or '15, would be great.
Photo link to Sarapiqui photos:
https://picasaweb.google.com/vcvance1956/Sarapiqui
Almost done w/ report and final pics - whew.....
Mar 11th, 2013, 11:57 AM
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Our final week in Costa Rica was a cultural exchange with a homestay in Alajuela via Friendship Force International. www.friendshipforce.org I stayed with “mi Tica hermana” and her family whom I’ve known for many years – and we had such a blast!
We spent various evenings visiting different friends and getting to eat treats such as tamales de navidad and hojas de alemendro which were similar to fajitas, but rolled up in the leaf and served with various salsas and green mangos. We listened to local musicians, watched horseback riders practicing for dressage trials, danced to salsa and marimba music, went up to see the clouds and fog at Poas volcano (again!!) and sampled numerous dishes at various restaurants. I love going to Casona del Cafetal on Lake Cachi – the views cannot be beat. After lunch I showed my friends the great woodcarvings at Casa del Sonador and some new treasures were purchased.
I introduced them to a hidden gem close to San Gerardo de Dota, called Paraiso del Quetzal. This small lodge is high in the cloud forests at 8700’and adjacent to Los Quetzales National Park. It's owned by the Serrano family and is a mecca for quetzals and hummingbirds, particularly the fiery-throated. www.paraisodelquetzal.com As we drove south on the Interamerican I was surprised to see several new wind turbines in the mountains since my last visit there in 2009.
After a hearty breakfast, we hit the trails with a guide to search for a quetzal and patience paid off with the sight of a beautiful female who was preening her feathers. Although not very close to the trail, we had some great views via the guide’s scope. Unfortunately, my zoom lens couldn’t quite reach that far, but I tried!
Back at the lodge we spent hours watching hundreds of fiery-throated, magnificent, volcano and green violet-eared hummingbirds swarming the feeders and perching in the trees and shrubs. We walked down to the river and enjoyed a beautiful day in the cloud forest.
https://picasaweb.google.com/vcvance...eAlbumsFriends
Our final adventure was truly a hidden treasure, one that I am not sure of its exact location or how my friends learned about it. I had thought we were going to Bajos del Toro to the waterfall. When I was staying at Bosque de Paz in 2011, a local photographer had told me about it and it’s been on my bucket list since then. We went and had lunch at a soda in Bajos del Toro, but then passed right by Cataratas del Toro without stopping. We drove around the slopes of Poas Volcano for about another hour, passing by a small beautiful river with extremely blue water due to the minerals from the volcano.
After several phone calls and getting directions we pulled up into a large, private property and were met by a guide. There was no one else around, no hotel or restaurant, just a large building with some rocking chairs and banos. I still didn’t have a clue as to where we were or what we were doing!
Accompanied by the guide, we took off trekking through the jungle for about an hour and came across a beautiful waterfall cascading down the side of the mountain. It was gorgeous, but this wasn’t what we had come to see. Another long waterfall – same thing, more to come….
We finally reached the valley floor and as we approached the river we were stunned by what looked like a river of golden stones!! It was so incredibly beautiful to have five waterfalls splashing down the mountain, brilliant green jungle surrounding us and these fantastic yellow rocks that have been discolored (oxidized?) by the volcanic minerals over the years. This was absolutely the highlight of our quest for hidden treasures and was the best pura vida moment of all!
My friends called it Toro Amarillo, but when I google that name, it brings up info on Bajos del Toro and Catarata del Toro. I think this special place will remain very hidden for years to come!!
https://picasaweb.google.com/vcvance1956/ToroAmarillo
So ends another wonderful trip to this amazing country that has captured my heart – can’t wait for the next one in just three and a half months and meeting so many Fodorites at Bosque del Cabo at the GTG!!
We spent various evenings visiting different friends and getting to eat treats such as tamales de navidad and hojas de alemendro which were similar to fajitas, but rolled up in the leaf and served with various salsas and green mangos. We listened to local musicians, watched horseback riders practicing for dressage trials, danced to salsa and marimba music, went up to see the clouds and fog at Poas volcano (again!!) and sampled numerous dishes at various restaurants. I love going to Casona del Cafetal on Lake Cachi – the views cannot be beat. After lunch I showed my friends the great woodcarvings at Casa del Sonador and some new treasures were purchased.
I introduced them to a hidden gem close to San Gerardo de Dota, called Paraiso del Quetzal. This small lodge is high in the cloud forests at 8700’and adjacent to Los Quetzales National Park. It's owned by the Serrano family and is a mecca for quetzals and hummingbirds, particularly the fiery-throated. www.paraisodelquetzal.com As we drove south on the Interamerican I was surprised to see several new wind turbines in the mountains since my last visit there in 2009.
After a hearty breakfast, we hit the trails with a guide to search for a quetzal and patience paid off with the sight of a beautiful female who was preening her feathers. Although not very close to the trail, we had some great views via the guide’s scope. Unfortunately, my zoom lens couldn’t quite reach that far, but I tried!
Back at the lodge we spent hours watching hundreds of fiery-throated, magnificent, volcano and green violet-eared hummingbirds swarming the feeders and perching in the trees and shrubs. We walked down to the river and enjoyed a beautiful day in the cloud forest.
https://picasaweb.google.com/vcvance...eAlbumsFriends
Our final adventure was truly a hidden treasure, one that I am not sure of its exact location or how my friends learned about it. I had thought we were going to Bajos del Toro to the waterfall. When I was staying at Bosque de Paz in 2011, a local photographer had told me about it and it’s been on my bucket list since then. We went and had lunch at a soda in Bajos del Toro, but then passed right by Cataratas del Toro without stopping. We drove around the slopes of Poas Volcano for about another hour, passing by a small beautiful river with extremely blue water due to the minerals from the volcano.
After several phone calls and getting directions we pulled up into a large, private property and were met by a guide. There was no one else around, no hotel or restaurant, just a large building with some rocking chairs and banos. I still didn’t have a clue as to where we were or what we were doing!
Accompanied by the guide, we took off trekking through the jungle for about an hour and came across a beautiful waterfall cascading down the side of the mountain. It was gorgeous, but this wasn’t what we had come to see. Another long waterfall – same thing, more to come….
We finally reached the valley floor and as we approached the river we were stunned by what looked like a river of golden stones!! It was so incredibly beautiful to have five waterfalls splashing down the mountain, brilliant green jungle surrounding us and these fantastic yellow rocks that have been discolored (oxidized?) by the volcanic minerals over the years. This was absolutely the highlight of our quest for hidden treasures and was the best pura vida moment of all!
My friends called it Toro Amarillo, but when I google that name, it brings up info on Bajos del Toro and Catarata del Toro. I think this special place will remain very hidden for years to come!!
https://picasaweb.google.com/vcvance1956/ToroAmarillo
So ends another wonderful trip to this amazing country that has captured my heart – can’t wait for the next one in just three and a half months and meeting so many Fodorites at Bosque del Cabo at the GTG!!
Mar 11th, 2013, 02:35 PM
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colibri, thank you for your wonderful report and excellent photos. BTW, I am also proud of myself. In two visits: La Carolina: checked; Rio Celeste hike: checked, Riverboat Francesca (with Modesto): checked; Cahuita NP with eyelash vipers: checked; Sarapiqui area: checked (but next time had to visit Nature Pavillion, thanks for the tip); Paraiso del Quetzal: checked. Now if you only could map the road to Toro Amarillo, that would be something special! Looking forward to meet you at GTG.
