The third full day of our exploration through the wonders of Central America took place in one of Costa Rica’s most isolated areas—the southern Pacific corner, specifically in the Golfo Dulce, an incredible deep gulf surrounded by a lush tropical rainforest. The sun shining through the horizon was the best sign of a great day to come.
National Geographic Sea Lion dropped anchor in this emerald color water, while the guest were getting ready to explore this magnificent gulf, river, and forest. The first ones to leave were our hikers, which were taking by our expedition landing craft to Saladero Reserve, accompanied by our photo instructor in order to enjoy the forest while learning about photography in the wild.
Seconds on the list were the guests who chose to kayak to the mouth of Esquinas River, and admire up close and personal the amazing entangled mangrove ecosystems at their own pace. And third, but not least, were the ones who stayed with a naturalist on board who explained the secret life of a mangrove forest. We had a great number of sightings, ranging from pelicans, little blue herons, snowy egrets, and toucans, to some howler monkeys, basilisk lizards, and an unexpected couple of tree boas coiled around a branch above the water.
Mangrove ecosystems might look kind of monotonous due to the fact that not many species are able to adapt and grow in a brackish environment, but at a close look they are home to hundreds of amazing species.
Later on, the ship was repositioned to another pristine bay, but different as the one from the morning. Here was a vast array of all possible colors and shapes—welcome to Casa Orquideas. This beautiful garden is owned by a couple of expatriates from the USA, who make their living by planting eatable crops. They are also increasing, little by little, what is now an impressive collection of plants, ranging from orchids to heliconias, palm trees to fruit trees.
On this, our last day in Costa Rica, I reflect on our wonderful array of experiences: mud, waterfalls, horses, mangroves, rainforest, gardens, and kayaks. And to not disappoint our full experience within a rainforest, a tropical downpour was the greatest way to close our Costa Rica explorations.
