An Eco-Adventure in Costa Rica
Date: 09/16/2008
Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008
Read more about Costa Rica in International Living Postcards—your daily escape
Dear International Living Reader,
The drive east from San Jose to Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast is through some of the most inspiring scenery I have ever seen. I spent a good portion of the trip speechless—and anyone who knows my capacity for talking will know how unusual that is for me—overwhelmed by the sheer number of trees, horizon to horizon, either side of the road, in the Braulio Carrillo national park.
It is the kind of landscape that makes you realize just how insignificant you are in the grand scheme of things.
I was heading to Limon, a port town on the coast. Having experienced the national park, and the small rural towns on the way, Limon was a shock. Noisy, dilapidated, lacking in hotels or amenities or infrastructure, with an expanding port…there was nothing that drew me to it. My final destination was the Tortuguera national park and canal, though.
The canal was constructed in the Trejos administration, in the late '60s, to link the ports of Moin and Limon with Tortuguera, to help transport goods, mainly bananas. The canal runs parallel to the coast, and extends for 70 miles.
The canal is now a famous tourist attraction, with regular excursions offered by a variety of tour operators. I went in a panga, a low-lying boat, perfect for getting a feel for the canal…and getting wet. The pangas are driven at a good speed, weaving as they go through the water lilies; there is a good camaraderie with fellow travelers in other boats, waving and greeting each other as they pass.
The water in the canal is green and murky at the outer edges, and deep. Vegetation towers over each side of the water. Logs drift past. Strange birds fly overhead, or wade on stilt-like legs, or creep through the undergrowth. Butterflies flit past. Monkeys can be seen periodically and heard frequently. And from time to time the watchful eyes of a crocodile can be observed, just above the surface of the water, waiting patiently for prey.
Raised huts in tiny clearings and the occasional area of crops flash past. There are people living here, fishing, catching crabs, growing bananas and pineapples and coconuts, keeping the odd cow and chicken. There are also eco-lodges where you can fully experience all that the canal and park have to offer, in the company of knowledgeable guides.
We reached a beach after a couple of hours. Deserted, beautiful, nothing but ocean and sand. We were here to look at a property, and the caretaker eagerly offered us fresh coconuts that he hacked from the tree for us with a machete. We drank the water and fed the flesh to his chickens, who were noisily appreciative of the tidbits fed to them.
Dinner was at a small restaurant overlooking Moin and its multicolored Caribbean houses scattered on the slope beneath us, leading to the cruise ship dock. The sun was setting, pink and orange, as we sat on the terrace and watched the town go about its business. It was hard to tear ourselves away and head back to the hustle and bustle of San Jose. And we promised that our next trip here we would come back and stay overnight at a lodge. Tropical nights, miles of water, and the odd crocodile...a perfect eco-adventure.
Margaret Summerfield
For International Living
Editor’s Note: Margaret is the managing director of Pathfinder. She will tell you how to find the world’s best real estate deals at our Live and Invest Overseas conference, Oct. 3-5, in Long Beach, California. I have just been told there are only 35 places remaining, so don’t miss out, register today.
Read related IL Postcards:
- How to Earn Huge Profits From Costa Rica Property
- The Switzerland of Latin America
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