Costa Rica
The Lake Arenal leading to the active Volcano Arenal
Trip Taken Dec 2002
Let’s see how good my memory is since this trip was taken so very long ago! My main plan helper and information guide was Forder’s. It’s a lot of reading, then researching on the internet, then more reading. Part of what made it the best trip to date is that the painful planning paid off beyond my wildest dreams!
Hiking in Corcovado National Park, Osa Peninsula
The route we chose to take in Costa Rica was quite simple: San Jose down to the Osa Peninsula to Corcovado National Park, come back up through Monte Verde to Volcan Arenal and finally to San Jose. Sounds alright, until you see how things unfolded and what you can do in a wonderfully organized country that balances eco tourism with fun activities to make you want to go back every year, and leaves you in wonder as to how a place that looks so sparsely populated and not very modern communicates and ties the loose ends so effortlessly.
It was meant to be a nature experience and the only reason to go to the east coast is to see turtles hatch by the millions in November. Those beaches are protected and we were past that time of the year, so we stuck to the west coast, Osa. This is where the rain forests are, the vast species of animals including the popular howling monkeys, and a paradise and great attraction for bird watchers.
At that time I was living in Chicago, so the flight was from there to the capital
San Jose, capital of Costa Rica
city of Costa Rica, San Jose. Not until I landed did I realize that the city is actually a valley surrounded by beautiful hills which are lush green. The hotel I stayed in, The Grand Hotel, is right in the middle of the city, right next to their busy market place which is fun to walk around during the day; if you ask for a room on the second or third floor facing the market, you can see the hustle and bustle and hear the Spanish culture flowing below.
We drew in sights in and around San Jose for the first couple of days. A drive around into the mountains will take you into the agricultural lifestyle of Costa Rica. The valley below is a sight to behold. The culture is rich and laid back. The people are friendly and helpful. A must see day trip is the Poas Volcano crater near the Pacific Coast.
Then started the jungle experience, right from the way we had to travel to get to it. First, a short plane ride in a 10 seat plane. Great! I never knew getting out of a valley can be so turbulent and scary. Half the people got sick, the rest of us thought we would follow if the pilot decided to play a little more. Then he announces he is landing, we look down and see a red strip of mud between some plantations and forest. No airport building, a thatched roof hut slowly begins to take form. So he drops us off in the middle of nowhere and there are some four wheelers parked around 20 feet away from the plane – I guess the parking lot.
Landing strip, parking lot and airport bulding, or hut in this case!
Some guy calls my name, we get into an open jeep and he drives us through water, mud and forest. Suddenly the ocean comes around the bend and we are left standing at a beach. Then another guy in a speed boat asks if we are going to the Morenco Lodge at Drake Bay, cross checks our names, leads us to the boat and says the only way to get there is the ocean. Ok. Now, we have just seen a version of the movie “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” with the variation of boats for trains.
There is no other place to experience a rainforest stay other than this lodge. It’s a hike to get up to the lodge itself. Some one mercifully says they are going to carry the luggage up. And we are checked into the lodge, huts built on the side of a mountain overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The rules are simple: We are in a forest, part of nature. Life is basic. Live the experience. No power from 10pm to 6am. No hot water. Food service is at the given times. No menu. You eat what they cook – traditional food. Fruit is plenty and good for you so eat as much as you can. Right, then. I paid for this. I loved it. http://www.puntamarenco.com
I spent four nights and five days there. In fact I welcomed 2003 there. Tired from a 15 mile hike in the forest that included the waterfalls featured in the movie “Congo”, I passed out at 12:01am!
Daily things to do are plenty. Horse ride into the forest for half a day, take a boat to a small island off the coast and go scuba diving, rent a canoe and paddle up a small creek, run along the deserted beaches, walk ten steps into ocean till the water reaches your stomach and you can see star fish amongst many other colorful fish, hike up and down to your room three times a day and get all the exercise you need! Besides, because of the timing of my trip, I got to see hump back whales migrating south for the winter while returning by boat from a hike. I still can’t believe I saw that to this day.
That's me.. On the third line down, still high above the trees.
Then we moved to our next destination to Monteverde, Mountain in the Clouds. To get there, we flew back to San Jose and took a local bus to Monte Verde. The activity for the day was hiking up the mountain and zip lining our way down; a wonderful experience, and an absolutely adrenaline driven adventure. The forest is all around at all times it seems like: lush, green, overgrown, old, and dense.
The way to our next stop was most interesting. We opted to get to Volcano Arenal on horseback ride through the forest for three hours, then a boat ride across Lake Arenal with the volcano on the other side. Sounds great except the guide does not speak Spanish, his ten year old son rides along on his own horse and is a better rider than I can ever be, and he dropped me off at an embankment and said good bye ever so nicely. Before my stunned mind could re-act to whether I just got left in the middle of a forest or whether this man really knows a landmark for pick up that is not an obvious sign, a boat pulls around the bend and picks me up and off we go across the lake. How they put this together so well I will never know, but the experience was so authentic, I lived a movie in those few days!
Hiking up Monte Verde
The observatory lodge on top of the mountain has been turned into a lodge and is as close as one can stay to the volcano. It was an active volcano at that time, and you could see spurts of orange sprinkled ever so often on the top. The lodge itself is beautiful. Humming birds are plenty early in the morning and right outside the doors on the flower bushes. Words can’t say enough and neither can a picture. The purity of nature just takes over and the contrast between the fierce volcano and the gentle birds must be contemplated in silence.
Because of the volcano, there are hot springs that flow from the top of the mountain to the bottom. The Tabacon Resort close to the lodge on the other side of the mountain has captured these waters naturally and beautifully, delivering the springs for us to enjoy and relax in and soak up all the goodness of the powers they hold. It would be a sin to miss this if you are already there.
Morenco Lodge, Drake Bay
Pictures are so much more in this case. There is so much information about travel in Costa Rica, so don’t worry about putting it together today. Just beware that these lodges get booked up two to three months ahead, so plan early and book your slot. This is my way of encouraging you to find your way there even if it is the only jungle experience you ever have. I still believe it must be a piece of Heaven on Earth or at least hope that Heaven has a place like that to tempt us to get there!
