Travels to South Pacific
Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge’s owners were attending a rally in Pavones, the next and final stop of my trip, to protest the opening of a destructive tuna farm. We traveled together by boat to Golfito, and from there transferred to a smaller vessel for the hour-long journey to Pavones. The boat landing here was less than ideal. Enormous waves threatened our bags, cameras, and computer equipment. After waiting out three giant swells, the captain pulled the back of the boat up to the beach and our group of four, all with heavy suitcases, disembarked in less …
Location: Golfo Dulce, Pavones, South Pacific »
Activities: Bird & Wildlife Watching, Pacific Beaches »
This morning we were going to explore Piedras Blancas National Park and do a waterfall hike. Our guide, a botanist named Eric, specialized in arboreal studies as well as medicinal plants. His goal today would be to show us how useful the rainforest can be to modern society.
Before the tour began, he explained that Piedras Blancas is a relatively new park, composed of lands that remained unprotected until 1992. As a result,the wildlife in the area is still recovering, and is not as prevalent as that found in Corcovado. Next, he somberly warned us to …
Location: Golfo Dulce, South Pacific »
Activities: Bird & Wildlife Watching, Hiking, National Parks & Reserves, Night Walks, Waterfalls »
Our next stop was the Golfo Dulce’s eco-friendly Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge, an escape so isolated that it is only accessible by boat. The lodge backs up to Piedras Blancas National Park, which is known to contain a species list nearly identical to nearby Corcovado. As we stepped off the boat and onto the dock, sustainability coordinator Jodi Thomas greeted us as a giant manta ray floated beneath our feet. She had planned to take us on a sustainability tour designed to introduce the property, and educate us on how hotels can both provide for their …
Location: Golfo Dulce, South Pacific »
Activities: Botanical Gardens, Yoga »
