Los Inocentes Ranch and Bahia Santa Elena
A colorful sunrise welcomed us to the Santa Elena Bay and the small local village of Cuajiniquil. We are in the province of Guanacaste, a unique place where history, traditions and nature blend as one. Upon arrival we marveled at the hills with a cover of pristine deciduous tropical dry forest that dropped right down to the water’s edge.
We left the fishing village by 8:15, our destination Los Inocentes ranch: a site where cattle ranching and conservation has been able to prosper together in harmony. As we approached the ranch, rainy conditions were seen on the horizon. But by the time we started to head off to explore this marvelous area on horseback, by tractor pull or by walking, the weather conditions improved to finally have a clear view of the Orosí volcano and its magnificent elevation of 4,200 feet above sea level.
The forests and savannahs were full of butterflies and other creatures such as Central American spider monkeys, white-nosed coatis and the elusive double-striped thick knee.
As we finished a ranch style lunch some of our younger guests enjoyed a refreshing swim in the pool while other guests wanted to relax in the hammocks located in the main hacienda house.
Our return to the ship was followed by a slight repositioning to a spectacular bay, with the possibility of enjoying water activities such as snorkeling, swimming, a “banana boat” ride and kayak and Zodiac exploration of the surrounding forest. This active day ended with a breathtaking sunset, a “ceviche” cocktail and memories of a great day.
A colorful sunrise welcomed us to the Santa Elena Bay and the small local village of Cuajiniquil. We are in the province of Guanacaste, a unique place where history, traditions and nature blend as one. Upon arrival we marveled at the hills with a cover of pristine deciduous tropical dry forest that dropped right down to the water’s edge.
We left the fishing village by 8:15, our destination Los Inocentes ranch: a site where cattle ranching and conservation has been able to prosper together in harmony. As we approached the ranch, rainy conditions were seen on the horizon. But by the time we started to head off to explore this marvelous area on horseback, by tractor pull or by walking, the weather conditions improved to finally have a clear view of the Orosí volcano and its magnificent elevation of 4,200 feet above sea level.
The forests and savannahs were full of butterflies and other creatures such as Central American spider monkeys, white-nosed coatis and the elusive double-striped thick knee.
As we finished a ranch style lunch some of our younger guests enjoyed a refreshing swim in the pool while other guests wanted to relax in the hammocks located in the main hacienda house.
Our return to the ship was followed by a slight repositioning to a spectacular bay, with the possibility of enjoying water activities such as snorkeling, swimming, a “banana boat” ride and kayak and Zodiac exploration of the surrounding forest. This active day ended with a breathtaking sunset, a “ceviche” cocktail and memories of a great day.
