Exploring Golfo Dulce & Casa Orquideas (Costa Rica)
For us, the early risers, we were surprised as we came out of our cabins and saw that we were anchored in front of a little pier, with a small town right next to us. We were clearing immigration at Golfito, Costa Rica. The port town of Golfito has a gorgeous setting, and forested hills surrounding a deep bay on the Golfo Dulce with the misty outline of the Peninsula de Osa in the distance. The town is stretched along one main road squeezed between the gulf and the mountains. Virgin forest blankets the mountains, which have been into a wildlife and watershed reserve. The United Fruit Company administrators once lived in this neighborhood in big wooden houses on stilts, surrounded by large lawns and gardens.
By seven o’clock we lifted anchor and headed to our morning destination: Casa Orquideas. It is a beautifully landscaped privately owned botanical garden overlooking the sea. We got to see .and try ginger, vanilla, black pepper, cinnamon, cacao, cashew, mango, avocado, and papaya, as well as tons of beautiful orchids and familiar houseplants in their native habitat: the rain forest.
We were just starting our “plant walk” when we heard a naturalist calling through the radio: “white-faced monkeys next to the kapok tree.” We ran, and there they were, a small and active troop searching for food. The monkeys were checking under the leaves up in the trees, looking for caterpillars, lizards, or something good for them to eat.
After all this, as started again on our walk through this beautiful garden, we heard just above our heads three scarlet macaws flying real low, just above the canopy of the trees. It happened that they perched in a small tree in the garden. There was no guest who missed them! What a show they put on for us! For the Costa Rican staff, this was the way that Mother Nature welcomed us to our country.
So, after this great beginning, we started our walk through the trails of the property. As I was explaining some features of the “Talipot Palm” (with the largest leaves of any other kind of palm in the world) I spotted the “tent-making bats” (Uroderma spp) under the big leaves of this palm. Small groups of bats hang in a tight cluster from the midrib of the leave. They will feed on fruits, nectar and insects as well. They roost under “tents” which they make by cutting a line down each side of the midrib of a large leaf, so that the sides drop downwards.
We enjoyed having lunch on the Sea Voyager followed by a lecture by Margrit, one of the naturalist staff, about biodiversity in the tropics. After a nap, we had the opportunity to explore the Rio Rincon, located on the far end of Golfo Dulce. We were amazed by the impressive mangrove forest that we had the opportunity to explore by Zodiac and kayaks. Among the wildlife observed were shore birds like white ibis and several different herons, parakeets and scarlet macaw. For our surprise on a little walk that we did on a gravel road, a two-toed sloth and crocodiles in the water were also spotted.
Back to the ship, and at recap time, we had fun sharing stories about all the different wildlife spotted on our nature walks, knowing that still we have three more days in Costa Rica!
For us, the early risers, we were surprised as we came out of our cabins and saw that we were anchored in front of a little pier, with a small town right next to us. We were clearing immigration at Golfito, Costa Rica. The port town of Golfito has a gorgeous setting, and forested hills surrounding a deep bay on the Golfo Dulce with the misty outline of the Peninsula de Osa in the distance. The town is stretched along one main road squeezed between the gulf and the mountains. Virgin forest blankets the mountains, which have been into a wildlife and watershed reserve. The United Fruit Company administrators once lived in this neighborhood in big wooden houses on stilts, surrounded by large lawns and gardens.
By seven o’clock we lifted anchor and headed to our morning destination: Casa Orquideas. It is a beautifully landscaped privately owned botanical garden overlooking the sea. We got to see .and try ginger, vanilla, black pepper, cinnamon, cacao, cashew, mango, avocado, and papaya, as well as tons of beautiful orchids and familiar houseplants in their native habitat: the rain forest.
We were just starting our “plant walk” when we heard a naturalist calling through the radio: “white-faced monkeys next to the kapok tree.” We ran, and there they were, a small and active troop searching for food. The monkeys were checking under the leaves up in the trees, looking for caterpillars, lizards, or something good for them to eat.
After all this, as started again on our walk through this beautiful garden, we heard just above our heads three scarlet macaws flying real low, just above the canopy of the trees. It happened that they perched in a small tree in the garden. There was no guest who missed them! What a show they put on for us! For the Costa Rican staff, this was the way that Mother Nature welcomed us to our country.
So, after this great beginning, we started our walk through the trails of the property. As I was explaining some features of the “Talipot Palm” (with the largest leaves of any other kind of palm in the world) I spotted the “tent-making bats” (Uroderma spp) under the big leaves of this palm. Small groups of bats hang in a tight cluster from the midrib of the leave. They will feed on fruits, nectar and insects as well. They roost under “tents” which they make by cutting a line down each side of the midrib of a large leaf, so that the sides drop downwards.
We enjoyed having lunch on the Sea Voyager followed by a lecture by Margrit, one of the naturalist staff, about biodiversity in the tropics. After a nap, we had the opportunity to explore the Rio Rincon, located on the far end of Golfo Dulce. We were amazed by the impressive mangrove forest that we had the opportunity to explore by Zodiac and kayaks. Among the wildlife observed were shore birds like white ibis and several different herons, parakeets and scarlet macaw. For our surprise on a little walk that we did on a gravel road, a two-toed sloth and crocodiles in the water were also spotted.
Back to the ship, and at recap time, we had fun sharing stories about all the different wildlife spotted on our nature walks, knowing that still we have three more days in Costa Rica!
