Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica
We are now sailing the great Pacific Ocean to Panama, the second and last of the wonderful Central American countries we’ll be visiting this expedition. I have mixed feelings as I sit down to write: an indefinable sadness to be leaving Costa Rica behind again, and much anticipation to be entering Panama. Both of these are unbelievably beautiful countries, although in the couple of years that I have been traveling through this area, the Osa Peninsula has been insidiously working its way into my heart and soul, until I find it has become one of my favourite places in the world.
We start and end every day in this part of the world with an explosion of colours offered us by the most incredible sunrises and sunsets I have ever witnessed. I am hooked: from six in the morning till seven at night I spend every spare minute in front of the bridge soaking in the unforgettable beauty of my surroundings, accompanied by many of our guests who are as besotted as I am.
We started off this fantastic day with Zodiac cruises and a kayak expedition through mangrove forests and up a couple of small rivers. This is one of the most important of tropical coastal ecosystems, and we wondered at the supreme adaptations these plants demonstrate at overcoming one of the harshest environments on earth: salt water. These trees are amazing in and of themselves, but are also home to myriad birds we had not yet encountered, and all morning herons, ibises, kingfishers and various migratory shore birds flitted by.
More wonderful birding and wildlife spotting was done along the roadside as we slowly walked back to Rincon village where our Zodiacs awaited to take us home. The afternoon was spent in talks, swimming and exploring a fantastic botanical garden before leaving this paradise-on-earth in search of new experiences and adventures.
We are now sailing the great Pacific Ocean to Panama, the second and last of the wonderful Central American countries we’ll be visiting this expedition. I have mixed feelings as I sit down to write: an indefinable sadness to be leaving Costa Rica behind again, and much anticipation to be entering Panama. Both of these are unbelievably beautiful countries, although in the couple of years that I have been traveling through this area, the Osa Peninsula has been insidiously working its way into my heart and soul, until I find it has become one of my favourite places in the world.
We start and end every day in this part of the world with an explosion of colours offered us by the most incredible sunrises and sunsets I have ever witnessed. I am hooked: from six in the morning till seven at night I spend every spare minute in front of the bridge soaking in the unforgettable beauty of my surroundings, accompanied by many of our guests who are as besotted as I am.
We started off this fantastic day with Zodiac cruises and a kayak expedition through mangrove forests and up a couple of small rivers. This is one of the most important of tropical coastal ecosystems, and we wondered at the supreme adaptations these plants demonstrate at overcoming one of the harshest environments on earth: salt water. These trees are amazing in and of themselves, but are also home to myriad birds we had not yet encountered, and all morning herons, ibises, kingfishers and various migratory shore birds flitted by.
More wonderful birding and wildlife spotting was done along the roadside as we slowly walked back to Rincon village where our Zodiacs awaited to take us home. The afternoon was spent in talks, swimming and exploring a fantastic botanical garden before leaving this paradise-on-earth in search of new experiences and adventures.
