Casa Oroquideas and Rio Rincon
Our third morning found us anchored in the calm waters of Golfo Dulce. After breakfast we visited a beautiful botanical garden called Casa Orquídeas, a dream place for photographers and botany lovers. Upon arrival we were welcomed by Trudy McAllister, one of the owners of this marvelous place. Some people walked along in search of colorful birds such as blue-gray tanagers and golden-hooded tanagers, chestnut-mandibled toucans, long-tailed hummingbirds to mention a few examples. Others walked around learning about the rich variety of plants, some native and others non-native to Costa Rica and encountered other species closely associated to the flowers and plants like the tent-making bats, one of the over 100 species of bats found in the country.
Then we came back to the ship and we had time to swim off the stern and the kids (young and adult ones) were able to ride on the banana boat. During lunch we repositioned our ship to Rio Rincon where we could explore either by walking along a level trail in search of birds, or by kayaks, or by Zodiac cruise. Those on the Zodiac cruise through the mangroves, were able to spot shore birds like whimbrels, roseate spoonbills and many other kinds ad they even got to see a snake – a tree boa! But the largest group was the kayakers that went up the Rio Rincon exercising the upper body during the paddling.
Our destination, whether attained by walking, kayaking or on the Zodiac, was a local cantina and we spent some time relaxing here for a while and had some refreshing drinks in a typical Costa Rican place to get energy before heading back to the ship. A full day of exploration in the Golfo Ducle area.
Our third morning found us anchored in the calm waters of Golfo Dulce. After breakfast we visited a beautiful botanical garden called Casa Orquídeas, a dream place for photographers and botany lovers. Upon arrival we were welcomed by Trudy McAllister, one of the owners of this marvelous place. Some people walked along in search of colorful birds such as blue-gray tanagers and golden-hooded tanagers, chestnut-mandibled toucans, long-tailed hummingbirds to mention a few examples. Others walked around learning about the rich variety of plants, some native and others non-native to Costa Rica and encountered other species closely associated to the flowers and plants like the tent-making bats, one of the over 100 species of bats found in the country.
Then we came back to the ship and we had time to swim off the stern and the kids (young and adult ones) were able to ride on the banana boat. During lunch we repositioned our ship to Rio Rincon where we could explore either by walking along a level trail in search of birds, or by kayaks, or by Zodiac cruise. Those on the Zodiac cruise through the mangroves, were able to spot shore birds like whimbrels, roseate spoonbills and many other kinds ad they even got to see a snake – a tree boa! But the largest group was the kayakers that went up the Rio Rincon exercising the upper body during the paddling.
Our destination, whether attained by walking, kayaking or on the Zodiac, was a local cantina and we spent some time relaxing here for a while and had some refreshing drinks in a typical Costa Rican place to get energy before heading back to the ship. A full day of exploration in the Golfo Ducle area.
