Casa Orquideas & Rio Rincon, Costa Rica
Most people who travel to the tropics set their expectations on spotting wildlife such as monkeys, toucans, parrots, hummers; but little by little they become aware of the beauty and exuberant diversity of flora, which by the way will provide food for all that expected wildlife.
Today we arrive to Costa Rica’s southern region, the Golfo Dulce, after navigating from Coiba Island in Panama. The sunrise could not been better, shy rays of light cutting the clouds and splashing the lush rain forest mountains with glimmering golden shades. That overwhelming collection of miniature orchids, trees like sky racers, sweat smelling flowers and tasty colored fruits, was our scenery for our first steps in this country.
Casa Orquideas, a well manicured garden, was our host for the morning. Several trails cross this tropical plant paradise, where we got the opportunity to learn from our naturalist, that many of the building materials, tools, medicines, perfumes, coloring dyes among countless products come actually from tropical plants. One of the many examples is the pineapple, native to South America, which contains an enzyme used as meat tenderizer; or how about the seeds from the Annatto plant which are covered with a red safe to eat oil that gives color to gouda cheese, butter, chocolates or lipsticks and will provide its consumers with a dose of vitamin A. For the plant lovers, the excitement was never ending, starting with the showering orquid flowers, bouquets of bougainvilleas and bright red-yellow heliconias, among hundreds of others.
The tropical sun and the blue sky were the perfect triggers for a splash in the water, but for the more adventurous ones the “banana-torpedo blaster” was the thrill of the day. After a delicious burrito bar lunch, the Sea Voyager repositioned to the mouth of the Rincon River, which is framed by a striking mangrove forest, which we explore by Zodiacs and kayaks, sightseeing herons, egrets, kingfishers, scarlet macaws and sloths.
And to close this amazing day, we all experience the relax country-side life by enjoying some drinks in a typical Costa Rican Cantina, just beside the river, under coconut palms and refresh by a tropical breeze, foreseeing the shimmering colors of a majestic sunset. Welcome to Costa Rica.
Most people who travel to the tropics set their expectations on spotting wildlife such as monkeys, toucans, parrots, hummers; but little by little they become aware of the beauty and exuberant diversity of flora, which by the way will provide food for all that expected wildlife.
Today we arrive to Costa Rica’s southern region, the Golfo Dulce, after navigating from Coiba Island in Panama. The sunrise could not been better, shy rays of light cutting the clouds and splashing the lush rain forest mountains with glimmering golden shades. That overwhelming collection of miniature orchids, trees like sky racers, sweat smelling flowers and tasty colored fruits, was our scenery for our first steps in this country.
Casa Orquideas, a well manicured garden, was our host for the morning. Several trails cross this tropical plant paradise, where we got the opportunity to learn from our naturalist, that many of the building materials, tools, medicines, perfumes, coloring dyes among countless products come actually from tropical plants. One of the many examples is the pineapple, native to South America, which contains an enzyme used as meat tenderizer; or how about the seeds from the Annatto plant which are covered with a red safe to eat oil that gives color to gouda cheese, butter, chocolates or lipsticks and will provide its consumers with a dose of vitamin A. For the plant lovers, the excitement was never ending, starting with the showering orquid flowers, bouquets of bougainvilleas and bright red-yellow heliconias, among hundreds of others.
The tropical sun and the blue sky were the perfect triggers for a splash in the water, but for the more adventurous ones the “banana-torpedo blaster” was the thrill of the day. After a delicious burrito bar lunch, the Sea Voyager repositioned to the mouth of the Rincon River, which is framed by a striking mangrove forest, which we explore by Zodiacs and kayaks, sightseeing herons, egrets, kingfishers, scarlet macaws and sloths.
And to close this amazing day, we all experience the relax country-side life by enjoying some drinks in a typical Costa Rican Cantina, just beside the river, under coconut palms and refresh by a tropical breeze, foreseeing the shimmering colors of a majestic sunset. Welcome to Costa Rica.
