Tortuguero on the Caribbean Coast is only accessible by air or boat. So after an early start and long drive we caught a taxi-boat up the Rio Suerte to Torteguero. While the ride is technically a taxi service, the trip through banana plantations and wild jungle served as a wildlife spotting trip too. The crew stopped the boat on a few occasions when they spotted fauna.
Our accommodation was a small place, with a series of fairly unobtrusive ‘huts’ between Lagunas Del Tortuguero and the airstrip, adjacent to the Caribbean Sea. The other side of the airstrip from the accommodation is a volcanic black soft sandy beach which more often than not we had entirely to ourselves.
Tortuguero (means place of turtles) is a national park of 26653 ha land area and 50284 ha of marine sanctuary and has been part of the RAMSAR ‘Northeast Caribbean Wetland’ since 1996. It is one of the main global turtle nesting locations. In theory turtle nesting season is March to October with the Leatherback nesting March to May (peak April) and the Green Turtle nesting June to October (peak July-August) with the first hatchlings emerging in May. In theory then we’d picked a good time to see both nesting turtles and hatchlings. However, in reality, turtle nesting season coincides with the rainy season (it is cooler for the turtles) and the rains were two months late so unfortunately there were no night guided beach walks to watch turtle nesting or no sunset beach walks to watch baby hatchlings However, we did visit the Sea Turtle Conservancy, a long-term organisation with a research station and visitor centre who monitor the turtles and provide education programmes. More about this centre is available on their website: www.conserveturtles.org.
A wildlife spotting boat ride provided good sightings of lots of different types of birds, mammals and reptiles including caiman, river turtles, egrets, herons and terns. In total the National Park has 442 bird, 118 reptile and 138 mammal species. Green Macaws, Paca, Crocodiles, Baird’s Tapir, Spider Monkeys, Manatees, Jaguars, Green Turtles and Snook (fish) are classed as ‘umbrella’ species i.e. they have large ranges and/or are dependent on a complex array of food resource; by protecting these and their habitats it will also protect other species and habitats incorporated within this.
The journey to Cahuita (pronounced Ca-Wheat-a) was via the Canales de Tortuguero (Tortuguero Canal). Created in 1974, this connected a series of lagoons and rivers to create a waterway to coastal villages. It was just over three hours but the journey through the jungle canals offered the opportunity for more wildlife spotting – caimans, crocodiles, bats, various birds and monkeys.
Cahuita is a laid back Caribbean village (it reminded us of the village where the TV series ‘Death in Paradise’ is located) with a small (10sq km) national park that was created in 1978. Jaguar (pronounced Jag-wahr) Centro de Rescate is a wildlife rescue centre named in honour of its first resident. There are no jaguars here at the moment but there are other wild cats; margay (like a very leopard type cat) and ocelot. Other current residents include snakes, baby sloths, baby howler monkeys, a capuchin monkey, pelicans, agouti, Spectacled owls, striped owls, parrots, white tailed deer and a Montezuma Oropendola (type of bird). See www.jaguarrescue.com for more info about their work.
Punta Cahuita is one of the last living coral reefs in Costa Rica and part of Parque Nacional Cahuita. Unfortunately it has incurred damage as a result of earthquakes and tourism related activities so snorkelling is with a licensed guide only. As it is low season, we were the only boat on the reef; if the rains had started we wouldn’t have been able to snorkel due to swell and lack of visibility. In addition to lots of varieties of fish, we saw a shark, 2 stingrays, a puffer fish and spiny rock lobster.
To finish the day we had a guided hike in the National Park where we once again saw lots of wildlife including sloths, woodpecker, vulture and monkeys.
Having managed to swim in the Pacific Ocean in Manuel Antonio, we got to swim in the Caribbean Sea in Cahuita; we did go for a paddle in Tortuguero but the bull sharks make swimming dangerous!
Before leaving Cahuita, we took a tour of an organic chocolate factory that processes cacao in the traditional way. This meant having to have a taster of chocolate at the end too. Such a hardship! Website at www.cacaotrails.com
For a final day in Costa Rica, we visited the Jade Museum which not only exhibits one of the most important pre-Columbian jade collections in America; it also shows Pre-Columbian life, activities (such as hunting fishing and agriculture) and rituals (such as funerals and shamanic ceremonies).
So another trip almost over; it’s gone far too fast as always.
Until the next time, Pura Vida!
Kath & Andy
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