DESTINATIONS COSTA RICA LATIN AMERICA
the face as my screams drowned out the instructions of our guide yelling “paddle, paddle, paddle!” Despite my look of terror – and
the fact I ended up floating down the river like a lemon when I fell in – I had a blast (the full-day tour costs $80, also with Desafio). Luckily, I was able to recover in an all-natural hot-spring river that evening – the area is brimming with them – and it didn’t disappoint, with mystical puffs of steam billowing up from the water and bubbling away underfoot beneath a pitch-black, star-covered sky. This wasn’t even part of the itinerary, but, as I soon discovered, G Adventures guides are accustomed to offering insider recommendations and extra activities, which is a good selling point.
w CARIBBEAN QUEEN What most intrigued me about the country, though, was its sheer diversity, which became even more evident as we headed for the Caribbean coast. Our first stop was Tortuguero, known as the ‘Amazon of Costa Rica’, which is built on a series of
canals. Boat taxis shuttle visitors between waterfront hotels and the rustic town, where Caribbean shacks selling coconuts and souvenirs border a long, black-sand beach. The 19,000-hectare park is a
renowned nesting place for green and leatherback turtles from June to October. The best way of exploring it all is from the water. I can vouch for the morning kayaking trip, during which we were surrounded by birds, baby caimans and squirrel monkeys as we glided along the gently rippling water, sun streaming down, blue sky overhead and silence all around bar the serene swishing of our paddles ($35). Even more idyllic were the beaches in the Limon region, further south at the point where Christopher Columbus docked in 1502 when he first came to Costa Rica. We explored the area on our final stop, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, a chilled-out, backpacker-friendly town with a strong Jamaican heritage that dates back to the 19th century, when workers came for the plantations.
Despite my look of terror – and the fact I floated down the river like a lemon when I fell in – I had a blast
Today, delicious wafts of
ABOVE: Boat taxi at Tortuguero
LEFT: A Bribri family home in Puerto Viejo
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travelweekly.co.uk 20 July 2017
coconut and Caribbean cuisine – jerk chicken, ginger-infused curries and fragrant seafood – swirl around laid-back beach bars playing reggae, where locals speak patois and indulgent rum cocktails are served with admirable tranquillity. This isn’t the place for impatience, but it is the place to be cool (I’m not sure I succeeded in either). It’s a hotspot for surfing and a good place for lessons, thanks to a beginners’ beach. Snorkelling excursions to nearby colourful reefs are also available, but hiring a bike and exploring the coast independently is just as worthy a recommendation. We cycled all the way along (it’s a 17-mile round trip), stopping at dream- like beaches and diving into blindingly bright, topaz waters flanked by towering palm trees. The ultimate highlight here,
though, was visiting a local Bribri family, part of the largest indigenous community in the country (this wasn’t part of the tour but can easily be arranged from the town). Head of the family Luis told us of their ancient beliefs and natural treatments, before I volunteered to sample a few. The most memorable was noni juice, a ‘wine’ that tasted delicious until a sudden, slightly unexpected, aftertaste of blue cheese kicked in (it’s fermented, and apparently full of flavonoids). I was feeling all proud of my
adventurous tastes, until Luis came out brandishing a shot of something slightly more suspect. “It’s boa constrictor oil – good for the throat, especially when you mix it with this one – shark liver oil,” he said, with a twinkle in his eye. Costa Rica might have been all about embracing my adventurous side, but we all have our limits – and I’d just found mine. Book it: G Adventures’ Costa Rica Adventure starts at £1,079 for a 16-day round-trip from San José. The price includes accommodation (13 nights in a hotel, two nights shared in a jungle lodge), transport, a chief experience officer, local guides and some meals.
gadventures.co.uk
PICTURES: PATRICK MIAO; JUDY HENRY
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