“In wilderness lies the preservation of the world.” Thoreau On the edge of civilization in the Osa Peninsula is the Golfito Wildlife Refuge, which is one of the regions many protected areas. While Golfito means little, the surrounding area’s biodiversity is a treasure trove of nature’s wonders. In 1939, the United Fruit Company established the […]

Endangered sharks are abundant in these waters and these prehistoric creatures are some of the most intriguing of all of sea creatures. It is no surprise that the fertile Golfo Dulce is a nursery for many fish including juvenile sharks.  While they have gotten a bad wrap for being predators, they play a very important role in maintaining […]

In the Southern part of Costa Rica just above Panama is Golfo Dulce.  Wild, untouched raw nature, this bay is where you go for an exotic get away. With a fragile marine environment, it is one of only three tropical fjords in the entire world. The mangroves provide a crucial nursery for marine life such […]

Tucked away in a remote spot along the Golfo Dulce is a magnificent botanical garden. New Hampshire natives Ron and Trudy McCallister while on a roadtrip from the USA to South America purchased an old cacao plantation and created the Casa Orquideas Botanical Gardens. Located at the base of the Piedras Blancas Mountains, they turned […]

Besides the great right hand breaks, Matapalo is also a key spot for Humpback Whale watching.  The 5th largest of the whale species, they can grow as long as 52 feet and weigh up to 50 tons. They may be gray, black or mottled and most likely have white on its flipperss and underside. These […]

Greeks believed butterflies represented the human soul, and for the Chinese and Japanese, butterflies represent the presence of loved ones. These mystical creatures with their delicate wings are insects and one of the many species that inhabitat Costa Rica. Hecale Longwing, Owl Butterfly, Florida White, Ruby-spotted Swallowtail and Blue Morpho are among the many varieties […]

Along a remote beach in the Golfo Dulce covering some 700 acres that borders Piedras Blancas National Park and 25-miles from Puerto Jiminez, lies a sanctuary for the wild. Carol Crews is a San Franciscan native who came to Costa Rica only to accidentally find her true calling in life. In 1996, she started the […]

While poking around for a blog topic today, I found an advertisement that sparked my interest. In order to protect a patch of rainforest bordering Corcovado National Park from development, a couple bought the land and are now selling it into parcels for sustainable houses that will be part of a nature preserve. With human […]

With their impressive beauty and gigantic stature, the fabled sea turtle is on the verge going bye bye from planet earth. Species extinction is largely the result of human development and the destruction of the environment. The once abundant sea turtle now dwindling population reveals the problems caused by unsustainable development. Conservation groups play a […]

This week a New York Times editorial by a former climate change skeptic confirmed climate change is real and humans are the chief culprits. Yes, global warming is a real threat, scientists are speaking out, and already many cultures are suffering the impacts of climate change. As the climate crisis escalates, necessity drives the growing international […]