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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 health of the oceans as predators and scavengers. Females travel from the ocean to this coastal area to birth pups in the mangroves where the young sharks find protection from large predators.  A growing concern are the free trade agreements with China that allow for large-scale extraction coupled with China’s insatiable appetite for shark fin soup.  The number of illegal shark poachers is on the rise and there is a growing push for shark protection initiatives in Costa Rica. Continue Reading

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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 as sharks and shrimp.  With a depth of more than 1,000 feet in some places, it is one of the deepest gulfs on the planet.  It provides some of the best inshore fishing opportunities available anywhere.  With an abundance of snapper, roosterfish, grouper, snook, blue travelli, amber jack, jack crevalle and ciero mackeral there is no shortage of fishing opportunities here.  It is a bottomless pit in terms of the number of fish.  It is a favored destination spot for anglers, and Costa Rica has taken special efforts to preserve the surrounding the environment. The question is: What makes these waters so incredible? Continue Reading

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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 these five acres into a majestic “Garden of Eden.” Ron and Trudy, self-taught botanists, applied their years of knowledge to create this little exotic garden paradise. Today the garden supports conservation and education efforts and hosts many visitors to guided or unguided tours every year. Continue Reading

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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 great mammals of the sea arrive here twice a year from the Northern Hemisphere in January and February and then from the Southern Hemisphere in August and September.  You can sometimes see a pod of 50 or more migrating offshore to the south.  Mothers will bring their calves into the Golfo Dulce to teach their young how to feed on their own and breach.  Sadly, these endangered species are under increased stress due to the acceleration of climate change. Continue Reading

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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 of butterflies found throughout the country’s many microclimates and habitats. Continue Reading

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While Pavones is home to the longest left in the world, Matapalo is known for its long excellent rights. When the die-hard surfer wants to escape civilization and catch some of the best rides of his life, Matapalo is the place to go. It is an adventure just to get here since it is only accessible by a rustic dirt road or by boat. Here, you will not find restaurants, bars or shops to distract you but, instead you will discover world-class surfing and inshore and offshore fishing in the middle of paradise. Continue Reading

Costa Rica is famous for its surf. Both the Caribbean and Pacific Coasts offer great waves. On the Southern Pacific bordering Panama in Golfo Dulce is Pavones, one of the top ten surfing destinations in the world. This surfers paradise is only accessible by a dirt road or boat. It is a legendary spot that revolves around surfing. Continue Reading

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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 Osa Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary is a non-profit supported by researchers, conservationists and volunteers. Continue Reading

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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 popularity of sustainable development. Costa Rica’s ecotourism industry is a sustainable development model that emerging economies can learn from.  Continue Reading

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Lurking under the surface of the pristine warm turquoise waters off Cano Island is Costa Rica’s best diving site. A dive here promises that you will spot a shark or two but don’t worry these sharks are of the mild variety. Located 13 miles off the coast of Drake Bay and accessible by boat, the island has empty sandy white beaches and waters teeming with life. Everything here lives under the sea where fish of every color dart around the coral reefs surrounding the reserve. Visibility is excellent and averages about 65-feet. The warm cerulean waters offer an undistorted view into the vast marine life below.

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Exploring the Osa Peninsula this week brings us to the pinnacle of biodiversity in Costa Rica, Corcovado National Park, which is home to the mangroves explored yesterday. The park covers one-third of the Osa Peninsula. With 13 major ecosystems including lowland rainforest, highland cloud forest, jolillio palm forest, mangrove swamps, and coastal and marine habitats, this park is unlike any other place in the world. With its multitude of ecosystems and species, it is the outdoor adventure of a lifetime or maybe even a romantic place to consider having a non-traditional eco friendly wedding or honeymoon. Here sustainable development and conservation efforts have created a destination spot for both the amateur and the most experienced traveler.

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Yesterday, we explored one of Costa Rica’s most treasured places, the G0lfo Dulce. Part of what makes the area so special is its rich mangrove forest, which is a vital part of this magnificent diverse ecosystem. Whether taking a kayak ecotour or boating through the swampy rivers to fish, it is worth taking the time to take a breath and really absorb this incredible habitat. Paddling through the gentle winding waterways by kayak is a favorite way to see the mangroves and experience the incredible biodiversity.

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