Alajuela's Butterfly Garden Trails

There’s something about a butterfly that brings to mind words like “enchanting” and “ethereal” – butterflies are beautiful, and many cultures see them as more than just a colorful animal. With this in mind, Alajuela’s Butterfly Farm, the Finca de Mariposas, explores both the scientific and mythical aspects of these beautiful insects, affording its visitors a rare look into the culture and biology of the butterfly.

After pickup at the international airport, it took less than 20 minutes to drive to the Butterfly Farm, located in La Guacima de Alajuela. Along the way, I saw gorgeous murals hand-painted on homes, buildings, and concrete walls. Each depicted the artist’s interpretation of the butterfly – some were impressionist, others were vividly real, but all were lovely. Fanny, who accompanied me in the van, explained that the Butterfly Farm had run a contest from 2004 to 2008 for local artists; the 42 winners had painted decorative murals throughout La Guacima. In addition to providing beautiful decoration, the murals also lead guests to the Butterfly Farm – follow the murals, and you’ll find your way.

The Aptly Named Blue Wave Butterfly (Myscelia cyaniris)

The murals continued throughout the grounds at the Butterfly Farm where colorful flowers are planted to attract butterflies. When I was ready, my guide, Wendy, and I walked through a heavy door and into the butterfly garden. The walls and ceiling are made of fine, netted mesh to allow water and sun entrance while keeping the butterflies contained.

We began in the nectar plant section – butterflies either feed on nectar and/or fruits. Wendy showed me the day’s first butterfly eggs: about the size of a ball on the end of a pin, the eggs had a black dot in the center, which indicated that they were fertilized. As it emerges, a caterpillar’s first food is the egg sack. For the next three to four weeks, the larvae, or caterpillars, are called “eating machines,” chowing down on almost everything in sight. As they grow, they shed their skin – similar to when snakes molt – until they are plump enough to undergo metamorphosis.

Brightly Colored Giant Owl Butterfly

There are two kinds of plants in relation to butterflies: host plants and food plants. Host plants are where eggs are laid and caterpillars are born; food plants supply the hungry larvae’s food until they are ready to spin the chrysalis. In some cases, a plant – ginger is the ideal example – is both a host and food plant, but most of the time, plants are either one or the other.

Every time I walk into a butterfly garden, it evokes in me feelings of awe and wonder – these small, flighty pops of color seem like fairies come to life. It’s impossible not to stare at the orange, blue, black, red, yellow and purple beings flitting around you, and the mesh ceiling is an undulating rainbow that hums with the soft sound of flapping wings. Everything about a butterfly garden is enchanting, especially when a butterfly lands on your head or face, which is called a butterfly kiss. It may sound silly in print, but when it happens in person, it’s a momentous occasion.

Newborn Blue Morpho Butterfly Drying Its Wings

Sitting on a leaf just feet away, a blue wave butterfly (Myscelia cyaniris) sunned her wings. On a pedestal in the background, ten owl butterflies (Caligo atreus and Caligo telamonius) were enjoying a slice of banana. Wendy pointed out the difference in their brown wings – the giant owl butterfly has a white stripe on the brown side of her wings (seen when she has her wings closed, such as when eating or resting) and inside, she is a stunning blue and yellow.

A few minutes later, Wendy spotted two mating owl butterflies. Gently plucking them from their perch, she turned them over and began to explain the butterfly mating process, which can last anywhere from 20 minutes to ten hours. Since females are born with all the eggs they will ever have, they are slightly larger than male butterflies and their abdomens are noticeably round. When they are mating, if the couple needs to fly away from danger, the female will fly while the male tucks his wings in and remains unmoving. Most males search for a virgin butterfly, since she has more eggs to fertilize, but it is ultimately the female that chooses her mate. In fact, females can mate with more than one male before laying their eggs – they choose whether to use both males’ sperm or, if the second male is superior to the first, a female may also dump the first’s sperm before it fertilizes her eggs.

Green Malachite Butterfly (Siproeta stelenes)

Most butterflies prefer to be out in the sun during the day,  and settle into a warm, moist shelter around dusk. At the butterfly farm, a shaded water feature serves this purpose, and we walked by on our way to the chrysalis, or cocoon, room. Butterflies spend an average of three to four weeks as a caterpillar followed by two to six weeks as a chrysalis; after they emerge a butterfly, they live from one day to one month. Moths, on the other hand, spend a long nine months in a cocoon before emerging to live only three to four days.

Butterflies Feeding on Rotting Fruit

We observed several owl butterfly larvae preparing to spin their chrysalis – these caterpillars, like many in the animal kingdom, employ camouflage to hide from predators. Their corpulent bodies have a false head and several false legs – the real head and legs are buried beneath the exterior, invisible unless you know what to look for. After letting a caterpillar crawl around on my hand – it tickled – Wendy and I walked upstairs to the “birthing room.”

Here, several butterflies were in the process of emerging from their chrysalises. The small, hard cocoon shells were brightly colored – some were green or black, while others were shiny gold, resembling an earring. Most butterflies emerge from their chrysalises in just minutes, but afterward, they must dry their wings for up the five hours. I watched a monarch butterfly emerge with wings dripping liquid, while its neighbor, several hours older, took its first flight.

Mural Depicting the Human Metamorphosis

For our final stop, we stepped into the Gallery for Human Transformation. Throughout the years, many cultures have associated the butterfly’s transformation with the metamorphosis of the human soul. Pre-Columbian cultures, such as those in Costa Rica, believed the butterfly to be a symbol of change and rebirth. In Greek, “psyche” – a word that now means “the human soul” or “the human mind” – means “butterfly,” illustrating the butterfly’s metamorphosis as a metaphor for the human condition. Instead of physically changing from an egg to a caterpillar to a butterfly, humans take a spiritual journey through awakening, transformation, and finally liberation.

After I said goodbye to Wendy, I reentered the butterfly garden. It was still early morning, and I was the only one there. Wandering along the rock trails, I observed monarchs, owls, blue morphos, malachites, and other colorful specimens fly around above. Just moments before it was time to leave, I felt a butterfly land on my head – a goodbye kiss from Costa Rica’s emblematic butterfly, the blue morpho.

Meandering Trails at Ark Herb Farm

It’s always a pleasure to discover something special in your own backyard. For me, it was the Ark Herb Farm, a 25-year old estate dedicated to permaculture, culinary and medicinal plant cultivation, and botanical research and education. Located in Santa Barbara de Heredia, Ark Herb Farm grows approximately 625 plant species on a rotating basis, from the familiar Genovese basil to the not-so-common toothache plant.

After walking into downtown Santa Barbara, I hailed a taxi for the remaining jaunt to the 17-acre farm.  When I hopped out of the cab the first thought that popped into my head was, “what is that heavenly smell? “  The air was lightly perfumed with an array of herbal scents — basil was evident, but I also caught whiffs of rosemary and mint. There were several herbs that I couldn’t even begin to identify.

Rosemary Fields Forever

I saw Agustin, the farm’s manager, waving at me. We introduced ourselves before going downstairs to the herb preparation room. The scents were strong outdoors, but they were nothing compared to this confined space. I swooned in delight — I am a hobbyist cook and there is nothing better than the smell of fresh herbs — and stared at bunches of greenery placed around the room.

After a brief introduction to the farm, we headed outdoors and stopped in front of a Brazilian cherry tree, or guapinol in Spanish.  I was familiar with its cultivation for upscale hardwood floors, but I had no idea it was also a medicinal plant. Agustin informed me that the tree’s bark combats type II diabetes, the seeds help with anemia, and the sap alleviates respiratory problems and fungal infections. And we were only five feet into the tour.

Wandering Jew, or Inch Plant: Not Just a Houseplant

As we walked the farm’s trails, I tried to absorb the sights, sounds, and smells around me. The lemon balm plant, with its alluring scent, offers a natural cure for stomach upset. I learned that bush mint, a common plant in the wild, is not actually in the mint family since it contains no menthol.  I gazed at the golden goddess tree that is widely used as a natural remedy for cancer. And I almost danced with glee in front of a wild cotton tree — Agustin let me take home a fluffy pod as a souvenir — and learned that its oil is used in fungal infections and its roots to induce labor.

We began climbing a small hill when a strong, wonderful smell assaulted my senses. I stopped dead in my tracks, and Agustin smiled; I think my strange reaction was more common than not. He led me over to a small plant and asked me to guess what it was using my eyes, not my nose. “Oregano?” I ventured. He asked me what it smelled like. “Cloves!” I cried, sure of that. Nodding, he told me that it was clove basil — basil is in the same family as oregano, hence their similar leaves. Grabbing a leaf, he rubbed it between his fingers and offered it to me. Asking if I could taste it, he shook his head no — the herb is too strong to eat straight. Sure enough, it smelled just like fresh cloves, and I began dreaming of how it would taste as a tea.

A Treehouse in the Clouds

Continuing our uphill journey, Agustin reached down and plucked a leaf, this time encouraging me to try it. I had been sampling herbs during our entire walk, but nothing could have prepared me for this experience. As I began to nibble, a fizzy, Pop-Rock sensation filled my mouth and my heart beat quickly. He explained that it was the toothache plant, or Spilanthes oleracea. Used as a traditional remedy for throat pain and toothaches, the plant is also known to strengthen the immune system.

At the top of the hill, I turned around and gaped at the view. We were high on the mountaintop, and I felt like we could see all of Costa Rica. I could make out Puntarenas and the Pacific Ocean through the clouds — not a bad view considering we were at least two hours away by car! Next came a very interesting part of the tour: common plants with little known uses.

View from on Top of the World

We began with small impatiens flowers, which my neighbors had grown every summer at home in Philadelphia. Unbeknownst to me, these dainty buds can be rubbed on bug bites to relieve itching. The Wandering Jew or Inch Plant (Tradescantia zebrina), a common houseplant in North America, can also be used in the treatment of type II diabetes, menstrual cramps, hemorrhoids, and insect bites. I discovered that rosemary is also a hair strengthener in shampoo, an antioxidant, and a wound cleanser. The list went on and on.

Agustin explained that most medicinal plants are actually mildly poisonous — their medicinal properties are the result of the toxins on the human body. For this reason, medicinal plant prescriptions must be followed closely. The Ark Herb Farm dedicates much of its time and resources to preserving medicinal plant traditions.  These plants have been utilized for hundreds of years, and indigenous cultures have played an important role in developing their use. The farm is the largest of its kind in Costa Rica and is available for medicinal plant consultations and sales.

My Delicious Snack

Deep in conversation, we walked around a corner and, looking up, my heart nearly leapt out of my chest. I found the most charming place on Earth: the Ark Herb Farm treehouse. Perched high above the ground, the treehouse was enchanting — I felt like I had fallen right into a fairy tale. When we reached the top of the stairs, I was greeted by a stunning view of the Central Valley.  I told Agustin that I’d go get my things; I was moving in.

We sat down to sarsaparilla tea and crackers topped with cream cheese and edible flowers. The orange petals tasted earthy and light– the perfect complement to the crackers and tea. We chatted as we ate, and I never took my eyes off the view. Before departing, I thanked Agustin for the fun and informative tour and collected samples of a few medicinal plants to take home.

Read about more places to see and things to do in our Central Valley travel guide.

Exhilarating Whitewater Rafting Rapids (© Desafio Adventures)

The Central Valley is one of my favorite regions in Costa Rica — the rolling hills are painted an almost impossible green and there is so much to see and do. A year ago, I decided to explore the area during a series of day trips, and the experience only served to make me love the region even more. Now, as the dry season rolls around, I’m itching for a chance to continue my adventures, but with so many options before me, it’s hard to choose where to start!

Because of its convenient location — smack dab in the center of Costa Rica — the Central Valley is a perfect base for dozens of day trips.  On the itinerary for November and December:  a visit to Alajuela’s Butterfly Farm,  a canopy tour, a hands-on exploration of  fragrant herbs and medicinal plants, whitewater rafting, and so much more. I love the variety — one day, you can test your limits on Class IV whitewater rapids and the next,  you’ll be enchanted by the dances of morpho butterflies.

Tiger Heliconian Butterfly (Heliconius ismenius)

Costa Rica’s bus system is fast, cheap, and generally punctual, and since I’m a car-less wanderer, my only criterion is that each destination be accessible by public bus. I’ll travel a few miles by taxi, but no more.  Since traveling is half the fun, who would pass up the opportunity to be chauffeured through some of Costa Rica’s most verdant and beautiful scenery?

For more trip planning info, see our Central Valley travel guide.

Stay tuned for our upcoming day trips:

Day 1: Medicinal Plants & Culinary Heaven at the Ark Herb Farm
Day 2: Recreation & Education at Alajuela’s Butterfly Farm

Pink Clouds Over Tortuguero Beach

This was my last day in Tortuguero and Vincent and I were getting up early to stroll the beach — we were hoping to see green turtle hatchlings and a beautiful sunrise. At 4:15, I turned off my alarm, hopped out of bed, and grabbed my camera.

The beach was dark and deserted when we walked out; to protect nesting turtles, Tortuguero’s beach is closed from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. Our feet in the sand, we sat and waited for 5:00 to roll around — the sky stretched out before us, deep blue in the pre-dawn, and I enjoyed the tranquil calm that blanketed the beach.

Just as the very first sun rays peeked over the horizon, we began walking the beach. I could hardly see, but still kept my eyes trained on the sand in front of me; if a baby turtle crawled out, I was going to see it! But as the minutes passed with no baby turtles, my concentration waned and a pink sun beckoned me to look right — spreading out over gentle waves, pink streaks smeared the sky and painted clouds drifted overhead.

Going Up, Going Down -- Green Sea Turtle Track

The sunrise was magnificent. The setting was perfect for such a moment — the gray-sand beach was empty, the waves crashed close to the shore, and clouds decorated the sky. Everything was illuminated with the sun’s rosy glow, and I was compelled to just stand and watch.

Though we didn’t discover any baby sea turtles on our two-hour walk, it was far from unsuccessful. We had seen the week’s most beautiful sunrise, which was a fitting end to a wildly enjoyable trip. Trudging back to the room, I finished packing my bags before heading over for my last poolside breakfast.

By the time 9:00 rolled around, I was prepared to leave but not ready to go. Boarding the boat, I felt thankful that my vacation wouldn’t be over for another few hours — we still had a 90-minute boat ride back to Cano Blanco, a riverside lunch, and a trip through Braulio Carrillo National Park.

We meandered through the canals, the boat moving quickly over the river’s tiny waves. Egrets and herons were easily visible, and I saw several turtles sunning themselves on the river’s edge. Too soon, we had disembarked and were waiting for our 11 a.m. bus pickup.

Riverside at Rio Danta

Just after 1:00, we stopped for lunch. My stomach was growling and the buffet looked delicious, but first my eyes wanted to feast on the restaurant’s surroundings.  Mawamba’s restaurant is called Rio Danta, or Danta River — and the setting was picture perfect: the rushing river gurgled over rocks and a foot bridge completed the picturesque scene.

After lunch, I snapped some photos just before the darkening sky opened up. We had experienced wonderful weather during our visit to Tortuguero, so it seemed fitting that the sky would cry upon our departure — truth be told, I felt more than a little nostalgic myself.

For more information, please see our guides on Tortuguero and Turtle Tours.

Dawn Over Tortuguero

When we met Elvin at 5:00 a.m. for this morning’s fishing excursion, he had good news and bad news. I asked for the bad first and he told me that the ocean was even rougher than it had been two days ago. A look of horror must have registered on my face — I had been worried about seasickness and capsizing in the “calmer” seas — because he laughed and told me the good news: we would be fishing the canals and not venturing into the ocean.

Good is relative, of course. Ocean fishing generally yields more fish, so staying in the canals was a gamble. It was a necessary one– even the bigger boats that head to Barra del Colorado, a famous fishing zone an hour north, couldn’t make it through the choppy surf. When I asked Elvin, or “Primo” as he’s usually called, what had caused such rough waves, he answered that the unseasonal rain and wind had really affected Tortuguero’s ocean conditions.  Elvin, who co-owns Tortuguero Sport Fishing with his wife Antoinette, has more than 20 years of professional fishing experience in Tortuguero — he knows what he’s talking about — and so I took his words seriously. October may be the rainiest month for the rest of Costa Rica, but in the Northern Caribbean, it’s usually blue skies and smooth sailing.

I’d been fishing twice before in my life, so I only had the faintest idea of what to expect. Elvin began by trolling his favorite spot, but we didn’t get a nibble, so we moved on to a “hole,” where the canal dropped to a depth of nearly 30 feet. He handed me the fishing pole and told me that I should yank hard three times if I felt a bite. I nodded, but wasn’t sure of myself. We were trolling slowly, but I still felt constant pressure on the line; would I know when a fish actually bit?

The answer is a resounding yes. I was watching the sunrise — light pink and purple stretched out over the morning sun — when I felt a sudden yank. By the time I had come out of my sunrise trance and yanked — no more than a second had passed — the nibbler had gone. I was disappointed but hopeful — surely there were other hungry fish in the area.

Sunbathing River Turtle

A few minutes later, I got one more nibble, but it was so quick that I couldn’t hook the fish. Elvin decided to move to another preferred spot, and this time we dropped in sinker lures that resembled shrimp. I loosened my line and let the bait drop down, down, down to the bottom of the canal and then started to pull up with jerky motions — we were mimicking bottom-feeder shrimp, the diet of many freshwater fish.

We motored over to Cano Palma, the black canal from earlier in our trip, where snook are known to bite. As we began winding our way down the canal, I felt a few definite nibbles. Then, suddenly, Elvin had a fish and he handed me the pole. “Reel her in!” he cried.

Blue Heron Hunting for Fish

Every time I catch a fish, I remark to myself what good fighters they are. Then, as soon as it’s over, I forget. This morning, I was shocked at the strength of the hooked fish. I pulled my pole sideways, then reeled in the slack, pulled, reeled, pulled, reeled. I felt like I had a billion-pound tarpon on the line! But no, it was a tree. I had reeled the fish into a tree, which was why the reeling had gotten so difficult. We reversed a bit, and the fish was free from the tree but not my hook. Hurray!

He still felt like he weighed a ton. I wanted to check the fish sheet to see what the record was for tarpon, snook, snapper, and jack — I didn’t know which was on my line. We fought and, finally, I saw his scales break the surface of the water and I knew we were close. I pulled him out of the water and Elvin said that I had caught a fat snook. “Fat?” I inquired. I knew it! He was a record-winner. “Yes, a fat snook. That’s the name of the species.” Oh, so he wasn’t particularly plump. “But he’s pretty heavy, huh?” I asked, hopefully. He didn’t look big… “About two pounds,” responded Elvin.

Yellow Eyelash Palm Pit Viper

So a two-pound fat snook almost bested me. It was the only fish of the day — it seems that they just weren’t biting. So I filed this in the “win” category for the trip and vowed that I’d some day catch one of the 20-pound snook or 80-pound tarpon I’d heard so much about.

After a sumptuous lunch — Mawamba’s buffet-style restaurant always has plenty of options — it was time for a canal tour. I love wildlife and was on a roll, so I couldn’t wait to see what we would observe this afternoon. Not surprisingly, the first sightings were of ever-present waterfowl: green-backed herons and blue herons peppered the canal shorelines. We also observed a female anhinga, who had begun to berate a male (her mate?) with a loud, gulping call.

Tiger Heron -- can you see his stripes?

Coming around the bend, our captain motored the boat into a small alcove. We were surrounded by creeping water vine, and had no idea why we had stopped. Standing up, our guide pointed to the bushes in front of us: there, curled up in the branches, was a bright yellow eyelash palm pit viper. One of Costa Rica’s most poisonous snakes, these brightly-colored serpents come in many colors, including yellow,  green and brown. When walking in the jungle, always look before you grab: eyelash palm pit vipers live low to the ground, so hikers looking to balance themselves must be careful that they don’t grab onto a viper instead of a low-hanging branch.

The afternoon’s canal tour continued with many exciting animal sightings: a three-toed sloth munched on leaves high in the trees above, a black river turtle sunned itself on a log, and toucans flew from one side of the river to the other. Then, our guide motioned toward a dark crevice and identified a tiger heron hiding in the shade. I looked but couldn’t see him; his camouflage was fantastic. When he moved, however, my eyes latched on — he was huge! About 30 inches long and weighing about three pounds, tiger herons are named for their striped plumage. Their call also reminds me of a large cat — their hwok hwok hwok and hrrrrow! are very throaty,  and sound almost like a low, hoarse cat roar.

An Osprey

The final sighting of the day tied for most exciting with the tiger heron: a huge osprey, or sea hawk, perched in a tree above, drying his wings. If you’ve never seen an osprey, take it from me that they are GIANT. Though I’d seen them before in Virginia, this version seemed much larger and more intimidating. With a wingspan of six feet and a body length of up to two feet, I wouldn’t want to be a small fish, which makes up 99% of the animal’s diet. After a few minutes of quiet contemplation — he looked directly into my eyes, I swear! — the large raptor decided he was dry and flew off, flapping his wings gracefully as he disappeared into the distance.

For more trip planning information, see our guides on Tortuguero and Sport Fishing.

My Room at Mawamba

After yesterday’s unseasonal rains — the Caribbean is usually dry during September and October — I was happy to awake to a sunny, beautiful morning. We ate a big breakfast, packed our bags and hopped across the canal to Mawamba Lodge, our final stop in Tortuguero.

As soon as I got off the boat, I felt a tug of nostalgia — more than ten years ago, I made my first visit to Tortuguero. I couldn’t remember where I had stayed, but the question was answered as I toured the lodge: I remembered Mawamba’s wooden decks, rustic rooms and beach.  I was excited to have rediscovered this place, and ready to commence making new memories.

Mawamba’s rooms are typical of Tortuguero’s lodges, but their grounds are exceptional. Medicinal plants, edible fruits, and hot Panamanian peppers were planted all around, but we bee-lined straight for Mawamba Park. As an animal lover, I was more than excited to investigate their iguana nursery, frog pond and butterfly garden.

Gliding Tree Frog Poised to Jump

The iguana nursery’s open-air enclosure houses about thirty juvenile green iguanas, but their intense color blends in very well with the surrounding foliage. A bit sad that I couldn’t spot any iguanas, I turned to leave when a quick darting movement caught my eye. On the ground were several bright green iguanas, about 12 inches long from head to tail. After “infancy,” many of the iguanas leave the nursery on their own to sunbathe and patrol Mawamba’s grounds.

We entered the first of two butterfly gardens, where nectar-loving butterflies flitted to and fro. I love butterflies, but I was most eager to see the frogs, so after a few minutes of butterfly appreciation, I moved on to the next garden, where the famous blue morphos flew around with abrupt but graceful movements, jumping from banana to papaya in an attempt to find the tastiest fruit.

The first frog we found was a gliding tree frog, a green and red frog with almost-transparent legs. He was adorable and I was happy to have spotted him — they camouflage well and I had never seen a gliding tree frog outside of a glass tank. The frog pond is also home to three other species-- the red-eyed tree frog, blue-jeans poison dart frog, and the green and black poison dart frog. We observed all three, including a baby red-eyed frog that was no larger than a poison dart frog (about one inch long).

Fruit-Eating Butterfly Feasting on Banana

A few hours and a delicious lunch later, we were on a boat headed over to Mawamba’s hiking trails. The trails are only six months old, and offer one of the area’s only handicap-accessible hikes. They’re also easily walkable, great for kids and anyone that may have trouble traversing rustic, muddy paths.

Tiny blue-jeans poison dart frogs hopped over the forest floor, and I quickly became an expert at finding them. This is a huge accomplishment for me since, as I’ve mentioned before, Godzilla could be seated on a branch in front of me and I probably wouldn’t see him. Nevertheless, bright red frogs against green leaves and brown dirt are hard to miss.

Red Bleeding Tree

We came across a red bleeding tree, which was used by the indigenous to heal wounds. The tree’s sap is a viscous red, and it’s speculated that the indigenous first used the sap because of its resemblance to the color and consistency of human blood. However, the sap is also an antiseptic and a coagulant (it closes the cut), making it one of nature’s best healers.

Looking up into the trees, my eyes focused on a small, brown lump high above. At almost the same moment, our guide Piero saw it too — unlike me, he knew that this was not a bunch of dead leaves, but rather a spectacled owl. Now, I’m a fan of wildlife so almost any sighting makes me happy, but when your guide gets worked up over something, pay attention. Piero was focusing his binoculars and murmuring in a quiet, fervent voice that this was a very uncommon event.

In the jungle, most exciting moments come courtesy of pure luck. Of course, you must have an experienced guide who can identify what you’re looking at, but when it comes down to it, you just have to be in the right place at the right time. The only way to increase your chances of an awesome wildlife encounter is to log more time in the forest. Today was our lucky day, and I thanked our timing and Piero for his wildlife knowledge.

Spectacled Owl (the Largest Owl in Costa Rica)

Before the tour finished, I had one more triumph in store. Taking a break on one of the “talking platforms” — talking is generally prohibited on the trails so as not to scare off any animals — I glanced down. Just ten feet away, a tree frog clung to a dark green leaf. Given that I never spot anything, let alone see something first, I danced with glee, pointing at the frog, and whisper-yelling “frog!”. Piero and Vincent congratulated me on my find, and Piero identified it as a gliding tree frog, the same species we had seen in the frog pond.

It had been an amazing day, and as we motored back to the lodge, I reflected on all that I had seen. Spotting two new species is a rarity, even in the lush tropics of Costa Rica, and I knew this day would remain a highlight of the trip.

For more information, see our Tortuguero travel guide.

Fishing Boat Wake

At 6:00 a.m., Elvin picked us up for our grand Tortuguero fishing excursion. It was raining, but the cool raindrops were a welcome respite from the Caribbean humidity. I put on a heavy-duty poncho and hopped into the boat.

We maneuvered out to the river mouth and, to my chagrin, found choppy seas and below-optimal boating conditions. Compared to the Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean doesn’t kick up huge waves, but for this area, the sea was unsafe for our small boat. Elvin motored around for awhile, trying to find a break in the waves, but finally decided that today was not an ocean day.

We cast a few lines in the river mouth and trolled for thirty minutes, hoping for some luck. Jack, snook and snapper are common in the river canals, while tarpon are the ocean’s big catch. Unfortunately, no fish were in the mood to cooperate, so we rescheduled our fishing trip for Saturday morning.  I was heartened by the thought of spending our last morning in Tortuguero, trolling for fish.

Best Place to Spend a Rainy Morning

Back at Pachira, the cool Caribbean showers continued. I spent the morning on my porch, feet dangling in the rain, reading a novel. For me, there is nothing more relaxing than listening to the forest song of chirping frogs and howling monkeys along with the pitter-patter of rain on the rooftop.

After lunch, I took a covered boat to Tortuguero village for the Caribbean Conservation Corporation (CCC) tour. Tortuguero village was founded in the 1930’s, more than forty years before the creation of the area’s national park. Back then, the town was a tiny hamlet, with just a handful of families; today, Tortuguero is home to about 800 residents and nearby San Francisco houses 700 more.

Colorful Tortuguero

There are only 90,000 green sea turtles left in the world, but at one point, people believed that there was an unlimited supply. It was common practice to eat the turtles and their eggs.

However, when Dr. Archie Carr (the founder of the CCC) came to Tortuguero, he knew that sea turtles were endangered. Populations had already declined in other areas, and Carr was on a mission to prevent the same from happening in Tortuguero. He educated the residents of Tortuguero on the four different species — leatherback, loggerhead, hawksbill, and green sea turtle — and encouraged the townspeople to protect their natural resources.

Raindrops on Purple Flowers

Because of Carr’s efforts, Tortuguero was named a national park in 1975 and its lands protected. Tortuguero’s beachfront is now the world’s second-most important nesting site for the green sea turtle. There are many theories as to why the turtles always come back, but the most accepted is that they have highly developed memories that imprint every detail of their home beach. Whatever the reason, more than 20,000 green sea turtles return to Tortuguero each year to nest from July through October.

For more trip planning information, see our guides on Tortuguero and Tortuguero National Park.

Misty Cerro Tortuguero

My alarm sounded at 4:45 — I don’t recommend Tortuguero as a destination for sleeping in — and I hopped out of bed, oddly alert for such an early hour. Sun rays were beginning to peek through the trees outside my room, and I could hear the roar of the surf and howler monkeys just past my window screen. Waking up in a tropical, Caribbean paradise — it’s a rough life, I tell you.

Cerro Tortuguero, or Mount Tortuguero, was closed to tourists just a few years ago; an influx of hikers had compromised the integrity of the rustic trails and surrounding ecosystem. In response, the CCC (Caribbean Conservation Corporation) tightened regulations and reopened the area to tourists on a limited basis. This morning, I was looking forward to hiking this ancient volcano.

Smoothhead Helmeted Basilisk Lizard

Thousands of years ago, Cerro Tortuguero loomed over the area, expelling volcanic ash and lava. Today, the volcano is dormant and so eroded — its crater collapsed on itself — that locals refer to it as a hill. The joke was on me — this modest “hill” boasts a 390-foot climb that, in some sections, measured 35 degrees (in other words, really steep).

Our hike began oceanside, and the sunrise painted the horizon with cotton candy-pink strokes. Red, volcanic rock covered the ground — it goes for $4/pound in gardening stores — and roosters sang their deranged tunes. (I don’t know who settled on calling it a cockadoodle-do because it sounds nothing like that.) We turned away from the ocean and hiked into protected rainforest; our climb began almost immediately.

I suffer from eternal optimism, and as we began our ascent, I thought to myself, “oh, this really is a hill!” It didn’t seem steep and my pulse was barely accelerated. Five minutes later, I was soaked in sweat. The rustic trails were muddy and, on some sections, I could hardly lift my leg high enough to reach the next foothold. (And I’m only a little bit short.)

Morning View from Tortuguero Hill

And then we saw a my-first-time-in-the-wild animal, the perro zompopo, or smoothhead helmeted basilisk lizard. This small, brown lizard camouflages against sticks and branches, his flattened head mimicking a dead leaf. They are not a common sighting, at least not in my experience, and as soon as I laid eyes on him, the heat and humidity evaporated. That’s the thing about traveling through Costa Rica — you may have challenging moments of heat or exhaustion, but the second you spot an endangered animal or catch sight of a breathtaking view, all of your complaints just fade away.

My energy somewhat renewed, we continued our hike up the near-vertical trail. Soon, I was hot and sweaty all over again, but when our guide, Michael, pointed out the top of the mountain, I started to chant “I think I can, I think I can” under my breath. (Thank you, Little Engine That Could.) Emerging at the top, we had one of the most amazing views in Costa Rica.

My Room at Pachira

Two of Tortuguero’s canals stretched out in front of us, a thin slice of land between them. The Atlantic Ocean lay to our left and the land in front of us was covered by dark green foliage. Mist hung over the greenery like a scarf and I watched as it slowly drifted away. We stared. Then we took some photos. Then we stared some more. It was a beautiful, peaceful scene and would have been the world’s best location for an early morning yoga session.

We got back to Turtle Beach around 7:15, just in time for a hearty breakfast. After packing, we hopped into a boat and headed over to Pachira Lodge. The lodge’s groomed gardens seemed to luxuriate in the day’s  warm sunshine. After checking in, we walked to our rooms, and I was glad to find a large, comfortable bed in the center of mine. I don’t mind early days as long as I have somewhere soft and warm to relax at night.

Sleepy Porcupine

I settled in and grabbed the camera for an impromptu nature walk. Pachira’s gardens are planted with colorful heliconia, ornamental ginger, and large palm fronds. Hummingbirds hovered near the brightly-colored flowers and small lizards scuttled across the ground.

Making my way over to the turtle-shaped pool — feet-dangling is a favorite pastime — our photographer Vincent pointed out an adult porcupine in the tree above. He seemed tiny, and his small, pig-like snout endeared him to me immediately. Porcupines are nocturnal, but he had his eyes open, observing the people who were observing him. When he scratched his nose, squeezing his eyes tightly shut, my heart melted. I never knew porcupines could be so adorable.

For more information, see our Tortuguero travel guide.

Turtle Beach at Dawn

After yesterday’s power nap and a solid night’s sleep, I woke up at dawn and walked along the beach. Turtle Beach is one of few Tortuguero lodges with its own beachfront, and I wanted to take advantage of every minute in this perfect location. The sun was a soft yellow and the volcanic sand was already warm beneath my feet. I’m an early riser, but rarely do I get a chance to walk along a deserted beach just after sunrise — I decided that this was the ideal beginning to the day.

Fifteen minutes and a dose of caffeine later, I was seated in an open boat, ready for the morning’s canal tour. We drifted out into the black canal, and again I could do nothing but gape at the obsidian-colored water — the best way to describe it is darker and more opaque than Italy’s strongest espresso.

Black Canal Reflections

As we meandered down the canal, I kept my eyes alert to any movement around us. It would be an exaggeration to call myself a naturalist — it’s not that I lack interest, but rather that I am unskilled at spotting animals in the wild. To be honest, if I don’t have a guide with me, I’m lucky to see a bird perched at eye level on a branch two feet in front of me. This morning, however, it wasn’t just me: we all wondered if the animals had gone on strike without notice.

We needn’t have worried. Less than 10 minutes into our trip, we spotted our first animal — a black hawk — followed by another and another.

Now, I’m the first one to jump on the monkeys-are-cute bandwagon, but take it from me that they’re not all sunshine and buttercups. When provoked — and your quiet, respectful presence is provocation enough — the aforementioned howler monkeys take great pleasure in urinating on your head and lobbing huge, still-warm dung cakes at you. Capuchin monkeys, also known as white-faced monkeys, bear their teeth, hiss, and hurl heavy fruit, branches, and anything else within arm’s reach. Needless to say, I was happy to be watching the monkey antics from the safety of our motor boat.

Aracari Toucanet Twosome

After a hearty breakfast, I donned some rubber boots and lined up for a hike through Turtle Beach’s nature trails. My fellow travelers hoped to see blue jean poison dart frogs and I added spider monkeys to the list — I’d never seen one in the wild before, but knew they lived in this part of Costa Rica. Just a few steps into the jungle and we had identified our first dart frog — bright orange against the foliage, he was hard to miss. Then, suddenly, a rustling above and a whispered “monkeys!” signaled me to look up.

There, in the trees just above my head, a small troop of spider monkeys foraged for food. Barely containing my excitement, I jumped up and down and weaved through forest foliage to get the best view. The spider monkey is the largest monkey in Costa Rica, but its temperament is much more passive than that of howlers and capuchins. They are shy, and when they spotted us, they instantly swung for cover.

Caiman and Black River Turtles

Respecting their privacy, we moved on, but I was giddy at having seen my very first spider monkey in the wild.

It wasn’t very hot out, but the humidity hovered somewhere around 110%. (I kid you not.) The sweat dripped down my back, and my face looked like a boiled tomato. Nevertheless, my excitement outweighed the discomfort, and we soldiered on — even the sticky mud was fun to wade through! Before the hike was over, we had seen a golden orb spider, capuchin monkeys, blue morpho butterflies, a damselfly, crabs, and a boat-billed heron. One thing is sure: though you can never guarantee a particular wildlife sighting, you’ll get a good variety of amphibians, mammals and reptiles on Turtle Beach’s trails.

Blue-Jean Poison Dart Frog

That evening, I had scheduled a turtle tour to Tortuguero’s protected beaches. October is the tail end of green sea turtle nesting season, and I had crossed my fingers and knocked on wood to bring us luck. Green sea turtles are large — three to four feet long and weighing between 300 and 400 pounds — and usually live 80 - 100 years. In general, females nest every two to four years and lay eggs four to seven times per season, usually about 14 days apart. Each turtle lays about 100-125 eggs per nest, and by the end of the season, a healthy green sea turtle will have laid 600-700 eggs.

Green sea turtles are considered endangered, mostly due to commercial harvest of the eggs, which some consider to be a delicacy. However, the eggs also run the risk of being dug up by wild animals or other sea turtles digging nesting holes. After hatching, the tiny babies, at just one to two inches in length, may fall pray to crabs, sharks, and any other beach or sea predators. In fact, only one or two percent of all green sea turtle eggs will mature into healthy adults.

Green Sea Turtle (© Caribbean Conservation Corporation)

There are less than 90,000 nesting female green sea turtles around the world, and tonight, we saw four of them. Admittedly, we had amazing luck — the moon was almost full, granting us wonderful visibility, and we arrived at the beach during a most opportune moment. Our first turtle sighting was of a female who had cleaned a spot but decided not to nest, the reason for her decision unknown. We hustled down the beach to watch another mother camouflaging her nest.

Green sea turtle nesting is a four-step process: cleaning, digging, egg-laying, and camouflaging. When a female emerges from the ocean, she looks for the best spot to lay her eggs. This is always on the same beach where she was born. After she identifies her target zone, she uses her flippers to make wide, sweeping motions to clear the area of debris. Then, she enters a trance-like state and lays her eggs, a process which takes 15-20 minutes. After she has finished, she uses her back flippers to cover the eggs and uses her front flippers to displace sand and camouflage the nest. The exhausted turtle then makes her way back to the ocean.

Green Sea Turtle Laying Eggs (© Caribbean Conservation Corporation)

Our next turtle spotting led us to a female laying her eggs. Hovering over the freshly-dug hole, her body contracted every few seconds as she dropped one to three eggs. The eggs were soft, akin to a hard-boiled chicken egg, and smelled vaguely fishy. We watched with rapt attention, our gazes trained on the rapidly-filling hole. Though the turtle knew we were there, she was mostly undisturbed by our presence. When taking a turtle tour, cell phones, cameras, video cameras and even flashlights are strictly prohibited; visitors must also wear dark clothing to blend into the background. These restrictions help encourage continued turtle nesting, while profits from the turtle tours help fund turtle tagging, conservation and other important projects.

Leaving the beach, an excited calm washed over us. We felt incredibly lucky to have seen all four phases of turtle nesting, and were in awe at the instinctual processes we had observed. There are few things in life that remind us of nature’s raw power, and sea turtle nesting is one of them. I promised myself that I would return next year for leatherback nesting season to observe the world’s largest sea turtle in action.

For more information, please see our guides on Tortuguero and Turtle Tours.

Mirrored Reflections at Cano Palma

Before visiting Tortuguero, I associated the area with turtles. Just turtles. All I wanted was to see a turtle, and so when, on my second night, I saw four nesting green sea turtles, I thought to myself, “Wow. I’ve seen the turtles, but I have four days left. Now what?”

I needn’t have worried. Though Tortuguero is known and even named for its nesting turtle populations, this northern Caribbean town has so much more to offer. I found myself enchanted by the area’s winding canals, especially the mysterious Cano Palma, where the water is so black that its mirror reflections fool the mind.

As a budding nature watcher, Tortuguero had me hooked from the beginning — over the course my seven-day trip, I saw at least ten species I had never seen before.

Juvenile Anhinga

Waterfowl, colorful frogs, river turtles, and other animals lined the canals, more populous than at any zoo. Every moment was a learning experience, and I felt proud of my new knowledge — not only can I tell the difference between a blue and green heron, but I can now distinguish the toucan call from the warbling parrot song and know how to mimic the comical howler monkey’s irate outcry.

As I zoomed and focused the camera on each new specimen, I felt the photography bug nipping at my feet. Tortuguero’s beauty had inspired me, and the sheer number of willing subjects encouraged me.

Red-Eyed Tree Frog

From being the first person to spot a camouflaged tree frog in the wild to snapping a clear shot of a tiger heron hiding in the shady bushes, I was thrilled to commemorate each moment of our aquatic explorations.

Tortuguero will undoubtedly bring out the nature lover in anyone. The first time your guide points out a graceful anhinga drying her wings, identifies the toothy reptile swimming towards the boat as a caiman, or teaches you how to respond to the call of the red-eyed tree frog, you’ll be hooked. I know I was.

Read all 7 days of my Tortuguero adventures!

Day 1: Traveling is Half the Fun
Day 2: Wildlife Viewing and Green Sea Turtles
Day 3: Hiking Cerro Tortuguero
Day 4: Fishing and a Tortuguero Conservation Tour
Day 5: Wild for Wildlife
Day 6: Sport Fishing Success and an Exciting Canal Tour
Day 7: A Beautiful Tortuguero Sunrise and Ride Home

For more trip planning information, see our Tortuguero travel guide.