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RODALES ARTICLES ARTICLES FROM RODALE´S SCUBA MAGAZINE Date: 2004-12-03

Ten Days In Costa Rica's Guanacaste Region and Arenal Volcano

Dining at the Observatory Lodge is a wonderful experience. We found the food to be excellent and served in a very large dining area with plenty of glass to watch the volcano and the wealth of wildlife that inhabits the rainforest.

Our first full day at the volcano area was spent doing the “Sky Tram/Sky Trek” tour. We were issued the appropriate safety equipment, consisting of a helmet, a pair of sturdy gloves, and a harness/pulley that enveloped our hips and thighs, and were given a very detailed briefing of what to expect on the second half of our tour. We boarded an aerial tramway to take us to the top of the mountain. The 20 minute trip up the mountain enabled us to view the rainforest and its inhabitants from above the canopy and the view of Lake Arenal was spectacular. I have always had a certain uneasiness about heights. Although not a full blown phobia, I am extremely cautious when looking down from a very high places and I felt slightly uneasy in the tram car. When we arrived at the top of the mountain and I looked down the single cable that would take me across the ravine while strapped into the harness on a single pulley, I began to have doubts if this was something I should truly be considering. Peer pressure kicked in and I concentrated on perfecting my technique in the practice area. There was some talk by the guides about going tandem so I could videotape the ride but I was hearing none of that nonsense. However, my friend that Rolando called “Toucan” (he explained that many locals regard the male toucan as being a bit crazy even by bird standards) decided he would redeem himself from a failed attempt to videotape Devil’s Throat in Cozumel and consented to a tandem ride with a guide while he ran the camcorder. I have to say the resulting footage was awesome. Each of the seven trips down various “zip lines” became easier for me and when we arrived at the bottom, we were treated to a totally unobstructed view of the volcano.

Rolando explained to us that due to local weather patterns, cloudless days were very rare and the business end of the volcano was more often than not obstructed. We spent three days at the volcano area and had only a brief time the morning we left when heavy cloud cover obstructed our view.

After the festivities involving high speeds and heights, an hour long hike to La Fortuna waterfall seemed like a breeze. Our efforts were rewarded with a breathtaking view of the falls on this most beautiful of days. We swam around the backside of the falls and took several photos through the mist. A quick dip in the frigid river cooled us off and we hiked back to the SUV. Dinner was served in a local restaurant that Rolando chose for us and consisted of a delicious Tilapia fillet, baked potato, and salad and veges. Rolando, Toucan, and I ended the day with a hike into the old lava flow area at sunset. This was perhaps the most strikingly barren rockfield I have ever seen but the area was surrounded by denser than dense rainforest. The transition was striking. Sunset over the lake was like nothing I have ever seen and I snapped several photos with my wife’s camera, one of which became the cover for the trip slideshow and DVD that we put together.

Day two was spent whitewater rafting the Sarapiqui River. The tour, which involved Class I, II, and III rapids was completed in about 3 hours and took us through some of the most beautiful areas of the country. We saw a multitude of native songbirds and shore birds and did some diving into the river from a swinging bridge. The remainder of the day was spent hiking the many trails near the Arenal Observatory Lodge. We were treated to a room upgrade by Rolando to the upper level Smithsonian Rooms which were ridiculously big and appointed as well as any room one could imagine. He said he wanted our last day to be memorable (like the preceding 9 weren’t) and that his friends deserved the best. This was without a doubt the nicest room I have personally stayed in or have even seen. We joked that we might have to run a line to help us find our way back from the bathroom. A planned hike to the backside of the volcano the following morning was scrubbed due to a torrential rainfall and dense fog. We departed for the airport early and did a quick tour of Liberia before flying home.

FINAL IMPRESSIONS

After spending 10 days in Costa Rica, I was left with some lasting impressions of this wonderful land and its people. The locals, commonly referred to as ticos(as), are genuinely nice to Americans. I did not find that they were helpful only in return for tipping, but rather they were eager to please and act as ambassadors for their country. This was especially evident with Rolando. His enthusiasm and constant smile invoked the best from everyone we met and had dealings with. Dining is a very social experience and the people of Costa Rica love to serve up the bounty and variety of food and drink that this country has. Regarding Americans, a distinction is made between Americans and “gringos” with the latter term being a derogatory term referring to loud, drunk, or otherwise obnoxious persons from the United States. Accordingly, we behaved as Americans and were treated with very much respect. Although most of the locals are bilingual, Spanish is spoken more commonly. A guide fluent in both languages is a real plus.

The diving in the Guanacaste region, as described before, was different than any other place I have visited to date. Would I go back? You bet. Would I recommend it for a beginner? Probably not. My return visit to Costa Rica will probably occur later in the season when the probability of seeing mantas and other schooling rays will be greater. El Ocotal runs a first class dive operation and the staff is second to none.

Hope this report helps anyone who may be considering a trip to the “Rich Coast”. I think you will find it moderately priced, convenient, safe, and most of all, a good travel value.

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