On to the Caribean Beaches
Trip Start
Jan 01, 2007
1
69
141
Trip End
Ongoing
Cahuita,
Costa Rica
Saturday, May 12, 2007
We took a 3 hour ferry (small launcha actually) at 6:00 am down the Tortuguero Canal to Moin. With our now savvy negotiation skills, we got a rate of $20 per person. And we got to see a HUGE crocodile in the canal. Though I still canīt tell the difference between an Aligator or a Crocodile. It was massive, and kept itīs huge threatening mouth open. Landing in Moin, there are two options to continue down the coast. You can take the public bus to Puerto Limon, then change to another but to get to Cahuita or Puerto Viejo. Collectively about $3 and 2 hours. Lucky for us, there was a private shuttle waiting at the ferry to take two passengers in the direction we were going. Again using our savvy negotiation skills, we talked him down to $5 per person and arrived in our destiantion of Cahuita in about 45 minutes (of course driving about 100 kilometers an hour down bumpy gravel roads and spending most of the time on the wrong side of the road passing other cars). But hey - we made it!
Our driver dropped us off at the Lindaīs Secret Garden Cabinas. It was clean, large rooms, had a kitchen, and cheap, so with little hesitation we took it. The only debate was whether to take two private rooms (one for Mark & Jessie and one for Frank and I) at $18 per room or to take a dorm with four beds (essentially a private room for the 4 of us) at $7 per person. After 10 minutes of "I donīt care - you choose" from each of us, we finally flipped a coin. Several times. Then Mark threw out some good wisdom - if we take the dorms, we save $2 per person - which is an extra 2 beers per person! Sold! We tossed our bags into our huge dorm room in the back, changed into swimsuits and headed to the beach.
all tangled up
Oh to feel like a kid again!After settling into our room, Mark looked up and noticed a large family of monkeys living in a tree behind the house next door! Later that afternoon, they came close to our room to eat the leaves on the hibiscus plants next to our room. They were so fun to watch swing from tree to tree by their tails.
Since it was only noontime when we arrived, we had plenty of time to relax by the beach, swim and body surf, and grab some lunch. Cahuita is a smallish village on the Carribean Coast, flanked on each side by two beaches - Playa Negra (black sand beach) and Playa Blanca (white sand beach). It also borders the Cahuita National Park - one of THE MOST BEAUTIFUL parks we have seen. They have a very well maintained 8 kilometer trail that goes along the beach and into the protected jungle. They also have one of the prettiest tree-lined white sand beaches and keep it maintained well with lots of trash cans and shaded picnic tables. We hiked through and saw many monkeys (white faced and howler) and not 1, but 2 3-TOED SLOTHS! They are really cool looking. Theyīve got the snout of a pig, gray head of hair like an old man, body like a bear, and hands that look and work like hooks. We watched in awe as one slowly made itīs way up one branch and over and down another branch. One came within about 5-10 feet of us.
We grabbed lunch at a local eatery. Frank and I had fresh Marlin Civiche and fruit smoothies. For the 2nd time in 2 days, we were overcharged on our bill.
Beach and Jungle in Cahuita National Park
When I asked about it, the lady just gave me a blank stare. After a bit of pressing, she finally corrected it, but then added in an additional 10% surcharge. Gringo Tax, I guess. Costa Rica is really beautiful, and the people are great for the most part. But, travellers - watch your bags and your bills! That night, we continued our card playing with more rounds of Colombian and Buttman accompanied by local Cervezas for the guys and fruity Rum drinks for the ladies. When we ran out of both, the guys ran up to get more and Frank came back with a bottle of Cahuita Coconut Rum, a local rum that some local guys in the store recommended. As soon as you crack the cap open, you can smell the coconut several houses away. Weeeyew! We tried mixing in with coke or juice, but the coconut sweetness was too overpowering. So we decided it was time to grab some dinner. We walked up to the main drag and found a hot dog stand. We ordered the German Sausages and French Fries - perfect greasy food for the munchies. Next door, a rasta band was playing loudly from a bar on the corner. Jessie and I ran over there and danced to a couple songs. Of course, we were the only ones dancing besides 2 dread-locked local Rasta guys! But after a night of rum drinks, who cares! Frank and Mark grabbed us when the food was ready and we chowed on the street corner.
The next morning, Frank went to the kitchen at our hotel to make some coffee. A girl in the kitchen asked him if heīd seen her milk. He said no, then looked in the fridge and discovered that almost everything was gone, including our large water jugs, coke, and juice. We later noticed that the utinsels (serving forks, spatulas, etc) were gone, and the propane for the stove was out of place (but chained to the table). It turned out that someone had move a ladder next to the free-standing kitchen (the door is locked with a padlock). In the middle of the night, they scaled the ladder, jumped into the kitchen and stole our juice, coke, and bottled water, and other things. We told the manager of the hotel and they kindly gave us 1250 Colones (about $2.50 US) back for hte stolen items. Itīs quite sad that they chose this hotel to steal from because the owner is very ill and away in Canada for cancer treatment. Friends and an employee are watching over the hotel in her absence. Lucky, it was only a few items and nothing worse. Banditos! Darn Costa Rica!
After breakfast, we went back to the beach at the Cahuita National Park and relaxed, read a book, and body surfed. Later that afternoon, we caught a bus southbound for the 20 minute ride to the next town - Puerto Viejo.
Cheers,
Kay
