We saw lovely countryside as we wove this way and that along the serpentine 2-lane roads (thankfully paved). It was great to see the difference in the towns and landscape we passed through which became markedly more tropical as we came down from the mountains. There were also smaller villages interspersed with small fields of crops or the occasional grazing horse. We eventually arrived at the delightful Malibu Cabanas Bed and Breakfast in Chilamate just outside Sarapique. The owners spoke very little English which gave me yet more opportunity to mangle Spanish. There was a local soda nearby on the main road that they recommended for al muerzo, and as we were all famished, we decided to take their advice. So glad we did-the food was exceptional and so much of it! We agreed that in future, we would only order two meals to feed us if we splurged at one of these roadside cafes that are universally called Typical Soda.
After eating, we drove a few kilometers to the Sarapique Outdoor Center to check and see if the recommendation made by our B&B host was another hit. When we walked in, the guy behind the counter said, “Stu?” I was surprised for a moment until I realized that our our kind host had called ahead and set up a river rafting tour for us in case we liked the place. We got the basic details from a guy by the name of Miguel who was manning the desk. He offered to show us the Sarapique Rio itself which was a short walk across the tributary out back. It’s a great looking river, the kind that just makes you want to jump in a raft or canoe and start exploring. Miguel pointed to his blue shirt shirt and asked if we wanted to see. I guessed he either wanted to show us the actual blue and red poison arrow frog pictured on his shirt or sell us a shirt. Turns out the frogs live all around, so we started looking. Robyn was the first to locate one. Super cute little guy about an inch long with a bright red top half and blue legs. Miguel pointed and said, “Blue jean frog.” very apt, I thought. As they were poisonous, we had to remind Meg not to touch as she was already maneuvering to pick it up…We agreed to a trip, and then left to go to the supermercado (what a treat: they had lots of choices of food in a real supermarket) to get provisions for the next day of what we hoped would be fun on the river.
Our guide on the Sarapiqui Rio the next day was a guy by the name of Roberto. He was extremely knowledgeable about the abundant local plants and wildlife having grown up the area. He’d traveled abroad, but could not face being away from the jungle. He lives with his brother and travels to work on foot on forest paths having decided to live a more traditional way of life in the jungle. The river was flowing fast enough (class II-III) to give an adrenaline boost down the occasional lively rapids, where we almost lost Liam overboard, yet the stately river had very benevolent feel to it as it flowed calmly through the jungle. There were massive trees overhanging the water at times offering shade and secretive little harbors and inlets begging to be explored. Monkeys, toucans, and diving kingfishers kept us company as our little group floated along. Stopping to jump from a 10 foot bank into a deep eddy was a great diversion for the adventurous, and a confidence boost for the unsure, and our guide gave us the opportunity ahead of a larger group that appeared around the last bend we’d passed a few minutes before. We tried fresh picked monkey guava (you suck the custard like stuff off the hazelnut-like seeds); slimy vanilla-tasting cacao which is nothing like the chocolate you know from the stores; fresh ginger root (the smell of the flower that grows on the edge of the river was intoxicating and resembled a pretty orchid); and sucked a seemingly endless supply of delicious sugar water from fresh sugar cane. All so good!
Our trip proved to be no mere adrenaline fix, rather it was more a journey to the heart and soul of the jungle. Robyn had tears in her eyes with the spiritual essence of the place which was almost tangible in its power. As we regretfully left the river and rode the 4×4 back to the outdoor center, I decided that this was a river I would love to come back and explore over the course of a multi-day trip deeper into the forest as even our brief excursion resembled a trip back to the prehistoric essence of our human beginnings.
Sarapique Outdoor Center is contactable via their website or on tripadvisor. Give them a look see…
