agriculture – JoeTourist

2008 Costa Rica Southern Skies Fiesta, Volcanos & Rainforest

Feb 10, 2008 – Sunday – San Jose to Poas Volcano to Sarapiqui Rainforest, Costa Rica

I have a nice omelet for breakfast this morning in the Marriott before we leave San Jose. Our new, smaller group departs a little after 8am, driving north out of the city through coffee plantations in Alajuela. Our first stop is Doka Estate Coffee Plantation for a rest break, where I have a very well-made cappuccino, and I purchase a coaster with a Costa Rican frog motif embossed on it.

Nearby Póas Volcano is our next destination. Since this is Sunday, the place is crowded with Costa Ricans. The weather is notoriously fickle on top of this volcano. Our group hikes from the visitor centre to the main viewpoint, and as we arrive the clouds part for about a minute. Unfortunately I don’t take any photos before the clouds completely obscure everything again!

Steven O’Meara is on this trip as an expert in volcanoes. While we wait for the clouds to part, he stands on his Pelican case and gives us an impromptu presentation on the special features of Poas, and shares a general dissertation on global warming and how volcanoes are contributing to the problem in a major way. After about a half hour, the clouds blow away for 10 minutes or so, giving us a good photo opportunity before we leave Poas Volcano.

Our next stop is to see some spectacular falls along the road that follows the Sarapiqui River northward and then east over the mountains through the town of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui. We have a late lunch along the way at Hacienda Pozo Azul Adventures, where the restaurant has a butterfly house with some very nice tropical butterflies. It’s free admission, however I only have a few minutes to take some photos before we depart, heading southeast.

We pull off onto a side road and park while our luggage is loaded into a pickup truck and taken to the Sueño Azul Hotel. We drive a bit further, and everyone walks across the river on a foot bridge, directly to the hotel grounds. Once I am settled in my room overlooking one of the many lagoons on the property, I observe several birds from my deck: a Snowy Egret and a Green Heron are fishing in the lagoon, and also several colourful birds are in the nearby trees.

We leave the hotel after dark for the Tirimbina Rainforest Center, where we are given a wonderful introduction to the bats which are found in the area. One of the rangers catches several bats and brings them inside so we can look at them up close. They are fascinating creatures, and so small and cute. Their little faces are all screwed up, since they are so frightened by being handled, but they are soon released back into the night by members of our group. After returning back to the hotel and navigating the foot bridge once again, we have a very nice late dinner at 9pm.

January 17, 2001 – North Coast of Kaua’i

Kilauea Point, Kaua'i — Kilauea Point, Kaua’i

Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, is north of Kapa’a on the Kuhio Highway. Watch for the signs and turn right to get to Kilauea Point and the little community. There is no entrance fee, but please drop a donation in the boxes provided. The lighthouse grounds can be home to wildlife. We found an Albatross on a nest, and the nearby cliffs are covered with nesting Shearwaters, Red Boobys, and Laysan Albatrosses. Kilauea Point is the most northerly point on Kaua’i, and Kaua’i is the most northerly of the Hawaiian Islands, so I assume this why the birds find this a good location for nesting. I also spotted a flock of about 6 Nene Geese (native Hawaiian goose).

When the Trade Winds are high, this area around Kilauea Point experiences huge surf, causing some spectacular wave action. Moku ‘Ae’ae Islet and blowhole is a sight to see just off Kilauea Point. There is a small community at the turnoff to Kilauea Point, and I would recommend Kong Lung – a funky store filled with unusual gifts some might be interested in. I also recommend the Lighthouse Bistro for lunch or dinner (located beside Kong Lung). You can’t go wrong ordering their fresh fish of the day. Very good food – highly recommended.

Just past Kilauea Point is Anini Beach County Park. This is a good spot for a picnic lunch, and the fantastic white sand beach is rarely crowded. Anini Beach would make an ideal destination for a whole day’s outing, since it one of the safest for swimming (not too common on Kaua’i due to the offshore reef and strong currents), and it has good picnic facilities. Another good beach just past Kikauea Point is Kalihiwi Bay. As you can see by the photos, the surf was up while I was visiting in January 2001, so no swimming was possible. The surfers were certainly out there riding the waves, although the emergency rescue was called while I was there, so it was even a bit too rough for some of the surfers!

Princeville is the next community along the North Coast. It is one of those planned communities, which are so common in Hawaii. Everything revolves around the superb golf courses, and yet I find all of them so sterile and cold. No doubt the exclusive properties are very expensive to purchase, and yet they hold no appeal to me whatsoever.

Past Princeville is the Hanalei Valley, which is very picturesque. Hanalei is a small community located on a superb little bay with the same name. The valley is rich and fertile, and many crops are grown here, including lots of taro. Needless to say, there is a great deal of rainfall in this area. Hanalei Bay can experience spectacular surf when the winds are high. If you rent a kayak, stick to the inland waterways.

Ha’ena Beach (aka Tunnels Beach) is normally calm and is a good beach for swimming and snorkelling, but as you can see by my photos, the surf can get very high. Ke’e Beach is much smaller than Tunnel Beach, but it is the end of the north shore road. While you are there, have a look at the Waikanaloa Wet Cave.

Near the end of the North Shore road is the Limahuli Gardens, but they deserve their own article!