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Sarapiqui River Rafting

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Feb 12, 2008 – Tuesday – Sueño Azul Hotel to the Tabacón Grand Spa and Thermal Resort near Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica

2008 Costa Rica Southern Skies Fiesta, Volcanos & Rainforest

As I sit on the deck this morning before breakfast, I see a Kingfisher dive for his breakfast, and the Snowy Egret is wading in the pond, along with many other birds in the trees. It has rained off and on more or less continuously since we arrived at the Sueño Azul Hotel. Despite being quite a long way from the Caribbean coast, this area is only about 60 metres about sea level, so it is very wet and tropical here.

After check-out, we drive the short distance to the Hacienda Pozo Azul Butterfly Garden in La Virgen, so I get a second chance to see the butterflies and manage to take some good photos. We then continue to a drop off point for our river rafting on the Sarapiqui River. I think everyone was a bit concerned about the river rafting, however this is a Class 1 trip, which means no white water, no helmets or strap-ins needed – just a gentle float down a calm river.

Red and black Postman butterfly

It rains hard for the first few minutes as we load onto the inflatable rafts, but we have perfect weather for the whole 2-hour trip down the river. There are three or four sections where the water runs a bit faster, but nothing I would call rapids. I think everyone has fun. I certainly enjoyed myself, since we have very cute boat men. We see lots of wildlife up close, including a Jesus Christ lizard, Howler monkeys, a snake swimming across the river, tiny bats roosting in the trees on the shoreline, and countless birds. There is juice and fruit waiting for us at the end of the trip.

Jesus Christ lizard being held by our boatman

Our bus driver Walter then drives us to La Fortuna, where we have a wonderful lunch at the Don Rufino restaurant mid-afternoon. When we arrive at the Tabacón Grand Spa and Thermal Resort, they have drinks waiting for us, give us express check-in, and deliver our luggage from the bus to our rooms. Speaking of the rooms, they are deluxe – the best grade hotel we’ve stayed at for the whole trip.

The skies are cloudy and there are frequent rain showers at this location. I don’t see how we are going to hike in these conditions tomorrow, but according to Diego and Steven they plan to take us onto an Arenal Volcano lava flow tomorrow morning starting at 8am. We will then visit the volcano observatory and have lunch before returning to the Tabacón in early afternoon.

Tomorrow is when we can go to the Spa, or just soak in the hot pools. For this evening, Steven is suggesting we try to photograph the glowing boulders rolling down the mountain using time exposures with our cameras. That might work if we can find a perspective from our hotel location where we can clearly see the volcano’s flank.

Our dinner at the hotel this evening is later than usual at 7:30pm, in order to give us time to digest our sumptuous lunch. We have the Chinese-themed buffet at the Spa restaurant this evening. The food is very good, but it is quite noisy due to the whole spa complex beside the restaurant being very busy since it doesn’t close until 10pm.

East Coast of Kaua’i, Hawaii

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January 16-21, 2001 – East coast of Kaua’i, Hawaii

As mentioned on the main Kaua’i page, I stayed at Kakalina’s Bed & Breakfast for the week I spent on Kaua’i in 2001. Kathy still runs this B&B, and it continues to get high ratings.

Wailua Falls, Kaua'i

Wailua Falls, Kaua’i

Before leaving Lihue, take the Ma’alo Road (near the old sugar mill) and drive the short distance to see Wailua Falls. Afterward, proceed northward along the east coast of Kaua’i along the Kuhio Highway. First stop is the spectacular Opaeka’a Falls, and the view of the Wailua River across the road from the falls lookout. If you continue driving up the road to the end, you will find the Keahua Arboretum. I would not recommend taking the boat cruises along the Wailua River. The fern grotto and other sights along the way are underwhelming, although Tripadvisor gives these cruises high marks, so some may like it. The best way to see the Wailua River and falls is to drive to the lookouts on the hills surrounding the river valley (easy), and ideally take a helicopter tour of the whole island (expensive).

The Poliahu Heiau is adjacent to Opaeka’a Falls. Heiaus (or temples) are holy places for Hawaiians, and were used extensively by the ancient Hawaiians. Most heiaus consist of rock walls, and platforms made of rock. Spiritual leaders ensured that the mana (spiritual power) was respected by all, and they also enforced the kapu (sacred rules of life). For more info on Hawaiian sacred places, please refer to a more extensive discussion off my Big Island page which highlights Puuhonua o Honaunau.

Next up the highway, is the town of Kapa’a. This is a good place to pick up snack food, fruit and drinks, all at reasonable prices.

  • Pono Market – hot & cold food to go & sushi – inexpensive & good – where the locals shop for takeout! This place continues to be a must-try according to the enthusiastic Yelp reviews.
  • ABC Store – best place to buy cold beverages and snacks, and the best prices on the standard Hawaiian souvenirs.
  • Farmers’ Markets – If you want the freshest food, and delicious local snacks, you need to find a local farmers’ market!

Wandering an east coast beach

Wandering an east coast beach

There are some restaurants scattered along the eastern shoreline of Kaua’i, and they are worth finding and trying out, since many cater more to the locals than tourists. There are resorts along the east coast, but they tend to be more modest than those you will find elsewhere on Kaua’i. There are also many public beaches along the eastern shoreline. They are well worth exploring, since they are less crowded than other areas of the island. In particular, Anini Beach is a great spot to spend the day after picking up your picnic lunch in Kapa’a.