Aug. 31, 2010 - Issue #776: The Gaslight Anthem

Jungle rhythms

Holidaying lightly in the 'sweet gulf'

The jungle—lush, green, wet, noisy, vibrant—is everywhere, all around us. It pervades, it informs and educates; it lives and breathes. At Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge, all decisions are made with respect for the jungle, its dangers and pleasures, its perpetuity.

From Golfito, Costa Rica, it's a short boat trip over the calm waters of the Golfo Dulce ("sweet gulf"), the only way to access the 165-acre private reserve that reclaims land formerly used as a cacao plantation and protects primary and secondary forest in its natural state. The isolation helps preserve the forest, making the journey a pilgrimage to a magical mecca of nature.

From the dock, we walk into a wall of trees and leaves crowding the black beach, rising into the hills of Piedras Blancas National Park. Passing the garden on the way to the main lodge, our guide points out medicinal, edible and ornamental plants.

Designed by a Costa Rican architect, the lodge serves as reception, sustainability centre, lounge, kitchen, dining hall, library and storage facility. Its open walls allow constant jungle views from the hammocks strung between polished, solid wood support beams that are certified by the government as naturally fallen (rather than logged) and skidded out of the forest by oxen to reduce carbon footprint.

A basilisk, or "Jesus lizard," skitters across the tiled floor as I talk with owner Michael Butler about the sustainable features of the property and their conservation philosophy: "We take a camping approach. We leave things the way we found them or better."

Every winter, Canadians take advantage of bargain packages offering sun, sand and surf. And every winter people return from vacation hung over and sunburnt, with a bottle of tequila and an uncomfortable conscience. All-inclusive vacations can save you money, but they provide you with pre-packaged experiences.

From the design of the buildings to the personalized, super-friendly service, to the philosophy of sustainability, Playa Nicuesa's true eco-lodge can provide the unforgettable moments that everyone seeks. And it's light on the conscience knowing the money you spent helps to support people who work hard to care for their environment and community.

All buildings at Playa Nicuesa are erected on the original footprint of the plantation structures, so as not to disturb more forest. But respect for the forest goes beyond just the footprint. After settling into our cabin, I jump into the jungle shower, wash with handmade biodegradable soaps and water heated by solar power. I can touch the leaves from under the falling water.

Refreshed, we take a discovery tour that acquaints us with some of the reserve's hiking trails, Erick, our naturalist guide and, from a distance, some wild boar. We sample the citrus-flavoured flesh of the cacao fruit and munch on hearts of palm straight from the ground.

For cocktail hour, the bartender whets our appetites with creations made with mango, pineapple and bananas fresh from the trees. The chef beckons me to the kitchen to get a preview of today's catch, a massive Pacific dog snapper that he's stuffed with onions, garlic, butter and slices of lemon. The fish feeds everyone at the communal-style table, a service that reduces unnecessary dishes and waste and encourages lively conversation between guests, owners, yoga instructor and guides, all assembled at the table for the meal. We rehash the day's wildlife sightings and make plans for tomorrow's adventures.

The sun sets at about six every evening near the equator, giving us a bit of relief from the heat, and bringing out the night sounds of the jungle.

Hiking to a waterfall the next day, we see spiders, lizards, birds, a coati and a tree-climbing anteater. Erick shows us how to make natural insect repellent from special leaves and some water. We learn more about the roughly 700 tree, 10 000 plant, 400 bird, 125 mammal, 130 snake and 225 butterfly species that call the area home. Pulling out the bright orange throat skin of the Golfo Dulce anol (a small lizard) thrills my wife, as does sighting the Golfo Dulce tree frog, a thumb-sized frog with toxic skin and vibrant orange stripes on its back. Both are found only in the Golfo Dulce area, which, along with the Osa Peninsula that forms the gulf, has been called the most biologically diverse place on earth.

For the last section of the hike, we climb a rope up the course of a small waterfall and walk along the jungle ravine to the towering falls at the end. I swim through the small pool and sit under the massaging waters of the falls.

It's a moment worth reflection. I'm sitting deep in the Costa Rican jungle, in a place that's both difficult to access and beautiful for that reason. It's the kind of moment that few people have the opportunity to experience, but it's exactly the kind of moment Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge specializes in.

There's more to tell about the conservation philosophy. I could go on about the commitment to community, partnerships with Campaña Golfito Limpio y Bonito (the campaign for a clean and beautiful Golfito) and contributions to organizations like the Osa Conservation Campaign, Mar Viva (living sea) and the Rainforest Alliance. But the best way to appreciate it is to experience it for yourself. V

 

playanicuesa.com

Carbon free flying
For visitors short on time, the world's first carbon-neutral airline, Nature Air (natureair.com), offers direct, internal flights from mainland Cost Rica to the Golfo Dulce/Osa Peninsula region.
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