Cano Blanco to Tortuguero

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Leaving Arenal Volcano early, we drove to the Cano Blanco dock at the entrance to the Tortuguero reserve park. This is a long drive and took 5 hours. The last hour or more was on a very long, bumpy, rocky, gravel road, through many pineapple and banana plantations. This road was not as bad as the other two because it is a flat area (sea level), so you are not going up and down or around tight curves. Very rural area also. Most of the people who live in the area are tied to the banana plantations. Every now and then we'd see a little food store or bar. The Tortuguero area is along the northern caribbean coast of CR. It is extremely hot, but still rain forest - well, maybe rain jungle. Very much reminds me of my part of Florida without all the development.

We were met at the Cano Blanco dock by Don (Fernando) who is a very long time employee of CRE and lives near Tortuga Lodge in the village of Tortuguero. Don took us in the Lodge's covered boat up the river to the Lodge. On the way we saw crocodiles and other wildlife dwelling along the river, and we stopped nearly halfway at the ranger station to have a picnic lunch. Before we got there Don tried to stop at a house on the river to buy some bananas from the people there. The plantations do not sell bananas in the area so it is an ironic fact that bananas are scarce for food along the river. Not plaintains though which are served at every meal.

The Lodge packed a picnic lunch which was simple with cold cuts and cheese, lettuce & tomato and bread, salads and fruit and packaged cookies. Don spread out a table cloth on the wood picnic table. The least elaborate meal we had for the entire trip. We continued up the river after lunch and through the reserve. After the reserve then is the village and then the tourist resorts. Very quiet during our trip because it is not yet turtle nesting season. Very soon though.

Tortuga Lodge is a little oasis on the river. The grounds are lush and tropical with plants and foliage. An inviting pool sits along the river in a lagoon shape and is nearly an infinity pool. Iguanas often dart along the pool and lizards are all around. The birds are also visitors and every afternoon we could hear the howler monkeys as if they were right at the side of the pool. I became great friends with the pool.

We were greeted after disembarking by a young man carrying a welcome fruit juice and then the lodge manager gives a lengthy orientation for the lodge. Rooms are in individual buildings with 3 rooms up and 3 down. We were upstairs in a room overlooking the garden; I think we were given some of the best rooms. Each room has its own hammock hanging on a hook on the walkway outside the room. Hammocks at the pool also.

The rooms have only screens for windows as there is no air conditioning and it is extremely hot. Even though the rooms are screened, I felt secure from rain, bugs and wildlife. You can hear your neighbors though so I always was a little on guard for the noises coming from my room.

The jungle sounds are always present and you wake up at 5 am when the sun comes up, the birds are out, and often the howler monkeys are traveling near the lodge. This lodge is special and you can see more description on the CRE website.

Every afternoon at 5 there are "snacks," and all meals are a set menu served family style, although it appears you can ask not to sit with a group if it can be accommodated.

A typical dinner was salad, then vegetables, potatos and/or rice and beans, plaintains, meat or fish or both, and dessert. One day at lunch we had a salad for starters, then wrap sandwiches cut into pieces, then meat that was grilled with vegetables, probably rice and beans, but the best part was a bowl of fresh fruit topped with a scoop of passion fruit sorbet. I think the passion fruit sorbet was the best thing I ate on the entire trip.

The food at Tortuga Lodge was superior and some of the best I have ever eaten anywhere. We knew this ahead of time, but it was even better than I could have expected. The chef for all of CRE was at the lodge the same time we were, so it could be the kitchen put out an extra effort. Even so, the reports of the culinary excellence existed before we got there.

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Photos

Me on the boat
going to Tortuga Lodge

Omar handling
a hercules beetle; it will pinch you if you don't hold it right

Picnic lunch stop
and our boat

My room at
Tortuga Lodge

Pool area
The hammocks are under the hut

Comments

[Amelia]

I am ready to check into the Tortuguero Lodge and relax in a hammock!