An amazing day of cultural experiences was had by all as we explored the many facets of Playa Blanca in Gulfo Dulce today. Using Playa Blanca as our “hub,” we visited several families and their farms and businesses. We enjoyed panning for gold at an artisanal mine, long treks through the Danta Rainforest, a barbecue lunch at Playa Blanca with youth presenting local dances, and visits to a sugarcane mill, the Finca Kobo chocolate farm, and Mrs. Eida’s hearts of palm plantation. Everyone returned to National Geographic Quest well-fed and full of great stories from our day ashore.
3/20/2025
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National Geographic Quest
Caletas Private Reserve and Corcovado National Park
Over five days ago, we began our journey in Panama and now we’re on our last day in Costa Rica. We decided to explore one of the most important areas in terms of biodiversity, the Osa Peninsula. The Osa Peninsula is home to approximately 4% of the biodiversity in the world. For many years, people tried to mine the area because it is very rich in minerals, specifically gold. Over thirty years ago the government of Costa Rica decided to promote the country as a tourist destination and today it is a pioneer of sustainability in Central America. We began our morning activities offering different options for our guests. The first activity was a coastal walk, and some had the opportunity to see a boa, a white-throated capuchin monkey, and a mantled howler monkey. In the afternoon, part of our group chose to go for a waterfall hike led by our naturalists, and they finished at a swimming hole where they took time to relax and enjoy themselves. Other guests took the long Pargo trail where they saw a Central American spider monkey, and a tapir, one of the most difficult animals to see in the tropics. We finished our day with an amazing sunset from the bow of the National Geographic Quest , a great end to a great day.
