Today we had a tour and had to be at the World Stage at 9:00 a.m. We ordered room service breakfast to be delivered at 8:00 and it arrived on time. Holland America still provides a hot breakfast delivered at no charge although the choices have been reduced. As I have heard some cruise lines charge for any room service, I am grateful that HAL still provides this service.
We have taken several tours in Costa Rica before including one similar to this but did not include a butterfly garden. This one seemed like it would be at a relaxing pace.
Our tour today is titled: Jungle Crocodile Safari & Butterfly Garden
ABOUT THE EXCURSION: This eco-adventure is ideal for those who prize nature in its most pristine state, uninhibited by anything but its own biodiversity.
Enjoy a leisurely panoramic drive along scenic coastal and country roads, past quaint towns and villages. You’re headed to the Jungle Crocodile Safari dock on the Tarcoles River, famous for its mangrove forest and home to one of the largest populations of American crocodiles. More than 50 bird species live here, including the endangered scarlet macaw, and are also protected in the neighboring estuary.
Board a riverboat; then, sit back as your expert guide leads you on a fantastic journey to see the astonishing variety of wildlife.
Your tour concludes at El Jardín, where you’ll explore a butterfly garden and enjoy a refreshing tasting experience featuring tropical fruits, natural drinks, and Costa Rican coffee. There’s also time to shop for locally made souvenirs before heading back to the pier with lasting impressions of Costa Rica’s rural heritage. This is ideal for nature lovers looking for a relaxed and enriching experience.
Notes: Wildlife sightings are likely but are not guaranteed. Boats are covered and with open-air seating, offering shade and unobstructed views. Wear comfortable walking shoes. Shade is limited; to avoid sunburn, wear light, long clothing suitable for use as a cover-up. Bring a hat and sunglasses; wear biodegradable/reef-safe sunscreen. Bring bottled water.
We boarded a tour bus. It was comfortable and the air conditioning was working, thank goodness. It was another hot and humid day.
The guide’s English was pretty good and the sound system worked well but he spoke so rapidly that we missed some of the words. But he was very knowledgeable and happily answered any questions. One question was about butterflies. He said that Costa Rica is home to over 1500 butterfly species, so I was really looking forward to going to the butterfly garden.
Our bus did not follow the exact schedule as printed above. There were a lot of tours that included floating on the Tarcoles River, so I assume they were trying not to overload the area.
Our first stop was El Jardin. We were greeted by servers with plates full of sliced fruit and cups of fruit juice. You could also go to another area and have small cups of Costa Rican coffee. The tour guide said that Costa Rica produces the best coffee anywhere because of the soil produced by the many volcanoes.
This was a good place for a bathroom break and to buy souvenirs. I already had souvenirs from Costa Rica on previous trips so I didn’t purchase anything, but many people did.
We were then allowed to go to the “butterfly garden.” Now, I have been to several butterfly gardens, and they were large with meandering paths and many species of butterflies to view. This one was not like that.
The path was one circular stone walkway from the entrance to the exit. You could walk the whole way in a few minutes if you wanted. If you wanted to linger, you just had to be sure you weren’t standing in the way of others. You also needed to constantly watch where you stepped so not to crush a butterfly. They seemed to love landing on the stone path.
Maybe there were other butterflies that I didn’t see but the only ones I encountered were the Blue Morphos, which is considered the most famous of the Costa Rica butterflies. They were everywhere. I took many photos but not many came out very well. I loved how the brown outer wing camouflaged their brilliant blue inner wing.
So I was disappointed in the venue but I loved what butterflies were there.
It was time to load the bus and leave for the river. The guide counted heads and we were missing someone. A husband spoke up and said it was his wife. The guide went back inside to look for her. We waited. We waited. After about 10 or 15 minutes, he comes back with her as she is sipping her coffee with not a care in the world. I assume she ignored the glare from the rest of us or really just didn’t care.
It was a short ride to the Jungle River Ride area. There were several buses there as well as some private tours. We had time for a quick bathroom break before boarding our boat. He said we could shop here afterwards if we wanted. The boat had a cover which was nice but the seats were very hard. I was glad there was a breeze but I had brought our cooling towels that get cold when you snap them. They felt good around our necks.
We pushed off from the pier and the guide was starting his spiel when he suddenly stopped and said we were missing 2 people. Yep, you guessed it – the same husband and wife. We all just said – leave them. We all had the same instructions and the rest of us made it. Nope. He went back and they came strolling down the pier – she with her shopping bags. Some people booed. They got on and the only seats left were the ones in the back next to the smelly motor. Served them right. Rude people.
The guide gave out a bird identification brochure which was helpful. We saw birds, crocodiles, monkeys, lizards, and iguanas. It was a nice river ride.
After the tour and a bathroom break and/or shopping, we headed back to the ship. The heavy traffic, exasperated by a bad wreck, and all the road construction was terrible. I knew we weren’t going to make it by all-aboard time. I wasn’t concerned since this tour was a HAL tour and they guarantee the ship will wait or they will pay to get us to the next port. We were 30 minutes late, but we weren’t the last bus to arrive. The last 3 buses didn’t arrive until 6:00. We were supposed to have left at 5:00. We set sail at 6:30. The sky was pretty.
Next Up – Acajutla, El Salvador