Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Action-Packed Natural Adventure


The Guanacaste Combo Tour is one of the most exhilarating, fun day trips you can take during your stay at the Flamingo Beach Resort & Spa. Especially if you want to enjoy a relaxing, beach vacation but at the same time want to experience some of the unique things about Costa Rica, this full-day tour is for you.
I had this delightful experience on a beautifully sunny day toward the end of the last green season. We left Flamingo around 8 a.m., right after breakfast, in an air-conditioned van en-route to the Buena Vista Lodge near Rincon de la Vieja National Park. During the approximately 2 1/2 hour ride, our guide enlightened and entertained us with an astounding amount of facts about Costa Rica's flora and fauna, history and culture. Once we arrived at Buena Vista, the adventure truly began. We started off with an easy 10-15 minute hike up to the launching platform for the Jungle Canopy Zipline. We were provided with helmets, gloves and hanging gear, along with very clear safety instructions, and off we went, flying among the treetops of this pristine tropical forest! As we landed exuberantly on the third of twelve platforms, we were treated to the sight of two colorful toucans in the branches nearby. The views were lovely and we could hear the grunts of the howler monkeys in the distance. Upon the final landing, we had another treat in store: A one-of-a-kind waterslide zipping downhill along the forest floor. The water was cold and refreshing, and as I bumped and bounced my way around curves worthy of a bobsled run, I found myself laughing hysterically, partly from terror but mostly from the sheer rush of the good time I was having. This was followed by a plain but satisfying "comida tipica" buffet lunch in the spacious, rustic Lodge. Next, we were outfitted with horses for a gorgeous 40 minute trek deep into the forest, following our guide single-file down a narrow, winding path along the river bank. Before emerging near the hot springs, we saw a variety birds including another toucan, along with a family of white-face monkeys playing in the trees. After changing again to our swimsuits in the simple, clean locker rooms, we were led to a kind of sauna built into the lave rocks, so that we could "open our pores." After that we were taken straight to the mud room, where we slathered warm volcanic clay all over our bodies, like Indian warriors preparing for battle. We showered the cleansing, soothing mud off a short while later, and began to explore the thermal pools of varying temperatures. Once again, the monkeys were putting on a show and kept us entertained while we soaked up the minerals from these healing springs. After an hour there, it was still hard to pull ourselves away. We changed back into jeans and t-shirts, ate a small snack, and piled on an open air tractor/jeep for the ride back to the Lodge and the bus ride to The Flamingo Beach Resort & Spa. We were tired but happy, full of wonderful stories to tell the folks back home.

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