(Updated, original post July 2019)
Zip lining and surf lessons might be what a Costa Rica vacation brings to mind. But sometimes just being immersed in nature is enough.
At the southern tip of Costa Rica, the Osa Peninsula is known for its large expanses of rainforest and the abundant, diverse wildlife that thrives in it. The quickest way to get there is taking a short prop plane ride from San Jose’s international airport to the small coastal town of Puerto Jimenez. Weather permitting, the 45 minute flight can offer spectacular views of the Pacific coastline and the Osa Peninsula’s lush landscape before touching down on the dirt runway in Puerto Jimenez.
That is where I landed on a recent trip to the Osa. My final stop though was a small lodge about a 40 minute drive away from town at the southernmost point of the peninsula. Just outside of town, the road becomes a rocky, unpaved path that traverses a couple of small (in the dry season) streams and winds along the lush, tropical landscape that makes everything else seem far away.
A toucan calls from its perch on the Osa Peninsula. © 2019 Elizabeth Acevedo
The trip was supposed to be devoted to personal photography work. I have been trying to explore new, more artful directions in my photography so I traveled solo to have some uninterrupted creative time. As it happened though, the day job had cranked up to full intensity in the month or so prior, particularly the days leading up to the trip. I arrived in Costa Rica pretty spent. As a result, I did spend some time photographing birds and wildlife but my efforts felt scattered and a little bit on autopilot.
More compelling than camera time was deck time, which consisted of sitting outside of my little, cliff-top cabin listening to the Pacific Ocean crashing below and the sounds of the surrounding rainforest. The deck provided a front row seat to toucans, scarlet macaws, monkeys and all sorts of other animals and birds going about their lives in the nearby trees.
A pair of scarlet macaws having a feisty interaction in Costa Rica. © 2019 Elizabeth Acevedo
A view of the Pacific Ocean from the deck of my Osa Peninsula cabin. © 2019 Elizabeth Acevedo
I felt conflicted though, like I should be pushing through and taking full advantage of the time alone to work on my creative goals. The fatigue of body and spirit that I brought with me was real though. So whatever my intentions had been, sinking into the stillness and beauty of the Osa was the better way to spend the time.
A capuchin monkey carries a leaf with a bees’ nest attached. © 2019 Elizabeth Acevedo
The lodge provided a great setting to do as little or as much as I wanted. With just a small number of cabins spread around the property, it felt quiet and private. There were easy walks or more challenging hikes on the property’s trails where I saw more much more wildlife than people. I also found my way to the lodge’s two pools for swims and fresh fruit smoothies from the bar, perfect remedies for the mid-day heat. More than anything else though, there were endless opportunities to watch wildlife and birds in their natural environment as most of the property is undeveloped. That, to me, is the most rejuvenating, joyful way to spend time, camera in hand or not.
Despite my slow pace and tempered ambitions, I still explored some trails and made some photos, and am glad that I did. Picture below is the lovely viewpoint that is about two-thirds of the way down the steep Pacific Trail that leads down to a beach, which is accessible only at low tide.
A deck with an ocean view offers a much-needed rest stop down the short but steep Pacific trail at Bosque del Cabo, Costa Rica. © 2019 Elizabeth Acevedo
Ultimately, this visit to Costa Rica reminded me that sometimes that list of things that we think we have to do or see while traveling has to give way to restoration.
And in an even broader sense, the time in the Osa affirmed what I had already suspected: traveling to be in nature always brings us what we need. Our only job is to relax and follow the magic.
An iridescent blue morpho butterfly opens its wings on the trail for a quick moment before flying off, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. © 2019 Elizabeth Acevedo