As we slept last night, we made our way from Panama. We could literally feel the change as we entered the deep, calm water of Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica. Golfo Dulce is very close to the border with Panama. It is a beautiful, pristine bay surrounded by rolling hills that are completely covered with lush and thick tropical rainforest. We visited Golfito for Zodiac tours by the mangrove forest. We learned about the incredible adaptations made by trees in the mangrove. These adaptations allow the trees to endure harsh living conditions in the saltwater. Costa Rica does a good job at protecting this very important ecosystem.
In the afternoon, we walked through the private preserve of Rio Seco, adjacent to the National Park of Peñas Blancas. Rio Seco provided a perfect landing site to land and explore the rugged topography of the edges of Golfo Dulce, where the hill drops abruptly into the ocean.
As we visited Rio Seco, a large group of colorful and noisy scarlet macaws welcomed us to our first day in beautiful Costa Rica.
