Ecocruising in Costa Rica

Small-ship Travel to Protected Forests

By Carla Waldemar

I love Costa Rica and hate cruising.

However, after reading the description of Temptress Adventure Cruises' itinerary and philosophy I weakened and signed on. The trip—promoted as offering "all the thrills and inspiration of a rugged adventure" while maintaining a serious commitment to preservation of nature and the local culture—more than fulfilled its pledge.

With a small ship like the 33-cabin Voyager we were able to reach protected forests that the big ships couldn't even wave at and where roads were non-existent.

After nightly briefings, we chose from among the next day's activities—usually a choice of three morning-long hikes of varying difficulty. Each walk was led by a trained naturalist, knowledgeable about the flora and fauna and able to point out many things we'd surely have missed on our own (such as the "logs" that turned out to be crocodiles).

On our return, a lavish picnic lunch awaited us on shore, followed by time for swimming or sunning, snorkeling, scubadiving, or another hike (as well as deep-sea fishing and horseback riding through the jungle at a small extra charge). We could ferry back any time we chose to sip a piña colada on the deck (all drinks as well as exquisitely-served meals and snacks are included in the price).

Travel along the country's west coast was done mostly at night, leaving full days for exploration or relaxing. Cabins, while small, were comfortable, each with a panoramic window that actually opened. With so few cabins and a ration of 3:1 guests to crew, services were never lacking. The friendly crew even provided laundry service twice a week, included in the price.

The temptress bus picks up and drops off passengers in San Jose. Rates for three nights begin at $830, seven nights $1,045, which includes meals and snacks. Visit www.temptresscruises.com, email info@temptresscruises.com, or call 800-336-8423.

Carla Waldemar lives in Minneapolis, MN and is a frequent contributor to Transitions Abroad.