Costa Rica’s major tourist areas draw hundreds of thousands each year.
And, of course, everyone wants to see the hot spots, like the Arenal Volcano, the monkeys of Manuel Antonio National Park, or surf the friendly waves of Tamarindo beach.
In the Costa Rica travel business sometimes it can be hard to convince folks to go “off the beaten path”, even though doing so can really open up whole new avenues of intense Costa Rica experience…if that’s what you’re looking for.
There is a popular beach spot for surfers known as Dominical on the Southern Pacific coast. One of the ways to get there is to take the highway that crosses right over the top of Cerro de la Muerte, which at 3,451 meters (11,322 feet) is of Costa Rica’s highest mountains.
Just as you reach the highest point on the Pan Interamericana highway you take a detour down into a valley that is known as the Valle de las Quetzales (or valley of the Quetzals). This is the absolute best location in the country for viewing the Resplendent Quetzal, a rare and extraordinarily beautiful bird.
The Resplendent Quetzal was once considered divine, associated with the “snake god,” Quetzalcoatl, by Pre-Columbian Central American civilizations. The Quetzals are “high-ground” birds that love to feed on the “aquacatillo” tree (a variety of tree that produces a type of avocado fruit that these birds love).
To a bird watcher, to get a chance to spot and photograph a Quetzal is like having a dream come true and there are few places in the world better to achieve this than San Gerardo de Dota. Once I was coming back from the beach with my kids and we decided to take the detour to San Gerardo. It was the middle of the day, which is not the best time to see the Quetzals (better early in the morning). We saw a tourist group with a guide staring up into the trees just off the narrow dirt road that takes you down into the little village. We stopped and sure enough, up in the aguacatillo tree was a Resplendent Quetzal. We even managed to get a photo (see image above).
I guess the thing I love most about this little secret corner of Costa Rica is its amazing tranquility. The only sound you will hear is the wind blowing down from the mountains that tower above the valley and the crystal clear Savegre river that meanders through this amazingly picturesque spot.
There are a number of places to stay, like Dantica or Savegre Mountain Lodge. The trout fishing is fantastic and even if you don’t fish, you can order trout in one of the many area restaurants.
If you are considering a trip to the Southern Pacific coast, I highly recommend taking the route over Cerro de la Muerte and stopping in San Gerardo de Dota for a night or two.
It is a great way to get a firsthand view of what Costa Rica’s is all about…
Pura Naturaleza!
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A Costa Rica Bird Song • Package Costa Rica
[…] venture up into the Talamanca mountains to a place like San Gerardo de Dota. There’s something so serene and peaceful about this place deep in the heart of Costa […]