Description
Just minutes from Quepos, the Damas Island estuary holds a world that changes with every tide. Here fresh water from the rivers mingles with the salt water of the Pacific, giving life to one of the richest mangrove ecosystems on the coast, a labyrinth of channels where tree roots arch high above the water.
Aboard a comfortable covered boat with a bilingual naturalist guide, you will glide slowly through these calm channels, far from roads and noise. The engine is cut in the quietest corners so you can listen to the forest: the splash of a fish, the call of a heron or the rustle of branches as a troop of white-faced capuchins comes curiously to the water's edge.
The mangroves are home to remarkable wildlife. With your guide's sharp eye you may discover crocodiles and caimans basking on the mud banks, boas coiled in the branches, green iguanas, anteaters, turtles, brightly colored crabs and a huge variety of birds including kingfishers, tiger herons, ibises and frigatebirds. You will also learn why these forests are so vital: they protect the coastline, filter the water and serve as a nursery for countless marine species.
After about two hours on the water, the outing wraps up with a traditional lunch at a local restaurant before the return to your hotel. It is a relaxed excursion, ideal for families with young children, older travelers and photography lovers who want to see wildlife without having to hike.
