Cahuita

The one thing everyone comes to Cahuita for is it’s amazing National Park. Only 10 square kms in size, this little slice of heaven packs a huge punch when it comes to local wildlife. I decided to do the whole 8.5km trail which works it’s way along the coast and around Punta Cahuita. Fuelled up on coffee and something to eat from one of the little local restaurants, I wandered over to the Ranger Station at the start of the trail to sign in.

The first couple of kms were pretty hectic as groups of local and international tourists were clumped together with guides strung out along the trail. I didn’t want to do a guided tour as I was planning on walking the whole loop, but took advantage of eavesdropping on the various groups as I wandered by. There were so many animals in that first section of trail that moving through became a slow process. I saw sloths, monkeys, raccoons, coatis, macaws, toucans, iguanas and even a couple of little snakes.

The trail twisted its way between stunning coastal rainforest and picturesque mangrove swamps; with regular little paths veering off to the palm-thronged beach. Eventually, it came to a small river crossing where it seemed most tourists turned back from. The river was easily forded however, and I continued on my journey. The trail continued past another small river crossing and on to Punto Cahuita, the tip of the little peninsula the park is primarily situated in.

At this point, the more adventurous tour groups finished up with fresh fruit in a little wooden pavilion and snorkelling tour groups congregated. In Parque Nacional Cahuita, it is illegal to snorkel without a guide, due mainly to the intense and unpredictable currents which plague this stretch of coast. I passed the little throng of people and continued along the trail.

The coastline changed as you went around the point. The rainforest was a bit more open and the beach all but disappeared. Waves gently crashed on the edge of the vegetation as the trail wound itself between tiny black sand bays strewn with exposed tree roots. There were very few people on this part of the trail so it was lovely to just soak up the tranquility.

Eventually, the beach reappears as you approach Playa Vargas. This beach has black sand where back around the point, the sand is white. Timid little hermit crabs scuttle along the track, sheltering under their shells as you approach. The surf is also rougher on this side and signs appear warning people about the hazardous currents. Despite that, I was in much need of a cooling dip so braved the conditions for a quick swim.

At this point the track spits you out at the Puerto Vargas Ranger House where there are some basic facilities to wash the sand off. This is also the start of a 2km boardwalk through mangrove forest to the Puerto Vargas park entrance. The boardwalk is relatively new and winds it’s way through stunning mangrove habitats. There are little wooden pavilions at intervals you can sit at and just soak up the tranquil environment. The gently crashing waves just beyond the mangroves set the soundscape, along with cicadas and frogs; punctuated with the distant calls of howler monkeys.

All too soon, you pop out at the Puerto Vargas entrance to the park and pass the ranger station as you walk back to the main road. I was planning on catching a local bus back to Cahuita, but accepted a lift for a few dollars from a passing shuttle bus. Back at the hostel, it was time for a much needed wash of me and everything I was wearing; hoping my clothes would dry in time for moving on in the morning. I went back to my favourite hotel overlooking the National Park and partook of more 2 for 1 daiquiris. I was updating my blog when I noticed some people looking up with their phones. There perched not far from my head, was a sloth slowly making its way along a cord strung between the table shelters.

On returning to the hostel, I met up with two of the guys I had been partying with the night before, a French girl and a young American guy. We decided to all go out for dinner at one of the local restaurants and as luck would have it, this restaurant still had its Happy Hour in full swing. Two extremely strong caipirinhas later, I had well and truly done with the cocktails for the day.