Days 12 - 16: Bosque del Cabo "Forest of the Cape" in the Osa Peninsula

Disclaimer: Beanie took first cut for this entry, so there may be a couple areas of overlap. It was easier than doing a real edit!!

KC: Bosque del Cabo – we still love it! It’s a magical place and as beautiful as we remember. Extra special this time because the owners, Phil and Kim, were here for two of the nights and we got to know them during happy hour in the bar.

After we checked in and walked to our cabina, I noticed a newer looking cabina and ask Yessy, the receptionist extraordinaire, about it and she explained that it and one of their other two oldest wooden cabinas (termites) had just recently been completely redone. I ask her if we could take a look and she gave us a tour of both the renovated cabinas. We loved one of them, Ylang, and ask her if there was any possibility we could move to it and she said she had customers coming in the next day for it. Fifteen minutes later she came down and told us she made some changes and we could move. We were thrilled. Love, love, love Ylang. It’s right next to the rain forest and the expansive deck looks down on an open grassy area that attracts animals. Every day we watched spider monkeys in the forest beside us and peccaries and agoutis on the grass. We saw turf battles between spider monkey troops one afternoon, what a lot of noise, and also two male peccaries fighting over some fruit that had fallen onto the ground. They have BIG teeth. The cabina is large and felt very airy with high ceilings and a good ceiling fan and lots of light. All the deluxe cabinas are on the top of a steep cliff and have excellent views of the Pacific Ocean and this was no exception.

The lodge is pretty much off the grid. No a/c, solar powered water heaters, gas refrigeration, etc. Each cabina has a solar panel for heating the water. It’s been pretty overcast and rainy so we sometimes didn’t have hot water – brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. There is Wi-Fi but limited to the bar area, but convenient for drinks! Not enough electricity to allow hair blow dryers – there will be some pictures to follow showing the horror of what happens to my hair without a blow dryer! The food is very good with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables (much of it grown right on their property) and wonderful homemade breads and desserts. The soups were excellent, they're not shy about using lots of cream. There was always a good selection for all three meals. Randy would've killed for a good IPA beer and Starbucks coffee though! I was very happy with the Costa Rican coffee. The drinks in the bar were reasonably priced especially considering we were in the middle of nowhere. On one day we planned on being out all day so they packed us a lunch - heaven forbid we miss a meal! We never eat three meals a day, but we did here. We were so active neither of us gained weight on the trip. Yay.

Here’s our typical day: breakfast at 7:30 or 8, hike for 3 or 4 hours, clean up for lunch at 12 or 1, hike again for 3 or 4 hours, back to the cabina by 4 or 5 for a shower and then a beer on the deck to watch the animals come out at dusk, happy hour at 6 in the bar and then dinner at 7. We were usually in bed by 9! We both slept great here despite the heat and humidity. It did cool down considerably at night though and the ocean breeze and fan helped. The sheets, however, were always damp. Didn’t impact our sleeping though. Our clothes were always damp too. The rains had come earlier this year than May of 2013 when we were last here. Here's an example of how humid it was this time: We both travel with what we call our “travel underwear”. We hand wash it and it normally dries within a couple of hours and never more than overnight (Pat, you know the ones – Exoficio I think?). This means we only have to take 3 pairs of underwear each. Well in the Osa, they never really dried completely! Now that’s humid!

The service was excellent. All of the staff was from Puerto Jimenez, our previous stop, and have been with Phil and Kim for years. To give you an idea of how good they were, here is one thing that happened out of many things: We were walking down the road back to the lodge after a hike and Kevin, driver and maintenance worker, was driving down the road and stopped and told us he had seen us walking by the maintenance shed in the morning and wondered if we had seen the sloth in one of the trees by the shed. We said no and he said hop in and I’ll take you over there and show you. Somehow with his limited English and our even more limited Spanish we could understand each other. The sloth was still there (we never would have been able to spot her without his help) and he seemed as happy to be able to show her to us as we were to see her. We talked to him numerous times while we were there and he was as excited to show us wildlife as we were to see it.

The wildlife was again fabulous and every hike brought new things to see. The trails were very muddy because of all the rain so our shoes seemed like they weighed a couple of pounds more when we got back to the cabina. Luckily there was an outdoor shower for cleaning shoes and we had both brought tennis shoes and hiking sandals. Randy always cleaned my shoes - thank you Honey! By the third day we decided to stay mainly on the gravel roads in the area to avoid the mud and ended up seeing as many animals as on the trails and the lodge grounds. We rarely saw any vehicles on the roads. There was an incredible sighting while we were there – I’ll let Randy tell you about that later. On the last day we decided to walk to El Remanso, the lodge about 2 miles away. The manager gave us a tour of the property and a couple of the cabinas. This lodge is a bit more upscale and some of the cabinas have plunge pools. Of course I took photos but we won’t include them in the blog since we already have photo overload. The manager also showed us a sloth in a tree along the trail as we were walking back to the entrance. Nice. We both preferred Bosque del Cabo in part because of the huge flat grounds to see wildlife. El Remanso is all on the side of a hill down to the Pacific. Makes for a very treehouse feel which is nice but we would miss the flat, open spaces to see the critters. Bosque also has a lot more land and hence more trails than El Remans - 750 acres I think. Both lodges can accommodate approximately 60 guests but because it was low season there were only 12 to 15 at our lodge so we got to know everyone. Nice folks -well maybe with one or two exceptions, haha, Randy asked if it was us!

Bosque del Cabo remains one of our favorite places in the world and we hope to return soon!

RC: I think Beanie and I both have looked forward to our return trip to Bosque del Cabo the most for this trip. We both remember our last trip here with great fondness and an appreciation for this terrific destination. It is still owned by Phil and Kim Spier. Phil got the ball rolling in 1987, Kim joined him in 1995, and the rest, as they say, is history. I can only imagine, actually, I can't, how what is there today came to be. Truly amazing. Here's a quick link to tell their story and anything else you might want to know about Bosque, Bosque del Cabo.

The road trip to Bosque del Cabo went pretty smooth – well, it was only 45 minutes! It looks very much like it did when we were here 9 years ago. They still have incredible, expansive grounds, acres and acres of rain forest, great trails and spectacular views of the ocean and the gulf.

Welcome To Bosque del Cabo!!

The Lovely Yessy, Very Special & Added Mucho Grande To Our Stay!

Wilson Greeting You At Reception

Palapa: Dining Downstairs w/Reading/Sitting Area Upstairs

Coffee Bar

Sighting List: Pretty Lean But It Got Better!!

Grounds w/Walkway To Our Cabina

More Grounds: Beautiful & So Well Maintained

Dining Palapa & On The Right - The Bar and Pool

Check in went smooth until they showed us our cabina. Beanie had requested the same cabina we had last time, great views of the Pacific, lots of greenery, and a bit out on the point. Instead, they put us in the cabina next door. Here’s a couple of pics just so you know we weren’t being terribly abused.

Welcome To the Pizote! Very Nice Little Spread!

Pizote Is Nicely Tucked Away

Panorama Shot of the Front

Two Queen Beds, Stairway on the left to upper level second bedroom

Bano #1

Bano #2: Large Blue & White Porcelain Jar Is the Water Filter

Nice Outdoor Shower

Inside Looking Out - Fabulous View of The Pacific

We just got settled in when the Bean made further inquiries and found out our preferred cabina would be available the next day and we could we move into it then. At the same time she asked to tour any open cabins as there has been some new construction. So we did that and really liked Ylang cabina. Not really sure what happened next but I witnessed what I’ve labeled as the “Beanie Maneuver” where somehow words are exchanged, no money I don’t think, and voila, we're in the new Ylang. It’s very nice. One thing you may not realize is these cabinas are luxurious and primitive at the same time. Very nicely appointed (do I watch too much HGTV?), but no internet, no a/c, minimal power so no blow dryers, etc, and no TV. Hot water is solar heated and for the most part we had hot water. Yep, we do have full plumbing, no honey pots.


Home of the "Beanie Maneuver"

Patio and Deck

Side View, Stairway, Outdoor Shower & Patio and Deck Area

Ocean View

View From Deck Into Cabina

Inside Shot - 1 King Bed and 1 Queen Bed

Bano

Living Area with Two Couches and Coffee Table (it's not really that dark)

Inside Looking Out

A Bosque del Cabo Special - Solar Powered Clothes Dryer!!

Stress Testing The Rails. What? That Shirt Doesn't Go With Those Shorts?

Solar Hot Water Heater

Immediately following a quick semi-unpack, we were out on the trails hoping to relive the magic moment of our last visit by sighting a puma on our very first hike. Nothing makes you more popular with all the folks in camp that have been here for days than coming into camp and sighting a puma 45 minutes later. Yep, last time you could just feel the love. But this year it was not to be for a couple of reasons. One, we couldn’t remember exactly which trail we made the sighting on. We wandered about aimlessly from trail to trail looking for some element of familiarity, but no joy. Returning to our cabina feeling much less special, we scraped the mud off our shoes, bathed in the warm water of failure, and set our sights on the future. Alright, perhaps that is a little melodramatic. The opportunities for seeing any type of wildlife are constant. You can see almost any animal, bird, bug, or reptile almost anywhere, anytime on the grounds. The driver that brought us in from Puerto Jimenez said he's probably seen more wildlife on the road than most folks have seen in the forest.

The grounds are as meticulous as we remember. In many ways, it’s a prime viewing area for much of the wildlife, especially coatimundi, peccary (the Costa Rican version of the javelina) and agouti.

Scarlet Macaw Feeding Near Our Patio

Different Scarlet Macaw Checking Out The Ocean View

View of The Pacific From One of The Trails

Spider Monkey Just Hanging Out (I Know You Saw That Caption Coming!!)

Local Feathered Friend - Bare Necked Umbrella Bird

Spider Monkeys Next To Our Deck - They Put On Quite A Show

Readying For The Big Jump

The Big Stretch!

This is how it looks real time! The short video from our cabina deck!

If these videos aren't cooperative, hit the link for the full Version via YouTube, Spider Monkeys Next Door. The link will open in a new window.

Yellow Throated Tucan

Blond Headed Beanie Bird (My Favorite Sighting!)

One of my favorite little guys in the rain forest is the dart frog. There are several species, of which the coolest one is the Strawberry Dart frog, better known as the Blue Jean Dart Frog as the hips and back legs are blue jean colored. Unfortunately we didn't get to see any of them this trip, but we did see his cousin, the Mint Dart frog, or as we tourists call them, the green and black dart frog. All species are poisonous so even though they are no bigger than a quarter, don't touch. No Bueno!! I think we captured a pretty cool pic of this guy!!

Mint Dart Frog

Gives You A Sense of Scale But Beware Very Toxic

A Halloween Crab - I Mean, What Else Could You Call It??

Thinking This Is A Great Curassow

Curassow With Chicks

Curassow With Chicks Part Deux!!

Some avid birders we met on our second trip to Africa, hello Gay, once told us that if you don't know the acknowledged name of a bird, just describe it and you'll probably be pretty close. We are using that generous technique so it appears we know of what we speak. You all know us so please keep the snickering to a reasonably low level!

Yellow Billed Red Eyed Mud Puddle Ibis??

All the meals at the Bosque were very good, but this was the special on Tiko Night. Tiko means Costa Rican. Costa Rica men are Tiko and women are Tika. There was beef, chicken, rice, black beans, potatoes, grilled veggies, pica de gallo, with fresh corn tortillas. Muy Bueno!!

Wednesday Night Is Tiko Night!!

That Is One Large Worm!! Beanie Foot Is For Size Comparison Only!!

We didn't get a lot of good viewings for the Howler Monkeys this trip though their "song" was pretty much a constant around the grounds and the majority of the hikes. They are incredibly loud and have a deep sound, almost like a lion. They seemed to stay very high in the forest canopy this trip. It was pretty much the same story for the Capuchins. It's funny how most of us think of the Capuchins as those friendly little guys working with the organ grinder taking coins from the audience. The reality is, though they are on the smaller scale of the monkeys in Costa Rica, they are the most aggressive. I describe them as ill tempered little bullies with a strong Napoleon complex. They are also very smart and among the few primates that eat meat. They also will hunt as a team. Kim, our co-host at the Bosque, told us she had seen one Capuchin get the attention of a Tucan while another attacked the bird from behind. They proceeded to rip the bird apart, eating most of it, and throwing the bill to the grounds. Yep, grumpy little primates!!

Mean Little Bullies Of The Rain Forest!!

Howler Monkey w/Baby

It's hard to fully capture in the blog how alive it is hiking in the Osa. All of the trails are good in that they are well defined and wide so we're not hacking our way through. The sounds, smells, and sights are amazing on the trails are amazine. We've put a few pics in, but really should have captured a recording to help bring it to life. We especially regret not getting the sound of the howler monkeys!

Typical Trail in the Forest

Cutter ants are ubiquitous throughout Costa Rica. They construct these huge ant communities, sometimes multiple mounds, multiple entries, and thousands of ants whose only mission in life is heading out to the forest, cutting a 1/4 square piece of leaf or grabbing a small flower, and returning it to the hive to feed the young. They are like the terminator of ants - they just don't stop!

Typical Cutter Ant Colony

We shot this video way deep in the jungle. It was pretty dark so it's a little hard to see clearly, but it's colony of cutter ants harvesting little tiny flower blossoms. We nicknamed them Mother's Day Cutter Ants because it was like they were bringing flowers home and it was close to Mother's Day. There is some audio so turn up your speakers. No, the ants do not talk or make any sounds . . . that we could hear . . . .

Same story. Video uplinks seem to have gotten a little wonky for this site, so here's the YouTube link, March of the Mothers Day Cutter Ants

Couple of pics of Beanie in the middle of the Circle of Palms at the tropical gardens. Pretty cool.

Beanie In The Circle Of Palms

Closer Shot

There Are Two Small Cabinas on the Edge of The Garden - Only For The More Adventurous As They Are Completely Open on One Side

Beanie Trudging Back From The Palapa

The landscapers were trimming up a date palm tree just below our deck and cut out a section that contained a lot of dates. They left it on the ground for the animals. Over the next few days, there was a large and assorted visitor log of animals partaking of fresh palm dates to include peccaries, vultures, agouti, and coatimundis.

Peccary: Kind Of Like Warthogs In Africa & Javelina In AZ

Evidently A Side Effect Is It Makes Your Butt Itch!!

Not Unusual To See Larger Groups of Peccary

As we walked around we would see the coolest things. Here's a small medley of what we would come across doing the most mundane things.

Yellow Eyed Tall Bird - OK, I Made That Up!

Mini Me Bald Eagle - Yep, Made That Name Up Too!

Yellow Striped Lizard

Here A Coati

There A Coati

Everywhere You Look . . .

. . . A Coati

Bashful Vulture

Not So Bashful Vulture

Coati/Vulture Social Hour

Phil told us about a two track gravel road that we could explore on our way to an adjoining resort property. It was a great option in that we had heavy rains over night and the trails were pretty messy. The hike takes you across a pretty good size suspension bridge that has some significant "bounce" to it.

Pondering Life & Man's Role In It - Or It Could Have Been A Squirrel

The first thing we came across was a large family of coatimundis, 4-6 adults and maybe a dozen little ones. We had camera problems (you're welcome!!) so we missed the Kodak moment, but it was a great viewing. One of the other really cool things we came across was a huge bamboo stand. The pics do a good job of giving perspective on its size.

Dweeb Among The Bamboo - Catchy Title I Thought!

The trails change significantly in the rainy season. Growth is rapid and over growth even more so

It's Like Each Tree Sprouts Its Own Little Eco System

Come On Beanie! Pick Up The Pace!

Yield To The Critters!!

Hard To Tell Which Way Is Up But It's A Really Good Sloth Sighting

The Rare Sloth "Action Shot"!

Can't Have Too Many Sloth Shots!

This Howler Was Talking Some Smack - And With A Mouth Full Of Food!!

Yet Another Unknown Raptor

Pretty Close Up Shot For A Tucan

Grande Mini Me Bald Eagle

We Saw This Guy Quite A Bit - Small Hawk About The Size Of A Pigeon

This Guy Is Really Cool - Reminded Us Of The Secretary Birds In Africa

This Is The First Runner Up For The Caddy Shack Golfer Dude

You probably recall the riveting caption I placed on the Sighting Chalkboard picture we saw at reception. If you forgot, it was "Sighting List: Pretty Lean But It Got Better!!"

Well, this was the morning it got really good! We woke to a buzz around the compound on Sunday morning. There had been a Puma sighting. Nope, not out on the trails, not in the deep heart of the rain forest, not even on the road. This guy was sitting about 200 yards from the restaurant palapa, just down the hill, gazing at the ocean. One of the guests that arrived late Saturday, Collin Whitsett, was having coffee around 0545 when he thought he spotted a large agouti but when it turned he knew it was a puma. He ran to his cabina, a couple hundred yards away, to grab his camera and amazingly, the puma just hung around. It was a quiet morning, no workman around as it was Sunday, and the puma seemed to feel very comfortable just hanging out. It was a beautiful young male and we surmised this was not his first trip across the grounds. Collin moved over to the empty cabina near the puma and captured some amazing photos which he was gracious enough to share with me and the Bean.

Great Shot - Thanks So Much Collin!!

Clearly Not Concerned About Being Seen

Maybe The Best Of The Three

On the next to our last day, we did the Pacific Trail Hike, also known as the Stairway To Heaven. This hike requires timing with the tide as the closer you get to high tide, the more dangerous it is because the tide comes all the way to the forest and you can easily have your return route cut off by the ocean. It's about 1.5 miles round trip, but it's straight down and straight back up - about a 900' change in elevation. Not a tiring hike down, but it does make your knees say some very bad words to your head. The return hike is very challenging aerobically because you're walking a 25% incline and this portion makes your thighs say some very bad words to your head.

Beanie On The Way Down - That Smile Won't Last Long!

The End Of Pacific Trail Where It Opens Up On The Pacific Ocean

Panorama Of The Beach - It Makes It Look Smaller Than It Is

Ibid on the videos. Here's the YouTube Link, Pacific Trails Meets The Pacific Ocean

The Tide Is On The Way In - We Don't Have Much More Time

Beanie Captured This Flock Of Pelicans Doing A Low-Level Flight

There Is Some High Surf

This Rock Was Crawling (literally) With Life: Lots of Different Type Crabs

Oooops! Got Caught By A Rogue Wave

Some Closing Thoughts and Lessons Learned from Bosque del Cabo: First of all, we recommend Keen hiking sandals. I have the same ones from our 2013 trip and Beanie picked up a new pair before we left the states. They provide comfort, support, and dry quickly, very important. Sore, wet feet could've ruined this trip.