Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [453]
The museum chronicles the history of the rainforest (and of human interactions with it) through a mixture of displays and videos, and also displays hundreds of Costa Rican indigenous artifacts including some superbly crafted musical instruments. Finally, the gardens boast the largest scientific collection of medicinal plants in Costa Rica.
An onsite restaurant (mains ₡4000-12,000; breakfast, lunch & dinner) serves meals incorporating fruits, vegetables, spices and edible flowers used in indigenous cuisine, many of which are grown on the premises.
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Tirimbina Rainforest Center
A working environmental research and education center, Tirimbina Rainforest Center (2761-0055/333; www.tirimbina.org; r incl breakfast US$60) also provides tours and accommodations for visitors. The 350-hectare private reserve of Tirimbina and the nearby Centro Neotrópico Sarapiquís are connected by two suspension bridges, 267m and 117m long, that span the Río Sarapiquí. Halfway across, a spiral staircase drops down to a large island in the river. Tirimbina reserve has more than 9km of trails with suspension bridges; some of the trails are paved or wood-blocked. There are also several different guided tours on offer (US$17 to US$27) including bird-watching, frog and bat tours, night walks and a recommended guided chocolate tour, which lets you explore a working cacao plantation and learn about the harvesting, fermenting and drying processes. Child and student discounts are available. Tirimbina is about 2km north of La Virgen, next door to Centro Neotrópico Sarapiquís.
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La Quinta de Sarapiquí Lodge
About 5km north of La Virgen, this pleasant family-run lodge (2761-1052; www.laquintasarapiqui.com; s/d/tr/ste US$110/110/125/140; ) is on the banks of the Río Sardinal, which branches off from the Sarapiquí in the north and runs to the west of it. The lodge has covered paths through the landscaped garden connecting thatched-roof, hammock-strung rooms. All rooms have a terrace, ceiling fan and private hot shower. You can also get meals in the open-air restaurant (mains ₡4640 to ₡7540).
Owner Beatriz Gámez is active in local environmental issues and helps administer the Cámara de Turismo de Sarapiquí (Cantusa), which works to balance conservation and tourism in the area. Activities at the lodge include swimming in the pretty pool or river (there’s a good swimming hole nearby), fishing, boat trips and bird-watching, and you can spend time in the large butterfly garden or hike the ‘frog land’ trail where poison-dart frogs are commonly seen.
On the hotel grounds, La Galería (admission US$6, lodge guests free) features an eclectic collection of regional ephemera, including an extensive collection of insect specimens such as the machaca (also known as the lantern bug), a bizarre-looking insect about 7.5cm long. Even more interesting are the unusual exhibits on Costa Rican history. Indigenous artifacts, including some worthwhile copies of the area’s more important archaeological finds, are a treat. The collection of Spanish-colonial relics is even more impressive, featuring not only antiques collected by the owners, but interesting family heirlooms as well – Gámez’ great-grandmother was pen pals with famed Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío. The fee also includes access to the lodge’s private trails and gardens.
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Collin Street Bakery Pineapple Plantation
You won’t find any bread at Collin Street Bakery (its name reflects the ownership). Instead, you’ll discover the sweetest, most delicious pineapples, grown right here at the world’s largest organic pineapple plantation. Collin Street offers tours (2551-5804; www.collinstreet.com/pages/finca_corsicana; tours adult/child US$31/27; 8am, 10am & 2pm Mon-Fri) through its 12 sq km of pineapple fields plus the processing and packing plant that ships 38 million pineapples a year. The interesting but pricey tour ends with a tasting of fresh pineapple, washed down with a piña colada. Yum! The plantation is located 2km north of