Lost in the Costa Rican Jungle
Lost? Well, sort of. We’ve come here for what most ex-pats from the U. S. and a variety of commonwealth and European countries want – escape. They actually want less of everything, but mostly, they want more of one thing – to be left alone, to live and let live. I’m holed up in the jungles down the southern Pacific side of the country, not far from the town of Uvita and up in the mountains from a small village named Tres Rios, or Three Rivers. Not really all that descriptive, as it turns out there are at least three communities going by that name in Costa Rica. But, you get the idea.
As late as 2007, Tres Rios had no paved roads. The highway was dirt, and the main method of transport was horse and wagon. The government finally paved the road in 2008, but many of the thoroughfares, including the one up into the jungle leading to our abode, are still gravel. Four-wheel drive is required. Not recommended, required. The trail to our compound and beyond starts out innocently enough as a nicely paved, if narrow and unmarked, public road. Somewhere about a kilometer or two in, the pavement ends. A little further in, the government rescinds ownership, and the road is left for residents to maintain. It’s interesting enough over the paved portion, but once you get onto the private side, things get really creative.
Grades can be as much as 20%. For reference, that’s a pretty steep hill even for snow skiers. Switchbacks are more routine and water mitigation is extreme. Fortunately, one of the community’s residents is a former civil engineer and roadbuilder. He supervises the layout and maintenance of the deep curbs and drainage ditches, the numerous catch basins, caldrons and large diameter culverts. He directs contractors where to re-build deadman contours and shape road crowns to safely divert rainwater. When it rains here, it pours, sometimes dumping 50 inches in a month. The road’s edges are usually hillside or cliff, and from either side the jungle relentlessly threatens to engulf the road and its adjoining driveways. Preventative measures are always good policy.
The residents of our community tend to virtually everything – road building, water supply, runoff management, internet and maintenance of the aforementioned. Electricity is more or less a joint venture with the local utility, as actually most things are. Government here wants to have its finger in the pie, but doesn’t really want to do much of the work. How well you get on depends on the day and who you’re talking to. If you want red tape, they’ve found a way to secure their jobs with mighty mounds of it. Just getting a CR driver’s license is a mind-numbing chore where, in the end, incredibly, the last of your multiple attempts will be the bank to get your license.
Did I mention this place gets 260 to 320 inches of rain a year? This is rainforest jungle. Want something to grow? Just stick a piece of it in the ground and it’ll take off. Four years ago, one of the residents donated a parcel to plant seedlings for a fruit grove. It’s been a full grown, fruit-bearing orchard now for about a year. You can literally sit here and watch stuff grow.
Then there are the animals, the birds, the bugs. Walking around after dark isn’t a good idea. Leopards and panthers might challenge you – that might not end well. Having a dog by your side is usually a good idea. And because Tico’s don’t believe in neutering or spading, dogs and strays are plentiful. Gringo’s often rescue strays for two reasons – it’s both an act of kindness and self-protection. Once trained, rescue’s make excellent watchdogs. They remember what life is like in the jungle, and so become dedicated to making sure nothing happens to their benefactor or property.
Early morning here during the shoulder and dry seasons is glorious. The temperature is low 70s, the humidity is comfortable, the birds are actively singing, and the air is still. It’s a wonderful, reflective time for walking and exercising, as the sun is still low enough that the jungle blocks most of the sun’s rays. Any moving about before sunrise or after sunset is best done with 4-wheel drive. Large ATVs are popular among residents for in-jungle travel from house to house.
Howler monkeys are prodigious and loud. They have that name for a reason, as they can be heard for miles. Only about two feet tall, their size belies the volume of noise they can generate. Toucans, Macaws and dozens of colorful smaller birds can be seen flitting about while white-tail hawks and vultures daily soar on the thermals.
If bugs are a problem for you, the jungle is probably not the place to be. They’re everywhere. Care and preventive measures must be taken to keep them at bay. Bug repellent is a necessity. I was surprised to learn Avon’s Skin So Soft is both a 30 SPF sunscreen and a bug repellent. OFF! and Sawyer Picaridin are two other effective repellents. Even then, the local brand of no-see-ums will sneakily bite you and provide a bothersome itch that lasts for a week. One or two bites are manageable, but some of us are constantly barraged by these little buggers. Ants are also an issue and they can nest anywhere. It’s also a good idea to make a habit of shaking your clothes every morning before you put them on, putting all food away, and generally keeping a clean and tidy home. Spraying the property periphery to keep down the infiltration is also common practice.
As far as fun things to do, yes, outside of being independent there are also some redeeming qualities here. Ocean fishing, scuba diving, horseback riding, ziplining, repelling down 100-foot waterfalls, hiking, pickleball, and golf are just a few the more popular pastimes. The people here know how to have a good time and create things to do. They are a self-reliant and amazingly self-sufficient bunch. If something doesn’t exist they usually figure out how to make it happen for themselves. The community bonds over common threads – they’re intelligent and highly capable, self-starters with a desire to live independently but enjoy each other’s companionship. It’s a kind of shared rebellion, of individual sovereignty. There are doctors, lawyers, engineers, software and electronics experts, none of them afraid to get their hands dirty, both literally and figuratively. In a word, they are all doers who can’t sit still for long. Many of them have built fabulous compounds from nothing.
Lunch with friends at Aracari and its great ocean views. Tucked, like most of these places, down a narrow, often unmarked dirt road, you either need to know exactly where you’re going or hope your satnav can get you there.
And recently, there are also some great dining spots. We have had lunch at Aracari with its well-prepared dishes and beautiful restaurant and bar views of the Pacific, the Whale’s Tail and the nearby island reefs. Whale watching in season is also possible from here. Dinner at Heliconia in Ojochal, where the ceviche and the Mediterranean Chicken were sensational. Local flavor can be found at the modest and well-hidden Los Gatos Loco (Crazy Cats). The high end begins with the Exotica Restaurant and the Hotel 360, both accessed by driving rough dirt roads inland of the main highway. Hotel 360 is hidden well up in the jungle along a rough dirt and gravel road one would swear had no business leading to a high end destination hotel and restaurant. We have drinks in the exclusive bar overlooking the infinity pool and the Pacific Ocean at sunset. Spectacular drinks and appetizers.
The lap of luxury awaits at the exclusive Hotel 360. All you need is to negotiate a surprisingly rough 4-wheel drive dirt road to get there.
This part of Costa Rica is slowly becoming more tourist-driven. For now though, it’s still a local, self-sustaining economy whose growth appears primarily driven by the constant influx of Gringos trying to find a spot to permanently get away from it all. It’s not all roses, but for those who like continuing to work on what they’ve built, it’s a great escape.
Finish the night at the eclectic local hangout known as Los Gatos Loco. It’s actually not too far from the local pickleball courts and the exclusive Exotica Restaurant. Pick your poison!
