Results from a quick internet search for things to do in the Quepos area will always include a full day excursion to Nauyaca Waterfalls. Within the boundaries of a Nature Preserve, Nauyaca Waterfalls are some of the most beautiful, and most visited, waterfalls in this area. Fed by the Barucita River, the falls (upper, middle, and lower) are in a deep, dense jungle canyon a little over an hour south of Quepos. Though the water of the falls is owned by the government, the land providing access to the falls are on private property.
Since I don’t have a car here, it was much easier for me to book a tour through school than to take the public bus and hike to one of the entrances. I ended up being one in a group of 4 people on the tour, so we got a lot of time to ask questions about our surroundings and the environment. Our guides from Paddle 9 were super knowledgable about the flora and fauna we encountered on the hike and were passionate about the conservation efforts in the area. Paddle 9 uses Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park as its entry to the falls, which is a private nature park. The park provides relatively easy access to the preserve and includes tropical gardens, covered group areas, bathrooms, and a restaurant.
Nauyaka Falls was a full and fun day. I can see why this attraction is a favorite and a must see!
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started being much more attentive to how my actions impact others. Foreign travel is a double-edged sword. On the one side, tourism often brings better paying jobs, modern infrastructure investment, emphasis and preservation of local culture, and an overall cultural exchange between visitors and hosts. Unfortunately, infrastructure improvements often come at the expense of the environment upon which local economies are based (both traditional and modern tourism) and can turn local culture into a commodified cliche. Also, the influx of relatively wealthier people, or business catering to them, displace current inhabitants by buying up land and significantly increasing the cost of living. As with all relationships, collaborations are complicated and nuanced, so I try to view my travels from as many perspectives as possible so I can understand my impact, both good and bad.
Time is flying by, but I still have lots more to fill y’all in on, so check back in to see what other adventures Costa Rica has offered up 🙂
FitHippie Adventures 
Looks beautiful there, would like to visit Costa Rica at some point. Completely understand the thoughts about the trade offs of tourism. We heard about the changes coming to Eluthera when we visited and it was both inspiring for the improvements and depressing for the changes that would result.
LikeLiked by 1 person