Rio Celeste…ugh

I was so excited to go to RioCeleste and see the amazing blue waterfall.  I never made it.  Oh, I tried and gave my best effort. The drive took 5 1/2 hours on a road not suitable for my little Suzuki car.  It took a beating. I can only hope that the damage sustained is less than the vehicle is worth.  I don’t want to buy this car.  A 4×4 is the only practical vehicle to own if you’re planning on venturing out of the town in which you’r living.  There is no road, contrary to what tour operators told me and others who have been able to get there.

I have spoken to many people and they don’t even leave the playas.  It’s crazy to me as there is so much to see and do outside and around the Guanacaste region and beyond.  I was able to get a few pics of the blue water, but never could get to the waterfall.  The road to the Tenorio National Park and volcano has been destroyed by the only hurricane to hit Costa Rica in over 100 years.  This was the place hardest hit.

I’m posting some pics that show as far as I made it, and the mountain lodge I stayed in.  It was the one and only bad experience I encountered, so far.  I see why many locals don’t go there and rely on the pictures to see the waterfall.  The flora and fauna of this region was incredible, but I only used my iphone. Next time I come in June, I will bring my good camera and rent a 4×4 for the day.  It would’ve made my trip so much easier.

I stayed in the mountain lodge on the hillside of the Tenorio Volcano.  I was impressed when I arrived, but that  didn’t last long.  Asking directions because of course I got lost several times got me nowhere this time.  No english is spoken in this area of Costa Ria and I believe the tico’s found pleasure in my lack of Spanish.  I was told by five different people which way to go, but I got so many mixed up directions.  Anyway, I made it to the lodge because of Norberto, a local tour operator out of  Coco.  He spoke great english and could see how frustrated I was.  I couldn’t post anything as there was no service up here.

So here’s some pics, not very good because of the iphone, but none the less, I did get pictures of the blue river.