Mangroves of the Térraba-Sierpe River
The Mangroves of the Térraba-Sierpe River are part of the great forest reserve Térraba-Sierpe wetland that features a mangrove forest with a total of 22,000 hectares. It is a woodland ecosystem with periodically flooded swamps and mangrove forests, and ponds in conjunction with the ocean, coral reefs, and estuaries.
Today we are visiting the second-largest Latin American wetland. We are driving upstream to the river mouth on a private boat hired from Kokopelli Tours in Sierpe.
As we crossed the waterline of the little village, we noticed fewer and fewer houses; we entered a different world.
Our bilingual guide explained that a high tide was required to enter the small channels through the mangroves. At low tide, since the roots from the trees are not underwater; they look as though they would start moving at any given moment, and that makes the boat less maneuverable. As the tide goes up, the scenery changes and the river resembles a mirror, reflecting the mangrove on the glassy waters, as if merging two worlds.
The Mangroves of the Térraba-Sierpe River are one of the most important ecosystems throughout the world, a huge source of life. In addition to the absolute beauty and magic of the swamps, we observe many herons, egrets, kingfishers, and even two enormous crocodiles. This unique experience is hard to describe, don’t miss it!