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The morning begins with a border crossing.

A small boat approaches, spilling out a group of agents who board our Uncruise ship. The agents are quick and efficient, and soon, we are stamped out of Panama, and stamped  into Costa Rica.

Since the border crossing takes up a little extra time in the morning, our morning activity is a quick skift ride around the mangroves in Golfo Dulce.

Cicadas serenade us as our adventure guide, Erika, explains in detail the process of  how a pod becomes a mangrove tree.

I love mangroves already, but hearing Erika explain the growing process, makes me appreciate them all the more. How could you not be fascinated by trees that grow up out of the water?

 The combination of the calm water, and the feeling of being enveloped by leafy green beauty, creates a lovely, peaceful, morning.

For the afternoon we choose the best named activity of the entire trip, the “Yak and Stroll.”

We’ve been river kayaking, but never open sea kayaking, or in this case, open gulf kayaking, so we’re excited to give it a try for the first time.

I’m a fan right away. There is so much space to paddle around.

The expansiveness is inspiring.

As we approach the shore, I geek out over the palm trees against the emerald  water. It looks like paradise.

We commence the “yaking” portion of our Yak and Stroll at the Saladero Ecolodge.

Harvey and Susan, owners of the Ecolodge, greet us with fresh coconut.

With Erika leading the way, we “stroll” through the forest.

Erika gives us great information regarding the ecosystem of, and nature found, in Golfo Dulce.

Out of the forest, we tour Saladero Ecolodge’s tropical garden. We spot lots of flowers and fruit, used by the lodge. Erika teaches us about the growing cycle of pineapples.

Don’t get me wrong, our Uncruise ship is amazing, but there is a little part of me that doesn’t want to leave the Saladero Ecolodge. My imagination swims with visions of reading in hammocks, falling asleep to nature sounds, and drinking juice made from the pineapple pictured above. The Saladero Ecolodge seems like a fantastic place to stay if you ever find yourself in Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica.

Harvey joins us on the ship for cocktail hour, where he gives a talk on Gulfo Dulce. I’m thrilled by how much I’m learning on this trip.

I thought that the sunsets we saw on Caye Caulker, Belize were impressive, but now, I can’t imagine anywhere topping the sunset we experienced in Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica.

It’s the perfect ending to a perfect day.

If you’re looking for a great travel group to join, check out Weekend Wanderlust 

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