This morning National Geographic Quest anchored in the Dulce Gulf, right in front of Playa Blanca. Our guests disembarked to begin their exploration of this area.
There were small buses that allowed us to visit some businesses run by the locals. Upon arrival at each project, the owners welcomed us. Some guests visited the gold panning and sugar cane sites while others went to the hearts of palm, chocolate, and garden tours. Those who wanted a little more exercise went to Danta Trails.
During these visits we all had the chance to taste delicious local food and experience firsthand the reasons for which conservation has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people of this area.
At midday we all came back to enjoy a lunch at the beach prepared by the onboard chefs. During the lunch, local children dressed in colorful costumes performed folkloric dances for our guests.
On our second outing of the day, we saw white-faced capuchin monkeys, squirrel monkeys, beautiful flowering plants, and many birds, among which the yellow-throated toucans and scarlet macaws were the most colorful and easy to find. At the end of the day, we all gathered for a turtle presentation at the beach led by a local turtle NGO.
Photos by: Carlos Calvo, National Geographic Photo Instructor, and Maguil Céspedes Castro, Naturalist
