Jack Donnelly: This is a “snake” you definitely want to see

October 9th, 2015
By Jack Donnelly, ICR News contributor

“Snake” is generally not the first word tourists want to hear. However, in this case it refers to a delightful and interesting destination only a little off the beaten path. Sierpe is an archaic Spanish word for a large serpent, and the name applies to both the river and the town of Sierpe. There is a widespread misconception it derives from a local indigenous language. Indeed, the river twists and turns like a snake, but it doesn’t bite.

(Jack Donnelly for ICR News)

Sierpe is located in southern Puntarenas Province. It lies south of Palmar Norte and Palmar Sur off the Interamerican Highway just after it joins with the costanera, the Pacific coastal highway. The road is pavement all the way to the town, but gravel if you go any farther.

Many people only get a glimpse of Sierpe as they board a shuttle boat to Drake Bay. I think these travelers are missing out on an opportunity to spend a few days in an area with some very diverse attractions.

(Jack Donnelly for ICR News)

First, Sierpe is a Mecca for nature lovers, even those of us without the same level of mobility we once enjoyed. La Perla del Sur operates boat tours of the mangroves, Corcovado, and Isla del Caño from their hotel-restaurant base by the docks. Even the short tour of nearby mangroves and estuaries should give you sightings of any number of birds, monkeys, crocodiles, caimans, and snakes (okay, there are snakes, but mostly they are small tree boas curled up for the day). A guide will explain the fascinating and complicated life cycles of different species of mangrove. Even if you normally prefer to view Mother Nature on your widescreen, this is a fascinating and very comfortable three and a half hour tour. Sport fishing is also available.

(Jack Donnelly for ICR News)

Five kilometers from Sierpe, on the main road back toward Palmar Norte, you will find Parque Arqueológico Finca 6—the archaeological park dedicated to the stone spheres. The locations of the spheres, sometimes called Las esferas del Diquís have been designated as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. There is a very nice new visitors’ center as well as signs giving information about the spheres and mounds one will encounter along the outdoor trails. Walking these trails is not strenuous, but it can be pretty hot, so before noon and later in the day are better times for this attraction.

To the north of Palmar Norte you can visit the Brunka indigenous reserves of Curré Rey and Boruca. The road to Boruca may require four-wheel drive at times—best to ask locally about current conditions. Curré Rey is right on the Interamerican Highway and is accessible with an ordinary vehicle.  Both communities have small museums (operation in Curré is not always reliable) celebrating their Brunka heritage and craft shops specializing in ornate wooden masks, etched gourds, etc.

Finally, there is water hyacinth watching—an activity that goes perfectly with coffee in the morning and something cooler in the evening. My favorite vantage point for this endeavor is the hotel patio next to the docks. Water hyacinth was brought to Costa Rica by the United Fruit Company from Colombia in the 1950s to mitigate pollution.

Because the Sierpe is tidal, the same floating islands of hyacinth drift back and forth.

An interesting small controversy is whether the Sierpe should be called a río, a river, or a ría, an inlet. The river does get some fresh water flow from some small springs and rain runoff, but it’s not enough to give it a significant flow. For the most part, you are watching the same water going in both directions. This is what allows the water hyacinth to thrive—it cannot survive in salt water.

Sierpe is a hidden gem of a destination; it’s a great place to spend a few days.

Read more by Jack Donnelly:

Jack Donnelly: The origin of the Costa Rican expression, “Upe”

Christmas Tamales – an essential part of Costa Rica’s holiday tradition

Archaeological sites worth visiting in Costa Rica

Jack Donnelly

Jack Donnelly has been a life-long enthusiast of Latin American folk culture. As a young man, during the 1960s, he studied cultural anthropology at the Universidad de las Américas in Mexico City. He went on to volunteer with the U. S. Peace Corps in Guatemala.

Now, Donnelly lives in Heredia, Costa Rica. He travels around the country investigating and documenting folkloric events.

Donnelly is the author of COSTA RICA: Folk Culture, Traditions, and Cuisine which is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle.