Isla Violin Eco Lodge

The family were so friendly and welcoming. We played Uno with their youngest son, Joshua, and went on a night walk with grandpa Carlos, who showed us edible local plants. The home-cooked food was amazing, and there was plenty of it. Giovanni can arrange trips to Corcovado, snorkeling, and other nearby activities, or take you kayaking or boating in the mangroves. We also spent time on a beautiful beach while waiting for the tide. It’s a chance to stay with a Costa Rican family and experience life on an island in the mangroves. We saw caymen, lizards, a sloth, kinkajou, owls, opossum, and many birds, including toucans and macaw's.

Giovanni, Rosa, and Yehoshua made us feel at home right away. Rosa loved making generous, healthy meals with a different kind of juice each time. The water was very pure and safe to drink. We played games with their 10-year-old kid Yehoshua each evening and had interesting talks with Rosa and Giovanni about the area, their secluded life, its history, and their misadventures and anecdotes. This place is a hidden gem for adventurous people who want a deeper immersion in secluded nature. The spacious bungalows are rustic and original, with outdoor showers and toilets that are very private. I set up night cameras and recorded armadillos every night. Wildlife around the lodge includes raccoons, sloths, anteaters, frogs, possums, snakes, and many bird species, including rare ones seen on the way through the mangrove labyrinth. It’s a 40-minute walk from the lodge to a beautiful, secluded beach with a little lagoon. We saw sloths, fruit bats, birds, frogs, and snakes on the way and at the beach. At low tide you can reach another beach for a longer walk, but make sure to head back in time so you don’t get stuck by the rising tide. We really enjoyed our stay and recommend it to anyone looking for an immersive nature experience in one of Costa Rica’s wildest places.

We spent three nights at Isla Violin Eco Lodge. After we arrived in Sierpe, our host Geovani picked us up in his boat and took us for an hour through the mangroves to his family home. Geovani, Rosa, and their son Joshua were wonderful hosts. Breakfast was ready whenever we asked, lunch was included on the different tours, and dinner at the lodge was TOP!! Fresh fish, vegetarian choices, and tasty meat with rice and beans. Geovani was basically our private guide, taking us wherever we wanted, getting up early, and showing us lots of animals. He’s a great guide and an incredible boat driver. We loved the chance to live with local people. Ticos were welcoming, friendly, and respectful. The outdoor showers and sounds of the rainforest made for a humbling stay in nature, and the location is great if you like being cut off from civilization. The boat trips with Giovanni were incredible. Wifi was very weak but available. Keep in mind it’s an ecolodge surrounded by insects and animals, spiders can turn up anywhere, and humidity is part of life on isla violin. Electricity is off from 9pm to 4am.

The boat arrival was amazing, and Giovanni’s sharp eyes meant he spotted every creature we might want to photograph along the mangroves. The plain forest huts had tasteful, fully equipped interiors, just what you need in the jungle. Forest creatures will wake you up in the morning and remind you where you are. The family looked after us without being intrusive. Elisabeth helped in English with whatever came up. The cook, always looking sharp in his big white hat, made delicious meals, sometimes with a carrot carved like a lobster on the plate. After sunset, the cook would take off his hat and show guests the wildlife at night. There’s lots more to do: take a cajak through the mangroves on your own, join an exciting night expedition with Giovanni, or follow marked trails to a lonely beach for a swim. Who gets a long sandy beach, palm trees, and fantastic waves without other tourists’ towels or their sunshades in the way? It was wonderful! We came to Costa Rica looking for authentic accommodation with a family feel, and Isla violin Eco Lodge was just right. We were there in July. Peter and Jule from Germany