During the early hours of the morning Coral Princess entered the Golfo De Nicoya and after a short northward passage the pilot will board approximately 2 miles south east of the port of Puntarenas before making our final approach to the long pier. We will be docked here from 7am to 6.30pm then departing 7pm.

The smell of smoke woke us in the early hours plus putting our clocks back another hour has thrown the body clock out a bit. Can see the pilot tug boat and through the haze, humidity or smoke one can see the outline of the mountains in the distance and the shoreline. Reminds us of Dominica with the black beach sand and murky green calm sea.

Puntarenas was once the most prominent Pacific port in Costa Rica, but now shares the coffee exportation trade with Puerto Caldera. Discovered by Columbus in 1502 and named “Rich Coast” on his 4^th and final voyage to the New World, Costa Rica never lived up to the promise of gold or other riches like its neighbouring Spanish colonies.

All of the tours are two to three hours away and very expensive from the cruise ship, so we like many others decide to stay in port and explore Puntarenas. It would have been great to tour the capitol San Jose but it is 70 miles away with a total of four hours driving. Most of the sights we have seen touring other countries. Coffee Plantations, the Poás Volcano sits at 8,880 feet above sea level and is one of the few active craters in the Americas famed for its geyser-like eruptions of gas and ash (like Hawaii). The Thermal Springs set near a hidden canyon where a thermos-mineral river flows, the springs are also famous for their natural mineral hot pools and exuberant vegetation (like Dominica). Costa Rica Rainforest misty treetops of the Monteverde Cloud Forest to the brilliantly coloured scarlet macaws, numerous waterfalls, river cruises through the tropical mangroves where crocodiles, lizards and waterfowl roam.

Seen this before and it wasn’t very enjoyable walking along the shoreline past the little market stalls. The tour hawkers were a pain, it was very hot and humid (in the high 30⁰C) the long beach front was crowded with locals plus there was litter everywhere. A very dirty and dusty town, bumped into Tony and Deidre on the way back to the ship.

Being hot and sweaty, passed through Pier Security, long walk along the pier before our security at the Gangway and back to our cool Balcony Suite. The crew’s emergency drills have finished so we are now back to the normal peace and quiet.

Time to relax by the Lido Pool and have lunch at the pool Grill Bar nice grilled chicken and salad for me and hamburger for Richard. Our time in the hot tub/spa and swimming in the pool was interrupted by water golf chipping challenge plus the sun was getting quite warm and the shade was disappearing where we were laying on the sun loungers.

Early dinner tonight the Bordeaux Dining Room wasn’t busy at 6.30pm, Constantine our Head Waiter who takes my dinner order every night made sure our courses were not delayed and we didn’t miss David Klinkenberg the brilliant violinist performing with the Coral Princess Orchestra in the Princess Theatre at 7.45pm. It is his last night on board and we didn’t want to miss him, packed theatre and thoroughly enjoyed his final performance.

Listened to AJ Clarke playing the piano in the Crooners Lounge before a fruit snack at the Horizon Court before retiring for the night. Early start tomorrow anchoring a mile off shore from San Juan Del Sur with Tenders going ashore from 7am.