Tenorio Volcano National Park - Rio Celeste, Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica
Vulcan
Tenorino NP
is
today on our plan: only 10 Min drive from here – it is perfect. I
can’t even remember on how many tropical rainforest we saw: one
thing is for sure – each forest is overgrown in greens – trees,
plants growing on them or climbing up... everywhere you see plants –
it is a jungle.
Why is the colour sky-blue?
- the colour is formed by 2 not coloured rivers: Rio Buenovista and Quebrada Aria (or the Sour Creek)
- the pH change (acidity) in the mixing point = Tenidero, increases the particle size of a mineral in the Rio Buenovista
- El Tenidor means the mixer
- the mineral: aluminosilicates (made of aluminiun, silicon and oxygen) increases it's size from 184 nanometers to 570 nm: some of it goes to the bottom and you can see the white sediment - but the majority stays in the river
- the minerals scatter sunlight: it causes that only the bluish tone of the white light are dispersed: that means the Rio Celeste is an optical phenomenon called Mia scattering (which is by the way named after the German physician George Mia who developed the Mia solution)
Rio
Celeste Waterfall: this is one of the reasons we came here – we
read about the blue color: to appreciate it you have to go down 300
steps on nicely made walkways and you have to see it to believe it:
it is a white waterfall going into a bright blue coloured pond. It is
unbelievable...
the
Mirador: continuing on we came to the view point where we could
see the volcan Tenorino in the clouds... but it was still an amazing
view. From there it goes more steps down to the
the
blue Lagoon – Lagoon Azur: a pond in that bright blue color
– it is so beautiful and so unique
the
bubbles: continuing on we came to a little bridge and saw the
bubbles coming out (we wondered if the water is cold or hot... )
the
Hanging bridges for 1 person only: they are super cute – the
first one went over a river – the 2nd one went over the
bright blue Rio Celeste – I think when we will later look at the
pictures it will look like we painted the colors.
El
Tenidor - where the river meet: this is where to clear water
rivers meet and where they meet the acidity brings out the aluminium
and silicon and you see a white band – more of those Aluminum
particles go down the river – they make it that the water reflects
the light differently like in a rainbow. So the bright blue color is
an optical illusion of the water.... where unique.
And
then we go all up and down again: I guess we deserve a cold drink and
a break (So Paul decided we will not walk another 3 hours on the
finca today – guess there is still a tomorrow). So we relax on our
porch for a little bit before we start
Good bye blue water
when leaving we crossed over the Rio Celeste and came by a bridge:
that is where the locals swim for free in the blue water – it only
should have been a tiny bit warmer that we are excited to go into the
blue waters....
2025-05-23