Sabalo Lodge

09/08/2026

🌿 WEEKLY REPORT — SABALO LODGE

It was one of those weeks when Sabalo seemed to be changing every single day.

We continued preparing the lodge for the upcoming season and for our new guests. The new bridge towards the jungle tents is almost finished, replacing the old wooden bridge that had become too unstable. More electrical cables were installed, another camera was connected, and after more than a kilometre of cables buried around the lodge, our internet and security network is finally taking shape.

We also worked on the water system. After the old tank started leaking, we managed to move it out and install a new one. It was a serious team effort — and when the water finally started flowing into the new tank, it felt like a real victory.

The lodge is slowly getting a new look too. Floors and stairs were cleaned, sanded and repainted, new curtains are being prepared, and we are getting the tents ready for professional photography. Not everything goes according to plan — some plywood pieces were destroyed by humidity, some colours turned out very differently than expected, and apparently even a new bridge needs to be built around a tree rather than cutting it down. But that is Sabalo.

We also had our first private river tours with guests. The mangrove channels were full of birds, monkeys and crocodiles, and our guests even enjoyed lunch at Sabalo before continuing to the beach. It was a great confirmation that these private tours can become an important part of what we offer.

And then there was wildlife… We discovered that our plastic snakes are apparently no match for the frogs at the pool. A real snake was also spotted nearby — a terciopelo — reminding us that living in the rainforest means respecting nature every single day.

We explored new activities too: a nearby waterfall, night shrimp hunting in the river, and even a possible early-morning farm experience.

And finally, we celebrated Angelica’s 50th birthday — supposedly a “small family celebration” that turned into a gathering of around 70–100 people. 😄

Another busy week in the rainforest. Another few steps forward.

07/08/2026

05/08/2026

🇬🇧 English
The pool wasn’t built for frogs… but nobody told them. 🐸💚
Every evening, the rainforest comes alive, and sometimes our smallest guests claim the best seats.
Have you ever shared a pool with frogs?

🇨🇿 Česky
Bazén jsme stavěli pro hosty… ale žáby si myslí něco jiného. 🐸💚
Každý večer ožívá deštný prales a naši nejmenší návštěvníci si vždycky najdou to nejlepší místo.
Už jste někdy sdíleli bazén se žábami?

03/08/2026

🇬🇧 English
Some places are impossible to reach by road.
After a short boat ride through the mangroves, the rainforest opens up to a wild Pacific beach where there are no crowds, no buildings—just waves, driftwood and endless nature.
It’s one of our favorite stops, and every visit feels a little different.

🇨🇿 Česky
Na některá místa se autem jednoduše nedostanete.
Po krátké plavbě mangrovy se před vámi otevře divoká tichomořská pláž bez davů lidí a bez budov. Jen oceán, naplavené dřevo a nekonečná příroda.
Je to jedna z našich nejoblíbenějších zastávek a každá návštěva je trochu jiná.

03/08/2026

🌿 Weekly Update from Sabalo Lodge

Another unforgettable week in the Costa Rican rainforest.

One of our biggest milestones was replacing the lodge’s main water tank. After years of service, leaks had become impossible to ignore, so the old tank came down and a new one was hauled into place entirely by hand. Hours of lifting, pulling and problem-solving later, clean running water was finally flowing again.

Around the lodge, improvements continued everywhere. Casa Morpho and Tienda Amapola moved another step closer to being ready, fresh paint went onto the stairs at Casa Aracari, electrical work progressed, and new signs and details were prepared before the next guests arrive.

We also welcomed the first guests on our private Mangrove Tour. Spending the day exploring quiet waterways filled with scarlet macaws, squirrel monkeys and crocodiles confirmed exactly why we wanted to create this experience. The flexibility of having a private boat allowed us to slow down, stop whenever wildlife appeared, and enjoy the rainforest at its own pace.

The rainforest reminded us who’s really in charge. Tropical storms transformed peaceful streams into rushing rivers within minutes, while sunny moments brought spectacular wildlife back into view. Hundreds of macaws crossed the sky, monkeys appeared along the riverbanks, and our ever-present frogs once again proved impossible to outsmart, even after testing our colorful 3D-printed snakes.

Behind the scenes, we continued expanding our wildlife monitoring system with new cameras, better networking and improvements to our Animal Shots project, helping us document more of the incredible biodiversity surrounding Sabalo Lodge.

The week also included meetings with local hotels and tour operators, building new partnerships and preparing experiences that will allow more travelers to discover this hidden corner of the Osa Peninsula.

Life here is never about standing still. Every improvement, every repaired cabin, every new trail, every wildlife encounter and every challenge brings Sabalo Lodge one step closer to the place we imagine it becoming.

01/08/2026

🇬🇧 English

Scarlet Macaws are impossible to miss with their brilliant colors and unmistakable calls. Seeing them high in the rainforest canopy is one of the most unforgettable wildlife experiences on Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. 🦜🌿

🇨🇿 Česky

Ary arakangy jsou díky svým zářivým barvám a hlasitým hlasům nepřehlédnutelnými obyvateli kostarického pralesa. Pozorovat je vysoko v korunách stromů patří k nejkrásnějším zážitkům na poloostrově Osa. 🦜🌿

31/07/2026

🇬🇧 English
Mornings in the village of Sabalo begin long before the day gets busy. While the calf enjoys its breakfast, fresh milk is carefully collected by hand—a tradition that has been part of rural life in Costa Rica for generations. Moments like these remind us that the rainforest is only one part of the story. The people and their everyday traditions make this place just as special.

🇨🇿 Česky
Rána ve vesnici Sabalo začínají dávno před tím, než se den naplno rozběhne. Zatímco tele snídá, čerstvé mléko se stále dojí ručně – tradice, která je součástí života na kostarickém venkově už po generace. Právě takové okamžiky připomínají, že deštný prales je jen částí příběhu. Stejně výjimeční jsou i lidé a jejich každodenní život.

27/07/2026

🇬🇧 English
Nature is patient. When people leave, the rainforest slowly reclaims what was once ours. Vines climb, trees take root, and even heavy machinery eventually becomes part of the forest again. Here on the Osa Peninsula, it’s a powerful reminder that nature always finds a way back.

🇨🇿 Česky
Příroda je trpělivá. Když lidé odejdou, deštný prales si pomalu bere zpět to, co mu kdysi patřilo. Liány zarůstají kov, stromy zakořeňují tam, kde dříve pracovala technika, a i těžké stroje se časem stanou součástí lesa. Na poloostrově Osa je to krásná připomínka toho, že příroda si vždy najde cestu zpět.

26/07/2026

🌿 Weekly Update from Sabalo Lodge

Another week has passed in the Costa Rican rainforest, bringing new experiences, exciting ideas, and plenty of work behind the scenes.

One of this week’s highlights was visiting our neighbor Isaac, who owned the land before Sabalo Lodge was established by its previous owners over 25 years ago. He welcomed us to his cacao farm, where we learned about traditional chocolate making, tasted tropical fruits, and experienced local life. We hope to offer this authentic experience to our guests in the future.

We also welcomed our first guests after several quiet months. Together we explored the mangroves, shared lunch at the lodge, and visited the beach. Seeing them return with smiles after a full day in nature reminded us why we love what we do.

Behind the scenes, we continued renovating Amapola, improving the trails, preparing our new geocaching adventure, and getting ready to replace our aging water tank. We also expanded our wildlife monitoring project with new 4K cameras, capturing amazing encounters—including a curious monkey inspecting one of our cameras up close.

Life in the rainforest is never predictable. Every day brings new challenges, unforgettable wildlife encounters, and another opportunity to make Sabalo Lodge a little better.

Thank you for following our journey. We can’t wait to share what next week brings. 🌿