Cultural day is one of my favorite things to do in the whole itinerary. All guests had several options during the day. There was gold mining, a rainforest walk, and tours of sugar cane, heart of palm, and cocoa farms. All these activities hugely benefit the local community. By having families with small operations welcoming us and showing us their efforts, we engage in sustainable tourism.

My group of guests in the morning went to the heart of palm tour. The owners of the family project, “Dona Eida” and Yorleny, showed us how hard it is to grow the heart of palm products. They also showered us with hospitality and many things to eat.

For the afternoon, we took the chocolate tour on a property that also grew many medicinal plants. Here, we learned about traditional methods of making chocolate. Other guests explored the rainforest on foot and encountered sloths and other wildlife. The beautiful day ended with the cries of a scarlet macaw flying overhead.