The pristine waters of a waterfall in the Santa Juana Reserve (left) and Golfo Dulce (right) are too difficult for visitors and locals alike to resist.
During my Fine Art of Travel Photography workshops, participants often ask, “What do you like to do on your vacations?” My stock answer is no matter where I go it’s a busman’s holiday. I can’t imagine boarding a flight at LAX without my camera equipment. It would be like leaving part of me behind.
But there are times when the pressures of deadlines and projects with back-to-back-to-back international long haul flights necessitates some R&R.
I came across a not-too-distant relative in Corcovado National Park.
After an assignment documenting the earthquake recovery efforts in Nepal I did my great escape down to Costa Rica and left all the logistics to Costa Rican Vacations – www.vacationscostarica.com I just wanted to show up decked out in North Face hiking gear for some jungle exploration, a bathing suit for some siesta time on the beach, and a camera.
Stepping on terra firma in my 91st country, I was whisked through customs by a Costa Rican Vacations representative and was in my first hotel – the Finca Rosa Blanca, a magnificent ecologe in the hills above the country’s capital of San Jose – within 45 minutes of touching down on the tarmac.
A toucan enjoys his lunch in the jungle canopy above the Casa Orquideas Botanical Garden off the coast of Golfo Dulce.
For the next week I explored the jungles of Corcovado National Park, with guide extraordinaire Rudy Zamora, retiring each night at the Lapa Rios, another world-class ecolodge, as well as some beach time at the luxurious Arenas del Mar in Manuel Antonio. From Arenas I ventured out on a day trip to the Santa Juana Reserve for horseback riding and a hike through the rainforest that concluded with a swim in pristine waters below a cascading waterfall.
Whether I’m on an assignment that takes me to the remotest regions of North Korea in winter, the hottest parts of the Middle East in summer, or the jungles and beaches of Costa Rica, I never forget the gift of being able to explore the world camera-in-hand.
Photo Credits
All Photographs Are © Mark Edward Harris
Photo @ Mohan Duwal
Mark Edward Harris Photographer Bio
Mark Edward Harris’ editorial work has appeared in publications such as Vanity Fair, Life, GEO, Conde Nast Traveler, GQ Thailand, Tatler Russia, The Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine, and The London Sunday Times Travel Magazine as well as all the major photography and in-flight magazines. His commercial clients range from The Gap to Coca-Cola to Mexicana Airlines. He is the recipient of numerous awards including a CLIO, ACE, Aurora Gold, and Photographer of the Year at the Black & White Spider Awards. His books include Faces of the Twentieth Century: Master Photographers and Their Work, The Way of the Japanese Bath, Wanderlust, North Korea, South Korea, and Inside Iran. North Korea was named Photography Book of the Year at the 2013 International Photography Awards.
Website: MarkEdwardHarris.com
Follow Mark Edward Harris on Instagram: @MarkEdwardHarrisPhoto
Visit Costa Rican Vacations: www.vacationscostarica.com
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