Manuel Antonio National Park

Having arrived after dark last night, I was keen to take in the surroundings this morning. Wow they did not disappoint. Swinging in a hammock on the veranda sipping Costa Rican coffee, listening to the birds (bright-rumpled attilas and piratical flycatchers - thank you Merlin Bird Sound ID app!) and admiring the colourful pairs of blue/red Macaws swooping overhead and bright green Paraqueets was just fabulous. I reflected how fortunate we’ve been to take such an incredible trip, and that there are still places like Costa Rica that are both safe to visit and that prioritise housing and protecting wildlife.

We all had lots of fun playing with two very good dogs on the veranda, before getting ready and heading out to possibly the coolest restaurant/bar in Costa Rica - El Avion. Not only was the food delicious and views over the valley to the sea amazing, but the place was steeped in scandalous US history (see photo).

We then headed down to Manuel Antonio National Park. We’d read ahead and managed to avoided the parking touts flagging us down on the approaching roads, and parked as advised just outside the welcome centre with a lanyard-wearing official for just $10.

We opted to take a self-guided walk, around the smallest and perhaps most densely tourist-populated park. We saw a
sloth on entry, admittedly difficult to see without a super-duper telescope, as was the Paraqueet chick. It was easier to see the Iguana posing by the path, and we had a walk with a particularly rowdy pack of capuchin monkeys… the absent minded tourists who did not leave them be and walk on by as advised, getting bitten and scratched. It’s easy to forget you’re actually in their habitat, and the animals need to be admired from a distance and respected.

We did the “Punta Cathedral” walk, allong the whale tail-shaped land (I was ever so pleased as this is pictured on the front of my lonely planet guide and is iconic of Costa Rica). It was incredibly humid, but we were rewarded with amazing views across the bright blue Pacific, and a pair of beautiful large iguanas at one of the beaches. We returned to the mainland and enjoyed a cooling but tepid dip among the gentle waves in the bluest, warmest water I have ever seen/felt.

We then retired to shower, rest and enjoy the sunset (and local horses) from our veranda, before heading down into Quepos for a lovely meal at El Gran - stuffed pepper for Dom and Rach and a yummy veg teriyaki for me… allong with a few beers. All the heat, fun and early wake ups called for a relaxing evening…Read more