Our last few days on mainland Costa Rica are spend at Manuel Antonio National Park. A couple of comments from Arlet suggested this would be much more touristy than Corcovada, and she didn’t seem too excited. When we arrived however, despite the usual clutter of wee souvenier tat shops and touristy restaurants, we were pleasantly surprised by our hotel.
We were located right next to the entrance to the national park, in a hotel that not only had a nice big clean room, but had both air conditioning AND hot running water. Also, the hotel had a pool, so after the 4 hour drive, we checked in, dropped our laundry at a local laundrette and went for a refreshing swim.
We ate dinner at a local restuarant down near the sandy beach. Akin to many destinations, the restaurants come with their own irritating doormen who aggressively demand that you come into their establishment. We pointedly went to the one without this Siren call.
The next morning, I went for a run along the lovely beach, where I spotted a recently laid nest of turtle eggs. We then met the group to explore the national park. With cleared trails and signage, this was more established for tourists and after a couple of hours of guided spotting of White-faced capuchins, Sloths, Jesus Lizards and Howler Monkeys (which you hear long before you see them), we were left alone to wander around. We took a hike up to a lookout point, then down to a couple of wee beaches, where we took a dip in the ocean.
That evening, we caught a local bus to a restaurant overlooking the bay and drank cocktails watching the sun set.
The next day, Shona and I sign up for a kayaking tour around mangrove forests. We’re collected by one of the tour guides, who proceeds to pick up an American group of 4 adults and 3 toddler-aged children. 30 minutes later, and Shona and I are literally rocking in the back of the minibus, with our fingers stuffed in our ears as three children compete for ‘who can scream the loudest’. Really good game, the prize for which should be three slaps.
We’re taken out into the mangrove forest by the son of the guide, from their little house by the river. He tells us how the mangroves have recovered having been destroyed through factory pollution in the past. This is a common refrain across Costa Rica – a country that has recognised the value of its natural resources and is actively protecting them. He shows us the different types of mangrove, and spots various bird species and iguanas as we pick our way along the river. After returning, we share a lunch with the family before heading back to the hotel for a swift turnaround check out for the long drive back to San Jose.
En route, we stop by a bridge over a wide river. We wander back over the bridge on foot, and beneath us lie a large number of crocodiles, basking in the sunshine. The river used to be a favourite swimming spot, with people jumping from the bridge into the water. Not so much now.
Our last night on land, we check into the Park Inn Hotel in San Jose, pick up some supplies at local shops, before meeting our group for dinner. We Uber between hotels/restaurants – it’s cheap and the easiest way to get around town – even with the log jammed traffic. After dinner, and saying our goodbyes, we return to our hotel before the next leg of our trip.
Travels with Sklaroffs 