Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica
Blessedly saved from development with its boundaries, Manuel Antonio National Park, one of the smallest in Costa Rica, is the area’s crowning glory. The National Park was created in 1972, at a time when the area was poised for massive tourist development. Today the park protects a small but beautiful remnant of the tropical forest that once covered the region, as well some sandy beaches and rocky headlands supporting a wide variety of marine life.
Our expectations were very high by the time we got here. We were not disappointed because on our nature walks we started to see why this protected area from Costa Rica is a paradise for nature lovers. The wildlife found here was quite impressive: we spotted two different species of sloth almost in the same tree, the endemic fiery-billed aracari toucan and the common potoo. All of these incredible creatures were found on the same walk. These last two birds are among the highlights of birding in Costa Rica, and we just saw them on a 2-hour nature walk!
Iguanas, white-faced monkeys, howler monkeys, basilisk lizards, and many more animals that have made this national park famous were also spotted by all of us.
Being very pleased from our visit to this national park, we came back to the National Geographic Sea Lion for lunch. Then we spent the rest of the afternoon cruising on the turquoise waters of the Pacific Ocean having some time for leisure and searching for marine life. After a lecture was given aboard the ship about Costa Rica and its history, we ended the trip enjoying the sunset from the ship.
We all agree that this day couldn’t have been better to end a great trip, started in beautiful Panama and ended in Costa Rica.
