Today on our first day in Costa Rica, we visited the remote area of Drake Bay. Named after the famous (or infamous) Sir Francis Drake, it is said that he once anchored in the calm waters of this little bay. Here we explored the beautiful and pristine Agujitas River with our trusty Zodiacs. It was a very relaxing ride. We easily maneuvered around big boulders while enjoying the wildlife that lives in the dense forest adjacent to the water. Our observations included brown basilisks, great tinamous, bare-throated tiger herons, boat-billed herons, and yellow-crowned night herons.

For the afternoon, we visited the nearby forest of Caletas, in the buffer zone of Corcovado National Park. Here we walked along the trails and had great views of big yellow-throated toucans (the biggest toucan here) and white-faced capuchin monkeys, both enjoying a meal of colorful fruits of the tropical rainforest.

A great first day in beautiful Costa Rica.