Manuel Antonio National Park
We woke up today in the sheltered waters off Manuel Antonio National Park, after a short sailing overnight from the Osa Peninsula. The lush tropical forest of Manuel Antonio heralded a day full of exciting encounters with the local wildlife, which lived up to our expectations.
Groups divided into several different walks; some preferring a bit of morning exercise, going up the forested promontory of Cathedral point, while others opted for a leisurely stroll along the park’s main access road; yet others felt quite content swimming off the gorgeous white-sand beach that fringes the park.
In any event, we all got great looks of the different characters that inhabit this tiny national park. The mammals definitely stole the show, starting with the myriad three-toed sloths that at one point seemed to be hanging from every available branch over the road. The white-faced capuchins displayed the acrobatic abilities as they foraged along the path oblivious to our presence. There were howler monkeys, white-nosed coatis, as well as some reptilian representatives such as the black spiny iguanas that lazily sat on the beach logs.
Early in the afternoon we pulled anchor and headed out to sea for our last marine exploration of the voyage around an underwater mount that often yields good sightings of the undersea wildlife. There were mobula rays jumping excitedly several feet above the surface, as well as green sea turtles.
Later in the evening, our vessel headed back to shore and docked at the port of Herradura, where the Captain’s farewell cocktail and dinner marked the end of an exciting week exploring the wonders of Panama and Costa Rica aboard the Sea Voyager.
We woke up today in the sheltered waters off Manuel Antonio National Park, after a short sailing overnight from the Osa Peninsula. The lush tropical forest of Manuel Antonio heralded a day full of exciting encounters with the local wildlife, which lived up to our expectations.
Groups divided into several different walks; some preferring a bit of morning exercise, going up the forested promontory of Cathedral point, while others opted for a leisurely stroll along the park’s main access road; yet others felt quite content swimming off the gorgeous white-sand beach that fringes the park.
In any event, we all got great looks of the different characters that inhabit this tiny national park. The mammals definitely stole the show, starting with the myriad three-toed sloths that at one point seemed to be hanging from every available branch over the road. The white-faced capuchins displayed the acrobatic abilities as they foraged along the path oblivious to our presence. There were howler monkeys, white-nosed coatis, as well as some reptilian representatives such as the black spiny iguanas that lazily sat on the beach logs.
Early in the afternoon we pulled anchor and headed out to sea for our last marine exploration of the voyage around an underwater mount that often yields good sightings of the undersea wildlife. There were mobula rays jumping excitedly several feet above the surface, as well as green sea turtles.
Later in the evening, our vessel headed back to shore and docked at the port of Herradura, where the Captain’s farewell cocktail and dinner marked the end of an exciting week exploring the wonders of Panama and Costa Rica aboard the Sea Voyager.
