Manuel Antonio National Park & Isla del Caño National Park
Our week started with a wonderful day. Two different trails gave us the opportunity to experience the best known National Park of Costa Rica. A very special rainforest shades the waves at high tide. The lush vegetation takes second place to the great chances of seeing and photographing wildlife. This forest is a small protected area that holds dense populations of mantled howler monkeys, white throated capuchins, Central American squirrel monkeys, variegated three toed and Hoffman’s two toed sloths, Central American agoutis, white nosed coatis and northern raccoons.
We walked accompanied by the beautiful calls of the riverside wrens, black hooded antshrikes and chestnut backed antbirds. Nocturnal birds at their roosting perches were seen, too: Ferruginous pigmy owl and the great potoo.
When we thought that the day could not get any better, we witnessed two very unique events among three toed sloths: a loud fight among males over territory or mating rights while another tree held a copulating couple. It’s that time of year!
We cruised over lunch to Isla del Caño National Park, and we enjoyed the company of the pan tropical spotted dolphins. We spent an afternoon of snorkeling and relaxing at a deserted beach. At the garden (as the coral reef is known locally) we saw a wide variety of surgeon fish, puffers, morays, parrotfish, Moorish idols, white tipped reef sharks, barber and butterfly fish among many others.
Watching the sunset over a clear horizon enabled us to see the green flash and the clear sky allowed us to finish a great day with Orion, Cassiopeia, Leo and the expectation of seeing the Southern Cross rise from the horizon.
Our week started with a wonderful day. Two different trails gave us the opportunity to experience the best known National Park of Costa Rica. A very special rainforest shades the waves at high tide. The lush vegetation takes second place to the great chances of seeing and photographing wildlife. This forest is a small protected area that holds dense populations of mantled howler monkeys, white throated capuchins, Central American squirrel monkeys, variegated three toed and Hoffman’s two toed sloths, Central American agoutis, white nosed coatis and northern raccoons.
We walked accompanied by the beautiful calls of the riverside wrens, black hooded antshrikes and chestnut backed antbirds. Nocturnal birds at their roosting perches were seen, too: Ferruginous pigmy owl and the great potoo.
When we thought that the day could not get any better, we witnessed two very unique events among three toed sloths: a loud fight among males over territory or mating rights while another tree held a copulating couple. It’s that time of year!
We cruised over lunch to Isla del Caño National Park, and we enjoyed the company of the pan tropical spotted dolphins. We spent an afternoon of snorkeling and relaxing at a deserted beach. At the garden (as the coral reef is known locally) we saw a wide variety of surgeon fish, puffers, morays, parrotfish, Moorish idols, white tipped reef sharks, barber and butterfly fish among many others.
Watching the sunset over a clear horizon enabled us to see the green flash and the clear sky allowed us to finish a great day with Orion, Cassiopeia, Leo and the expectation of seeing the Southern Cross rise from the horizon.
