Manuel Antonio National Park, and San Josecito, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
Today we tried to beat the heat of the day by doing what birds do, get up early and get our activities done before breakfast. We were up-and-about even before daybreak, waiting for our shuttle to Manuel Antonio. This 687-hectare jewel is one of the smallest and most popular national parks in the country, not only for its rich flora and fauna, but because of its beautiful white beaches. Established in 1979, it is situated in a Humid Tropical Forest life zone and protects primary and secondary forests, mangroves, beach vegetation, and marine resources. Our walks took us to the home of white-throated capuchin monkeys, Central American agoutis, long-nosed bats, two-toed and three-toed sloths, and, of course our favorite, howler monkeys (picture above).
We came back onboard and had a more than deserved breakfast, a lecture on Costa Rica by one of our Naturalists and lunch. Yes! More food!
We cruised for several hours and reached San Josecito, a small privately owned Ecotourism Center on the Southernmost Peninsula of Costa Rica. This area has the last of the Tropical Humid Forest of the Mesoamerican Pacific, and due to its geographical location, climate, soil conditions and topography, it is home to an amazing diversity of biological species. Most of us tested our birding, snorkeling and kayaking abilities, while others decided to walk some more along a path between the beach and the forest. After a wonderful afternoon on land, we came back on the ship for our evening recap and a good night’s share of fauna attracted by the lights of the ship: bulldog fishing bats, dolphins, a turtle and yellow-bellied sea snakes.
Today we tried to beat the heat of the day by doing what birds do, get up early and get our activities done before breakfast. We were up-and-about even before daybreak, waiting for our shuttle to Manuel Antonio. This 687-hectare jewel is one of the smallest and most popular national parks in the country, not only for its rich flora and fauna, but because of its beautiful white beaches. Established in 1979, it is situated in a Humid Tropical Forest life zone and protects primary and secondary forests, mangroves, beach vegetation, and marine resources. Our walks took us to the home of white-throated capuchin monkeys, Central American agoutis, long-nosed bats, two-toed and three-toed sloths, and, of course our favorite, howler monkeys (picture above).
We came back onboard and had a more than deserved breakfast, a lecture on Costa Rica by one of our Naturalists and lunch. Yes! More food!
We cruised for several hours and reached San Josecito, a small privately owned Ecotourism Center on the Southernmost Peninsula of Costa Rica. This area has the last of the Tropical Humid Forest of the Mesoamerican Pacific, and due to its geographical location, climate, soil conditions and topography, it is home to an amazing diversity of biological species. Most of us tested our birding, snorkeling and kayaking abilities, while others decided to walk some more along a path between the beach and the forest. After a wonderful afternoon on land, we came back on the ship for our evening recap and a good night’s share of fauna attracted by the lights of the ship: bulldog fishing bats, dolphins, a turtle and yellow-bellied sea snakes.
