Manuel Antonio National Park
In tropical areas of the world, the number of hours and minutes of sunlight throughout the year is the same as in non-tropical regions (about 4,380). The difference is the way this light is received throughout the various zones. While in temperate countries winter days are short and summer days become longer, in the tropics, all year round the sun rises around 6:00 A.M. and sets at 6:00 P.M. Furthermore, there are no seasons as we know them nor great temperature variations. As a tropical country, Costa Rica has only two seasons: a wet and a dry. Temperature changes are not that dramatic and this explains in part why everything in the forest is in a constant state of growth and change. Thus, when traveling through the tropics one must get used to the fact that days here start early and end early as well. As soon as we arrived on the ship yesterday afternoon we were given instructions to set our watches an hour ahead. This would make it easier for everyone to be able to wake up at 5:00 A.M. without being traumatized and avoid having to change our watches in the middle of the journey as we enter a different time zone in Panama. Thus, this morning, by 5:30 A.M. (Costa Rica time) we were all having breakfast and preparing for our first expedition on land. At 6:30 A.M. we started disembarking on Manuel Antonio National Park.
Costa Rica is a small country about the size of West Virginia or Holland and since the 1970’s Costa Ricans have become increasingly committed to protecting their natural patrimony. That is the reason for which 25% of the national territory is made up of natural reserves, wild life sanctuaries and national parks. Manuel Antonio is the smallest national park in the country. Located in a small peninsula it has become a major tourist attraction to the point that the National Park Service has decided not to allow more than 800 visitors at a time. Due to its commitment to environmental causes, Lindblad Expeditions obtained a special permit by which we were allowed to visit the park before its opening time and what a privilege it was to be able to hike through the well kept trails without any crowds around. We saw white face monkeys, howler monkeys, greater bulldog fishing bats, Central American agoutis and best of all: two types of sloths on a single tree!
After lunch we sailed to the Osa Peninsula in the southern part of the country where we enjoyed kayaking, snorkeling and short hikes in the rain forest where some of us saw scarlet macaws, toucans and king vultures. As pleasant as tropical heat can be, animals are smart enough to keep out of it during most of the day. We have learned by experience that mornings and late afternoons are the best times to observe wild life. So this is the beginning of the toughest vacations we’ll ever love.
In tropical areas of the world, the number of hours and minutes of sunlight throughout the year is the same as in non-tropical regions (about 4,380). The difference is the way this light is received throughout the various zones. While in temperate countries winter days are short and summer days become longer, in the tropics, all year round the sun rises around 6:00 A.M. and sets at 6:00 P.M. Furthermore, there are no seasons as we know them nor great temperature variations. As a tropical country, Costa Rica has only two seasons: a wet and a dry. Temperature changes are not that dramatic and this explains in part why everything in the forest is in a constant state of growth and change. Thus, when traveling through the tropics one must get used to the fact that days here start early and end early as well. As soon as we arrived on the ship yesterday afternoon we were given instructions to set our watches an hour ahead. This would make it easier for everyone to be able to wake up at 5:00 A.M. without being traumatized and avoid having to change our watches in the middle of the journey as we enter a different time zone in Panama. Thus, this morning, by 5:30 A.M. (Costa Rica time) we were all having breakfast and preparing for our first expedition on land. At 6:30 A.M. we started disembarking on Manuel Antonio National Park.
Costa Rica is a small country about the size of West Virginia or Holland and since the 1970’s Costa Ricans have become increasingly committed to protecting their natural patrimony. That is the reason for which 25% of the national territory is made up of natural reserves, wild life sanctuaries and national parks. Manuel Antonio is the smallest national park in the country. Located in a small peninsula it has become a major tourist attraction to the point that the National Park Service has decided not to allow more than 800 visitors at a time. Due to its commitment to environmental causes, Lindblad Expeditions obtained a special permit by which we were allowed to visit the park before its opening time and what a privilege it was to be able to hike through the well kept trails without any crowds around. We saw white face monkeys, howler monkeys, greater bulldog fishing bats, Central American agoutis and best of all: two types of sloths on a single tree!
After lunch we sailed to the Osa Peninsula in the southern part of the country where we enjoyed kayaking, snorkeling and short hikes in the rain forest where some of us saw scarlet macaws, toucans and king vultures. As pleasant as tropical heat can be, animals are smart enough to keep out of it during most of the day. We have learned by experience that mornings and late afternoons are the best times to observe wild life. So this is the beginning of the toughest vacations we’ll ever love.
