Manuel Antonio National Park & Curu Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica
The last day of our trip could not have been any better. Early this morning our staff waited for us on one of Costa Rica’s most popular beaches in Manuel Antonio National Park. We were ashore way before anyone else planning to visit the park was even thinking about getting up. With the park to ourselves and with a lot of time on our hands, we took the “Sloth Valley” trail hoping to spot something. After six days on the trip, our search image was at its best. Off we went to practice our spotting skills, every group with many pairs of eyes. As the morning progressed, the spotting went “in crescendo”! First the bird calls, then the movement on the tree tops, then the termite nests, and the non-termite nests which proved to be two-toed and three-toed sloths, then howler monkeys, white-throated monkeys, and to make it almost surreal: a group of squirrel monkeys jumping, eating, interacting and staring at us. These monkeys are only found in this park and the area surrounding it and in the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica and no other place in the world!
The rest of the day followed suit! As we moved towards our afternoon destination, three times we saw humpback whale females with calves and Pantropical spotted dolphins bow riding and jumping out of the water! Once we got to Curu, the only piece of tropical dry forest that we visit on this trip, the day only got better. The long trail, the flat trail and even the stationary-walk were all rewarded with sightings of yet more monkeys, even a friendly spider monkey greeted and waved us goodbye. As for birds, the scarlet macaws were just the perfect ending to a perfect week.
The last day of our trip could not have been any better. Early this morning our staff waited for us on one of Costa Rica’s most popular beaches in Manuel Antonio National Park. We were ashore way before anyone else planning to visit the park was even thinking about getting up. With the park to ourselves and with a lot of time on our hands, we took the “Sloth Valley” trail hoping to spot something. After six days on the trip, our search image was at its best. Off we went to practice our spotting skills, every group with many pairs of eyes. As the morning progressed, the spotting went “in crescendo”! First the bird calls, then the movement on the tree tops, then the termite nests, and the non-termite nests which proved to be two-toed and three-toed sloths, then howler monkeys, white-throated monkeys, and to make it almost surreal: a group of squirrel monkeys jumping, eating, interacting and staring at us. These monkeys are only found in this park and the area surrounding it and in the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica and no other place in the world!
The rest of the day followed suit! As we moved towards our afternoon destination, three times we saw humpback whale females with calves and Pantropical spotted dolphins bow riding and jumping out of the water! Once we got to Curu, the only piece of tropical dry forest that we visit on this trip, the day only got better. The long trail, the flat trail and even the stationary-walk were all rewarded with sightings of yet more monkeys, even a friendly spider monkey greeted and waved us goodbye. As for birds, the scarlet macaws were just the perfect ending to a perfect week.
