Costa Rica Unexpected - Part 5; Manuel Antonio National Park

On the trail with our guide Ricardo, we encountered other guides with other tourists.

There was an outside guide (the U$45 per person) with four German tourists looking at a family of Capuchin Monkeys swinging from tree to tree. There were at least 9 monkeys that we can see with a few further away. While the guide with the German tourist started to take pictures. Our guide told us to walk away about 20 feet.

We were wondering why we weren't taking advantage of the monkey sightings but he said there are tons of monkeys in the park and we can take pictures later, then the famous ..'mi amigas, there is something special you should see...' and about 20 feet away, where the monkeys was getting so excited, there was a family of Toucans. Apparently, Capuchin monkeys will eat birds and other species to survive, whereas other monkeys are vegetarians.

Here's some rare toucans pictures.. don't worry, there will be some monkeys to look at later.

It took some coaxing.. eventually we got the bird to turn around..

it was keeping a weary eye on the family of monkeys..

Being a transitional forest, there were all types of mushrooms grown at the base of the trees. According to our guide, locals call them truffles, the bright red ones are not reishi - they are all poisonous for human consumption.

There were also fields of bamboo reclaiming their place in the forests, these are the type that is used for flooring and it is strong enough to pierce through a human body..

We have now comb through one of the major trails in the National Park (#11) and have hit the beaches.

Now we come to the Capuchin Monkeys.. we came across this monkey just after it stole an apple from someone's backpack and have discarded the plastic bag.

One of his younger friend is trying to steal the apple from him and they are playing keep-away..

Here's another lizard with a crown.. no idea what the name is but its suppose to be a hard get..

We are now at one of the many beaches along the Pacific Ocean in the park. Its too distracted to find any other animals other than the lunch stealing monkeys. Our guide showed us the way out and we decided to walk around the beach.

Leaving the park was another adventure all together. At the end of the trail from the beaches, the exit is block by the incoming tide. The water is chest deep and there are locals with boats that will ferry you across. We followed the locals and they just climbed on. It costs U$2 per person to ferry about 100 ft. The locals pay 100 colones = 20 cents US.

In the guidebooks, this was the old entrance to the Manual Antonio National Park; now its the exit. If you want to save the money, you could walk back the same trail and exit at the entrance.

Costa Rica Unexpected - Part 4; Quepos, Manuel Antonio National Park

After the Globe Costa Rica conference, my cousin and I went to Manuel Antonio Park for a few days. There are two ways to get to the park:- 3 + hours by car on bumpy roads with a stop at the Crocodile pits or 30 minutes by air to Quepos and 25 minutes by taxi to Manuel Antonio. We have both seen crocodiles before and we chose the easier route. We flew out on Nature Air; which uses twin engine airplanes and returned on Sensa Air; which is single engine. Both airplanes are very tight; holds about 15 people. They weigh your luggage, then they weigh you along with all your carry on to ensure that the plane can support the weight.

Right before we landed at Quepos, I thought we were going to land in a field of palm trees, as we were getting closer and closer, you cannot even see the small runway.

The airport at Quepos is very small, it is a hanger with 2 counters and a food bar in the back. The plane land, drop off their passengers and pick up new ones in 10 minutes.

After 25 minutes ride from the Quepos Airport, we arrived at our destination - Hotel San Bada. It is operated by Korean investors and San Bada means from the Mountain to the Sea. The staff was very friendly and greeted us with a nice cool Mint and Pineapple Bedidas; sounds better than Mint Pineapple shake.

We had the corner room on the third floor and our balcony looks into the jungle where the Howling Monkeys live. We can't see them but we certainly can hear them.

On the 6th floor rooftop, you can see all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

The hotel is located 20 steps from the entrance to the Manuel Antonio National Park. Since the weather looked like it was holding, we decided to go into the park and explore. It costs $10/person for entrance to the park.

Most guide books tell you to get a guide for $45/person to take you around the park. We hire the guide that is associated with the park and are naturalists and it only costs $20/person.

Originally, we bargain him down to $15/person but after the great tour we had, we paid him the full price and he was worth every penny. Otherwise, my cousin and I would just have been walking around on a nice green trail without any awareness of all the animals around us other than the obvious. Like the doe that greeted us as we stepped into the park.

We would have missed the 3 toed sloth; Hourglass Frog - the brown spots on top that looks like an hourglass; Tree Crab; and the monkey that air his privates the same reason a dog pants. (Sorry, there are 4 species of monkeys, the Elusive Squirrel Monkeys, Capuchin, Howling and the 4th one - I think that is the one with the hanging privates)

Following are more wildlife we saw on our over 3 hours walking tour..

the Spider and her mate - she was in the middle of making her web and it was very strong - wouldn't want to be caught there. Can you see the web in the second picture?

Red Claw Crab - this is edible and would grow to about the same size as the crabs we eat in North America This one is only about 2 inches wide.

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I was surprised my simple point and zoom caught the Dragonfly in flight.

The lizard the locals called Jesus Christ as it can walk on water. It was too fast as it was skimming across the water but I caught another one as its resting.

There were all kinds of trees that I can't remember the names of, the fruit of this one is like orange pods, when the locals cook it, its suppose to taste like bread.

A little green lizard ran across our feet.. Here's a closer look..

We also saw a few Monarch butterflies flying around.. this is a different species.

Another frog sleeping, this is about the size of a box of matches.. and a Bearded Dragon

Another Sloth;

and a lizard hiding in the bush giving us the stink eye,

then he decided to come out..

Then we encounter this 'special creature' it has a great name but I can't recall.. we caught it blowing its jowls out.. it looks like a slug on the tree branch.. but its a kind of lizard. Cool, eh!

I think this is another Dragonfly.. by this time.. we have heard many..'mi amigas, here is another creature for you to look at..' about 50 times...

... to be continue in Part 5..