photosafari

We started off early, and stopped off at a little cafe less than a block from our resort called Cafe Milagro! It was recommended highly by Orlando, and it did not disappoint! One thing we love about Costa Rica is how fresh all the food is! The fruits and vegetables are all grown right there, and are so fresh and taste so much better than the ones we get in the states that are trucked in from so far away! “Muy Fresco” became our tag line for every meal! The cafe had fresh squeezed juices, amazing mango crepes, fresh Costa Rican coffee (of course!), and the typical Tico breakfast….Gallo Pinto. Gallo Pinto literally translated is rooster beans! Their breakfast consists of eggs, fresh cheese, rice and beans, plantains, and usually pico de gallo or avocado. It is delicious!

Gallo Pinto!

After breakfast we took the short, 5 minute drive to the National Park. There is no official parking, instead you will have to pay a small fee to park along the street leading to the park. You will want to be sure to eat before you go, and to bring bottled water with you! No food is allowed inside the park, and there are nothing sold inside the park either. The raccoons and monkeys are not shy in the park, and they do not want the animals fed, so the rule of no food allowed was established. There are many vendors just outside the park, selling coconut water and bottled water, so you can grab some as you head in, if you forget. The park entrance fee is 16 dollars per person, and tickets are bought at the ticket booth just outside of the park.

You can hire a guide at the park entrance as well. You will want to be sure to ask how much they will charge and how long the guide will stay with you, before hiring a guide. The guides all have high powered scopes that allow you to see up into the trees, and see the animals better, this is very helpful for viewing sloths!

We did not hire a guide, but explored on our own. We hiked several of the trails before finally cooling off at the beach! The trails can get hot, and some of them are a bit hilly, so the beach was a welcome break from the heat!

Park map

Reading about some of the animals in the park

Hiking and watching for animals

Checking out the view on one of the hikes

Tree hugger!

Sloth

Awe!

And what a beach it is! It is so beautiful! You truly feel like you are on set of Pirates of the Caribbean! There is a great section with many tide pools to explore, where we saw small colorful fish and eels! You will want to keep a close eye on your bags on the beach! The bandits are just waiting to grab your things…and the bandits are small and furry! The raccoons are not shy at all, and will unzip your bags looking for goodies (remember the no food rule?). They are actually quite funny to watch!

Furry bandit!

That beach though!

Exploring the tide pools!

Happy Camper

It was an amazing day, and as a National Park junkie, it was a highlight of my trip! Hiking trails, beaches, and wildlife all in one, make Maci a happy girl!

Tomorrow….we celebrate 20 years of marriage and take surf lessons!

We headed out to the airport with luggage in tow for the 5 of us. My kids have been traveling since they were babies, so they are better at it than most adults! We arrived in plenty of time, and after a little excitement with the TSA over a small pocket knife that had fallen into the liner of my purse, we were off!

There are 2 airports in Costa Rica; San Jose, which is the capital city, and Liberia which is further north, and much smaller. Depending on where you will be going in Costa Rica, may determine which airport is best suited for your trip. We flew into Liberia, even though it was a bit further from our final destination, due to the fact we were using air miles, and were restricted as to which flights we could choose. I really prefer Liberia actually, as it is very small, and easy to navigate! It was just under 4 hours, on our direct flight from Dallas to Liberia. It is so nice that paradise is so quick and easy to get to! Airlines add flights all the time, and Southwest is even flying into Costa Rica now!

After customs we were off to pick up our rental car, and our drive south to Manuel Antonio! For most of my clients on their first trips to Costa Rica, I suggest and arrange ground transportation for them direct to and from their hotels. We had been to Costa Rica previously and were comfortable in renting the car. We enjoy road trips at home in the states, and we liked the fact that we got the added bonus of a road trip through the country side!

The drive was so pretty, hilly, green and winding. So lush! It was a easy drive, and we stopped for dinner along the way. We arrived at the Tulemar Resort where we were staying the entire trip, in Manuel Antonio. We were greeted by our concierge and then met at our villa for a tour, and help with our bags. The service through out our stay was impeccable!

The next morning, in the light of day we were greeted with our amazing view from our balcony! We were literally up in the trees with amazing wildlife all around and view of the ocean as well!

I got up each morning and sat on the balcony and watched and listened to the wildlife. It was one of my favorite things about the resort, and such an amazing way to start the day. It was like taking a photo safari each day, just to stroll around the property!