Costa Rica Day 6: Manuel Antonio and Dominical Beach
This morning we ate a quick breakfast and were out the door by 7am to make the 1 hr 15 min drive to Manuel Antonio National Park, a place famous for it's wildlife. We decided not to pay for a guide even though the guidebooks suggested it and we were offered services many times on our way in. One guide told us going to the park without a guide was like going to the library and not knowing how to read.
As we entered the park the ranger told us to wait a minute because right behind us they were coming with a rescued sloth that they were going to release into the park. Wow! We followed right behind the biologists from Costa Rica University and were able to watch them take the sloth out of it's crate and place it in the bushes right next to us! Talk about good timing!
There is one main trail into the park that is only 1.8 km long that takes you to Manuel Antonio beach. There were guides and groups all along the trail spotting different wildlife. All we had to do is stop where the group was and look around. Saved us a bunch as they charge up to $25 per person for the guides! We saw sloths, howler monkeys, frogs, lizards, agouti, iguanas, white faced capuchin monkeys, coatis and raccoons. It was awesome! And SO hot! The kids were pretty good but we were literally dripping with sweat by the time we got to the beach. The ocean was so warm that it almost wasn't refreshing but it was at least a little cooler than the sun drenched path! We saw sloths and monkeys in the trees from the water. It was amazing!
After rinsing off in the cold showers and watching capuchin monkeys playing below (the view for the girls) and a German man stripping down to his birthday suit (the view for the boys), we headed back on the hot, dirt path to drip dry on the way but at least this time it was a little cooler!
We stopped at Subway for a quick lunch in Quepos before heading back towards Dominical.
We ended up hitting the beach in Dominical before heading back to the house. It was super sketchy. A very dirty, grungy beach full of tents, makeshift shelters and homeless looking men and surfers. The kids were freaking out. Okay, Kate was freaking out and the other 3 were a little nervous. Isaac, on the other hand was freaking out that we might not go. "Dad! Really? Why can't we swim?" Even when we pointed out the sketchy surroundings and the signs that said "PROHIBIDAR NADAR" and "CUIDADO COCODRILLA" and "DO NOT LEAVE BELONGINGS UNATTENDED!" he still couldn't believe that we were considering NOT stopping. "C'mon Dad, really?"
We pulled the car all the way up on the beach and brought our backpacks out with us and ventured out into the water. Dominical is known for it's surfing but there weren't very many people in the water. We had a great time swimming, playing soccer, digging for clams (or whatever was making those bubbles under the sand), making drip castles, playing in the waves and enjoying the beach. A local group of boys started playing soccer on the beach. The boys were dying to join in the pick up game so Jeff went over and asked them if they could play. They had a great time playing a pretty competitive game on the beach. Jeff was making jokes in Spanish and making the guys laugh pretty hard but he also scored a few goals so he held his own.
After a long day we headed back to our jungle lodge via the Supermercado for some groceries for dinner. We swam in the pool, played water tag and ate a wonderful family dinner of spaghetti, pineapple and fanta orange and talked about travel, life, animals and tsunamis and rescued a large frog from the swimming pool with the pool skimmer. My favorite part of our family travels are the times we get to just talk, with nowhere to rush off to.
Last night for our family devotional we asked the kids what they’ve learned on this trip. About Costa Rica? About themselves? About our family?
As we entered the park the ranger told us to wait a minute because right behind us they were coming with a rescued sloth that they were going to release into the park. Wow! We followed right behind the biologists from Costa Rica University and were able to watch them take the sloth out of it's crate and place it in the bushes right next to us! Talk about good timing!
There is one main trail into the park that is only 1.8 km long that takes you to Manuel Antonio beach. There were guides and groups all along the trail spotting different wildlife. All we had to do is stop where the group was and look around. Saved us a bunch as they charge up to $25 per person for the guides! We saw sloths, howler monkeys, frogs, lizards, agouti, iguanas, white faced capuchin monkeys, coatis and raccoons. It was awesome! And SO hot! The kids were pretty good but we were literally dripping with sweat by the time we got to the beach. The ocean was so warm that it almost wasn't refreshing but it was at least a little cooler than the sun drenched path! We saw sloths and monkeys in the trees from the water. It was amazing!
After rinsing off in the cold showers and watching capuchin monkeys playing below (the view for the girls) and a German man stripping down to his birthday suit (the view for the boys), we headed back on the hot, dirt path to drip dry on the way but at least this time it was a little cooler!
We stopped at Subway for a quick lunch in Quepos before heading back towards Dominical.
We ended up hitting the beach in Dominical before heading back to the house. It was super sketchy. A very dirty, grungy beach full of tents, makeshift shelters and homeless looking men and surfers. The kids were freaking out. Okay, Kate was freaking out and the other 3 were a little nervous. Isaac, on the other hand was freaking out that we might not go. "Dad! Really? Why can't we swim?" Even when we pointed out the sketchy surroundings and the signs that said "PROHIBIDAR NADAR" and "CUIDADO COCODRILLA" and "DO NOT LEAVE BELONGINGS UNATTENDED!" he still couldn't believe that we were considering NOT stopping. "C'mon Dad, really?"
We pulled the car all the way up on the beach and brought our backpacks out with us and ventured out into the water. Dominical is known for it's surfing but there weren't very many people in the water. We had a great time swimming, playing soccer, digging for clams (or whatever was making those bubbles under the sand), making drip castles, playing in the waves and enjoying the beach. A local group of boys started playing soccer on the beach. The boys were dying to join in the pick up game so Jeff went over and asked them if they could play. They had a great time playing a pretty competitive game on the beach. Jeff was making jokes in Spanish and making the guys laugh pretty hard but he also scored a few goals so he held his own.
After a long day we headed back to our jungle lodge via the Supermercado for some groceries for dinner. We swam in the pool, played water tag and ate a wonderful family dinner of spaghetti, pineapple and fanta orange and talked about travel, life, animals and tsunamis and rescued a large frog from the swimming pool with the pool skimmer. My favorite part of our family travels are the times we get to just talk, with nowhere to rush off to.
Last night for our family devotional we asked the kids what they’ve learned on this trip. About Costa Rica? About themselves? About our family?
Kira: A smile means the same in every language. The world is a
big place and that’s exciting.
Calvin: What a toucan sounds like. That I can eat different
foods and be ready for a mission.
Kate: There are just going to be bugs in your room. It’s ok.
(I think it took me until 20 to be okay with this one).
Mikey & Isaac were too tired to think of something.
Bicycle kicks in the waves.
Beach pick up game.
Driving in Costa Rica. The dirt road to our jungle house! Can you believe this road is on the GPS?!
Mikey finding the sloth in the wildlife guide book.
Our rescued slow-moving friend.
A sloth hanging out in the tree above our backpacks at the beach. We didn't even notice him at first! We were out in the water swimming and saw a crowd gathered around the tree so we had to go check it out.
It's impossible to get everyone to look (let alone smile) at once!
Calvin followed this monkey along the edge of the parking lot. The monkey paced back and forth on top of this concrete building for a few seconds and then gave Calvin a nasty look and hiss! (Below) We decided we'd better leave him alone!
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