Manuel Antonio is Costa Rica's smallest and most visited National Park. It comprises of humid tropical forest and a stretch of coastline that is both very beautiful and has amazing biodiversity. It was established in 1978 and consists partly of re-naturalised agricultural land. Compared with many of the country's other parks it is accessible being only 132kms by road from capital San Jose. There were also two cruise liners at anchor off shore on the day that we visited. Entry ($15 per head) is strictly controlled. Only 600 people per day are allowed in and the Park closes every Monday. This means entry is restricted to around 150,000 people per year.
You and your bags are searched mainly for food but the person in front of us had his cigarettes confiscated. There must be no feeding of animals, despite what people are told this remains a major problem around the world in such parks.
This park has planned laid trails all of which have water run-off facilities or are raised above what is for most of the year is flooded ground. Here is an example.
This type of path is in the minority, most are wooden boards (there's plenty of raw materials) or stone and earth paths. Most have wooden handrails to help with the walking and to keep you on trail.
We were greatly thrilled to encounter a troop of White faced Capuchins. There were about eight of them play-fighting in the trees. These creatures are very bright and their behaviour has already changed by the presence of humans. They will approach people and if a bag is opened they will steal things as quick as a flash..
Another picture later on in the day..This is how they lay on the tree branches.
Allowing you to get pictures like this.
We wandered further and heard that some sloths had been sighted up a tree not far ahead of us. Although we had already sighted a sloth in Monteverde it was a fleeting nocturnal view. This male was asleep but seemingly having a happy dream. He is the Brown throated three toed Sloth.
We got this view of a second one, possibly a pregnant female.
There is access to the beaches at several points and here we are on Gemelas beach.
Beach scavengers abound here is a hermit crab
He is after the nutrients left in the dead red snapper, along with a few of his mates.
Always lurking about is the impressively large Black spiny tailed Iguana.
This is the viewpoint at the end of the appropriately named viewpoint trail but you cannot access the beach from here.
We retraced our footsteps then decided to cut up the Howler monkey trail in the vain hope of seeing or hearing some Howler monkeys. We did come across this large male White nosed Coati.
We then had to rush somewhat as the park was closing, in fact we looked to be the last visitors out. As we were approaching the exit we heard some crashing in the trees above us. It was those Howler monkeys who, thinking that the visitors had all gone, had come out to play.
Not the easiest subjects to capture on camera.
You may have noticed the absence of any photographs of birds. There were birds present, we could hear them all over the place, rarely saw them and as you can see totally failed to photo any.
This park has planned laid trails all of which have water run-off facilities or are raised above what is for most of the year is flooded ground. Here is an example.
This type of path is in the minority, most are wooden boards (there's plenty of raw materials) or stone and earth paths. Most have wooden handrails to help with the walking and to keep you on trail.
We were greatly thrilled to encounter a troop of White faced Capuchins. There were about eight of them play-fighting in the trees. These creatures are very bright and their behaviour has already changed by the presence of humans. They will approach people and if a bag is opened they will steal things as quick as a flash..
Another picture later on in the day..This is how they lay on the tree branches.
Allowing you to get pictures like this.
We wandered further and heard that some sloths had been sighted up a tree not far ahead of us. Although we had already sighted a sloth in Monteverde it was a fleeting nocturnal view. This male was asleep but seemingly having a happy dream. He is the Brown throated three toed Sloth.
We got this view of a second one, possibly a pregnant female.
There is access to the beaches at several points and here we are on Gemelas beach.
Beach scavengers abound here is a hermit crab
He is after the nutrients left in the dead red snapper, along with a few of his mates.
Always lurking about is the impressively large Black spiny tailed Iguana.
This is the viewpoint at the end of the appropriately named viewpoint trail but you cannot access the beach from here.
We retraced our footsteps then decided to cut up the Howler monkey trail in the vain hope of seeing or hearing some Howler monkeys. We did come across this large male White nosed Coati.
We then had to rush somewhat as the park was closing, in fact we looked to be the last visitors out. As we were approaching the exit we heard some crashing in the trees above us. It was those Howler monkeys who, thinking that the visitors had all gone, had come out to play.
Not the easiest subjects to capture on camera.
You may have noticed the absence of any photographs of birds. There were birds present, we could hear them all over the place, rarely saw them and as you can see totally failed to photo any.
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