Day 6-7: Jacó and Manuel Antonio

We began day 6 with a drive taking us down and out of the Monteverde mountains. The winding roads provided fantastic views, and many of us rode in anticipation of the next magnificent vantage point. Our morning of travel led us ever closer to the Pacific coast. We stopped for lunch at a local cafeteria-style rest stop and were delighted by the quality of the local faire.

After lunch, we stopped at a famous bridge over the Río Tárcoles to marvel at enormous crocodiles lazily drifting through the river. The largest crocodile we saw was approximately 13 feet in length, but our guides told us there is a 22 footer that the locals affectionately call “Mike Tyson”. 

En route to our main attraction of the day, we stopped unexpectedly when our guides spotted a flock of Scarlet Macaws feeding in a tree. Observing the birds' behavior was fascinating and we learned that our guide, Bernie, can produce an incredibly convincing macaw call.

Our travels of the day peaked at Punta León, where we swam in clear bathtub temperature water along the endless white sands of Playa Blanca. The beaches were home to macaws, monkeys, crabs, sloths, and gorgeous Plumeria flowers. While we all floated like lazy cocodrilos (crocodiles), or laughed and splashed like raucous aulladores (howler monkeys), Profe Guillén asked, “Cuál es la diferencia entre estudiantes y profesores en el oceano?” The answer: “Ninguna.”

Finally, we checked in to our hotel where the rooms are spacious, comfortable, and many of us have fantastic balconies overlooking the private pools or the black-sand beach of Playa Hermosa! We had dinner at the hotel and then retired to socialize in commons and balconies while hiding from a brief and torrential tropical downpour.

Day 7 - Manuel Antonio

Dos palabras: playa y sol. The majority of day 7 was spent frolicking on the majestic beaches of Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio amongst the monkeys, iguanas, and crabs. The warm, clear blue water, fine sand, and hot sun laid a beautiful backdrop for our leisure; the swimmers swam, the splashers splashed, and the baskers basked. How refreshing it was to simply sit in a chair made of piled sand and listen to the exotic soundscape of the forest juxtaposed with the enthusiastic musings of our students. In addition to the beach, we were able to take another nature walk with our guides, Berny, Herson, and Dr. Niese, who provided us will a plethora of information about the natural habitat surrounding us. 

For dinner, we bussed into Jacó to a small multigenerational family owned restaurant called Soda Garabito. We ate incredible home made empanadas, carne, pollo, and drank refreshing horchata in a breezy open air dining room, ceiling fans working hard to combat the heat of the day. We can’t wait for our final day in Costa Rica tomorrow!