Today we said a reluctant goodby to Michael and Marianne, Jennifer’s parents. They arrived a week ago and together we explored more of Costa Rica. By this time we’re starting to get familiar with with the roads and the innumerable fantastic tourist destinations on offer here.
I started the week working while Jen and Quinn showed Mike and Marianne some of the local attractions, including a coffee plantation and a private nature reserve.
The nature reserve featured waterfalls, iguanas wandering around free, and lots of birds including this toucan.
Quinn had a great time rock climbing near the falls.
Polly wanna cracker.
On Wednesday afternoon we packed up one of our landlord’s rental cars and headed for the Lake Arenal area where we spent two nights in the Tree House Hotel.
The rooms weren’t actually built in trees, but their high perch made them great for bird watching.
This was one of the best birding areas we’ve visited. Each morning the staff would put half a plantain out to entice the birds.
More plaintains and a hummingbird feeder near where we ate breakfast ensured that the show continued.
We went for a hike in a private reserve. It was similar to the “bridges” hike we did with Brian and Lisa in Monte Verde.
The clouds finally cleared enough to give us a good view of the Arenal Volcano.
A 30 minute walk from our room brought us to a waterfall where we could have a swim and cool off.
And of course more birds…
This one happens to be the national bird of Costa Rica, so anointed because it has long helped farmers predict changes in seasons and weather.
Great shots and beautiful birds. It appears that the scenery and wildlife here are superior to Africa.
Thanks very much Jim! The birds really are amazing, and the Tree House Hotel was a great place for bird watching.
While the scenery is in the eye of the beholder, I can’t say that the wildlife is superior to Africa. Birds are great, but to me you can’t beat a pride of lions lounging in a tree, or a crocodile fighting a cheetah off her kill. Just my 2 cents!
Lovely!
Thanks Marcia!
First of all we wanted to tell you how much we enjoy hearing about your adventures.
We are thinking about spending some time in Manuel Antonio this winter.So is that a good idea? We enjoy the beach and wildlife.Let us know your opinion.
Bud and Janice
Hello to both of you. It’s great to hear from you, and we’re glad you’re enjoying our blog!
We enjoyed Manuel Antonio, but you can pretty much see everything in the park in a day. There are lots of other things to do in the area, though. One thing I definitely recommend is a night tour. You see lots of interesting wildlife that isn’t out during the day.
One thing to know is that there aren’t many beach-front hotels in the area, so if you’re looking for a room on the water, it may be hard to find there. Jen and our friend Jamie went to a spa near the park and Jen said it’s the best one she’s been to. Not that she does a lot of that sort of thing, but she did visit the spa at a ritz carlton once. 🙂
There are also a lot of good restaurants in the area, and pretty much everyone speaks English.
We also enjoyed our time in the mountains. There is lots of wildlife (especially birds) to see there as well. We visited Monte Verde and the Lake Arenal region (both written up on our blog) and enjoyed both. Lake Arenal is easier to get to – no dirt roads necessary.
If you’re planning on spending 7 days or more in Costa Rica, you could easily do both. It’s about a 4-5 hour drive from the coast to the mountains. One of the benefits of being in a small country! There are lots of ways to arrange transport. If you’re renting a car you can drive it easily, the local busses are good, or I’m sure you could find a tour company that would arrange a trip to both areas.
Let me know if you need any more information!
Witt