A lovely sunrise welcomed National Geographic Sea Lion to the shores of Manuel Antonio National Park. A good word that came to our minds was “paradise” while we enjoyed the scenery. A lovely beach with a spectacular lush forest invited us to get ashore as soon as possible.
Right after breakfast, we grabbed our gear and went ashore. One group went to hike a wedge-shaped piece of land known as Cathedral Point. It used to be an island but now is connected to the mainland thanks to the rare phenomenon called tombolo. The others decided to explore a trail called Sloth Valley.
As we started our walks, many park dwellers decided to show up and prove to us that this park is the crowning glory of the area. Spiny-tailed iguanas posed like statues blending into the tree trunks. Families of agoutis ran in front of us without paying any attention to us.
As we continued our walk, more mammals and birds began to appear in front of our eyes. A two-toed sloth was spotted and later we understood why the trail was named “Sloth Valley.” A sleepy baby three-toed sloth was resting in a lower branch and lifted his tender face when we passed by. A troop of mischievous white-faced capuchin monkeys decided to perform an agility show for all of us. Some were jumping from tree to a tree in front of us, and in the background we had howler monkeys (the male is the only one who howls).
We decided to spend the whole day in Manuel Antonio. The beach invited us to stay, and so we did. There is no better way to end our trip than relaxing in a wonderful paradise! We had to conclude that in order to keep enjoying this pristine place, we have a very important task to realize: the conservation of what we still have.
