It’s our last day in Costa Rica and we couldn’t be in a better place. Manuel Antonio National Park has always been the best ending for any expedition; lush flora and fauna combined with beautiful white sand beaches – the perfect way to say good-bye to an amazing journey.
But the day was just starting and we were all ready for a new experience. One by one the inflatable boats got us all to Playa Espadilla Sur where we got organized for the different hikes. Long hike, short hike, photography-oriented hike – an activity for everyone. As we left our station behind, the first black iguanas came out to give us the official welcome.
The next to pose for our guests was the common basilisk, also known as the Jesus Christ lizard for its ability to run on top of the water when a predator is chasing them; a must-see reptile at Manuel Antonio.
The day couldn’t go any better; a few yards away from the basilisk a group of mantled howler monkeys and a three-toed sloth were waiting for us. Both of them are herbivores mammals that were having a time to start their very slow digestion process based on a fermentation done by specialized bacteria that lives in their stomach. Of course this was a great opportunity for the naturalists to talk about these two amazing animals.
The morning continued and the guests were amazed by the biodiversity that coexists at this beautiful national park of Costa Rica. Finally the moment to return to National Geographic Sea Lion arrived and we all went back to ship full of new experiences and, of course, with big smiles on our faces.
A smooth sailing during the rest of the afternoon, complete with dolphins and a gorgeous sunset, made the perfect ending to an incredible week discovering Panama and Costa Rica.
