Costa Rica Adventure, Day 3: Call of the Wild

Our day started with breakfast at the hotel.  Breakfast was included daily on our adventure.  Our group had two large tables reserved in the back of the restaurant.  We had a great view of the surrounding trees.  Breakfast was, yet another, amazing buffet.  It didn’t have as many offerings as the Marriott San Jose, but all the food was equally good.  Every morning we had rice and beans, eggs (prepared differently daily), a breakfast meat (the selection changed daily), plantain (a weakness of mine), an omelet station, fresh breads and pastries, and an assortment of tropical fruit.  There was also cereal, yogurt, and oatmeal.  Coffee service was by the wait staff.

Our group could dine anytime within breakfast hours, but on this morning, we had to be at the bus at 7:30 a.m., so we wanted to be early.  I am so glad we arrived early.  Someone noticed some movement in the trees, so we stepped out on the balcony to investigate and heard this.

After breakfast, we loaded on the bus for the two and a half-hour drive to Caño Negro, near the Nicaraguan border.  Our surroundings became more rural as we ventured further from La Fortuna, providing a great backdrop for Fico’s lesson on Costa Rican agriculture.  Long bus rides have a bad reputation in the travel industry, but in this case, it was great being on a comfortable bus, learning about Costa Rica from an expert.  Our alternative would have been trying to navigate ourselves in a rental car in the agricultural heart of Costa Rica, where there are very few roadside services, all the while looking around wondering if those were plantain or banana plantations.

The start point for our wildlife tour consisted of nothing but a floating dock where we embarked on the boat.  We made a stop for the facilities shortly before arriving at the dock.  Our “rest stop” was a small building in what appeared to be the middle of nowhere.  I’ve been on my fair share of remote road trips and it’s in my nature to expect the worst, so I was bracing myself for the conditions of the bathrooms.  I don’t know if the Mouse put in a call before we arrived, but the bathrooms were immaculately clean.  The only negative was that there were only a few stalls, so the line took a while. While we waited for everyone to cycle through the bathrooms, Lauren handed out sunscreen and bug spray.  Like I said before, Disney thinks of everything. 

The boat for our tour held us all comfortably.  There was a seat with protection from the sun for everyone, as well as a small viewing platform in the front.  Lauren and Fico made sure to load a cooler with plenty of water and snacks for everyone.  The tour goes, rain or shine.  We were blessed with a beautiful dry, sunny day. 

Our boat was piloted by a local named Mango who was an expert at maneuvering the vessel as close to the banks as possible for wildlife viewing.  He also had eagle eyes and could spot wildlife none of us could see until Fico used his laser pointer to draw our attention to it.  Within minutes, Mango pulled up next to these bats so we could take a closer look.

Throughout the tour, we saw many species of birds, iguanas basking in the sun, and countless monkeys, both howler and spider.   Howler monkeys are quite vocal, but aren’t very active.  Spider monkeys are almost always on the move, so we were able to watch them jump from branch to branch.  They have prehensile tails and it’s amazing the tiny little branches they can jump onto.  I was seriously holding my breath on some of those jumps, especially when a young monkey was about to make a jump and it didn’t look like he was going to make it.  They are primates, so it only stands to reason that perhaps there are some brazen youth out there that overestimate their abilities.  Thankfully, every monkey made it. 

We were also lucky enough to see both a two-toed and a three-toed sloth, although they were tucked up high in the trees so we could only see their backs.  We weren’t able to get a picture of their adorable little faces.  Sloths only come down from the relative safety of the trees once a week to defecate.  Apparently, their digestive tracts is also slow moving. 

We had seen a lot of wildlife, but we remained on the hunt for a caiman.  Caiman like to sit on the banks or on branches sticking out of the water and sun themselves.  The river was high, so our chances of seeing one weren’t as good as when the river is low.  Luckily, we got an up close view of a caiman on the banks for the river.  My kids were mostly amused by the bird poop on his face.  Hilarious. 

The best part of the tour came at the very end.  Up until now, we really hadn’t seen any monkeys up close; they’d mostly been high up in the trees.  However, right at the end of our tour, we saw a troop on some low trees close to the river bank.  Mango pulled right up and everyone on our boat moved to the right side to observe the monkeys.  There was a collective gasp when we realized one of the monkeys had a tiny baby on her back.  The monkeys were so close we could clearly see the little baby’s face.  It was amazing to witness and one of my favorite moments of the week. 

After our monkey sighting, we cruised upriver to our lunch spot.  I could have eaten a packed lunch and stayed on the river all day, but the kids were starting to get antsy, so it was perfect timing.  Given our remote location, I wasn’t expecting much more than a picnic-style lunch in a pavilion.  Everyone was pleasantly surprised when we pulled up to an eco-resort and were offered a refreshing beverage and a cool towel.  The resort itself was under construction.  It was mostly built.  It appeared to be awaiting finishes and furniture.  Ultimately, it will contain a few condo-style accommodations, each with its own plunge pool.  I filed this one away for any clients that are die-hard nature lovers who want an off-the-beaten path adventure without sacrificing amenities. 

We were treated to another delicious Costa Rican meal.  This one included grass-fed steaks.  We had the option to dine inside or on the patio.  Despite not getting a prime spot overlooking the Rio Frio, we chose to dine al fresco.  When lunch was over, our bus and our trusty driver, William, were waiting to take us back to La Fortuna.  I’m telling you, this guided tour thing is where it’s at. 

Thankfully, we had no scheduled activities that evening.  On the bus ride home, Lauren set up dinner reservations for every party in our group.  We selected the 6:30 p.m. reservation.  When we arrived at the hotel, we had plenty of time to change into bathing suits and enjoy the hot springs before dinner.   For dinner, we were able to order from the restaurant’s main menu as part of our included dinner.  Alcoholic beverages were at our expense.  Our waiter suggested an organic Malbec.  I admit, I was skeptical.  I didn’t come to Costa Rica for the wine.  We ended up greatly enjoying the wine and had a wonderful family meal.  Clara ordered her regular dish of chicken tenders and fries (seriously, what are we going to do with this girl?).  Easton had an appetizer of mussels and a pasta dish.  I enjoyed the filet mignon.   Chris ordered the sea bass.  At $29.99 a pound in the states, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get the most bang for his buck. 

  Another great day was in the books.  We could hardly wait for the next day's adventure.

 Amanda is the owner of Travel Adventures by Amanda, powered by Dream Vacations, specializing in cruises, tours, treks, and custom independent travel adventures for individuals, families, and groups.  For help planning your next adventure, contact Amanda at (901) 901-800-6091 or abiggerstaff@dreamvacations.com.