Manuel Antonio - Part One

We arrived in Manuel Antonio on Christmas evening.. the change in temperature was extreme. It was extremely hot and humid. We checked into our hotel Hotel La Posada and Jungle. It was a simple hotel steps away from the park and the beach. Here in Manuel Antonio it was all about the location for us and the location of this hotel could not get any better.

We dropped off our things and walked to the Buru restaurant for dinner. 

We spent 3 full days in Manuel Antonio. This post will talk about the first two. 

The first day we left bright and early for our first adventure. Horseback riding to the Nauyaca Waterfalls. We had booked this experience a few weeks before departing. The waterfall was an hours drive from Manuel Antonio. There are three ways to reach the falls, a 7 mile round trip hike on rugged and muddy terrain, a 4x4 vehicle or horseback riding. There is a fee for the hike and upon seeing the terrain there was no way we could have ever done that, everyone we passed was huffing and puffing.

After a quick safety talk we all mounted our horses. Mine was named Napoleon. 

It was a gorgeous trail. The horseback riding experience was very different from the one we had had in Virginia a few years ago. The Virginia experience was very tame, we ambled at a leisurely pace for the most part and only trotted when the guide signaled the horses. Here the horses did as they pleased, they ambled then broke off into a run, took water breaks.. it made for a more interesting experience. M's horse liked to be up ahead and H's somewhere in the middle while D and I mostly hung out at the back. We had three local guide with us. 

We changed at the top of the falls and headed down. First stopped at the upper falls then at the lower. The boys swam, the water was cold. Many people, with the help of the guides climbed up the falls and jumped. It was an beautiful spot. When our time was up we made the horseback ride back. In the middle we made a stop at a farmhouse for lunch. It was a delicious home cooked meal. 

We took a different route when returning to our cars, we crossed two streams. It was an amazing experience. Highly recommended. 

Back in our car and on the way back to Manuel Antonio we spotted a fruit stand. I had been dying to try some excotic fruits and had yet to see any. We got two coconuts to drink and eat.. not exotic I know.. 

and bought a sweet granadilla which is a distant relative of the passion fruit. When we asked how to eat it the lady poked a hole in it and said we could just suck it up. I must say.. it looked really gross..  

We all took a turn and it wasn't bad. Not something I would eat on the regular and it was best if you didn't try to chew the seeds... just suck it up and swallow. It was sweet and gooey as you can see.

We were back at the hotel by 4 and decided to wander down to the Playa Espadilla Beach (free). Had a snow cone and headed back to the hotel to get cleaned up before dinner. We ate at Samui Thai. 

Our hotel provided breakfast every morning. Nothing fancy. A typical gallo pinto. Meaning a rice and bean dish with a side of eggs cooked any way, a tortilla and some plantains along with ranchero sauce on the side. 

We started day two with a morning at the Playa Espadilla Beach. The water temperature was perfect.  

 

I think this might be a Willett

Then the boys went parasailing. D had done is before for his 7th birthday. This was H's first time. 

Afterwards we grabbed a quick lunch and were off on our next adventure. White River Rafting. We went with Costa Rica Tropical Adventures. Mel picked us up and took us to the Naranjo River for our trip. Rubin was our guide and Lando kayaked ahead as a look out and photographer. Mel filled our 25 minute journey to the river with stories. He stopped to break of a twig to chew on which was cinnamon and rustled up an allspice leaf which smelled divine. 

We have been river rafting many times in the Poconos but always a class I or II which is mostly floating along the river with a few bumps here and there.. this was a whole different kind of river rafting. It was a class III+

There was no floating here. Rubin was a beast in the water, he would say otherwise but he did most of the work. 

When we were done Mel was waiting with refreshments, pineapple, juice and cookies. We ate while they loaded up the car and then he drove us back. 

We went to La Cantina for dinner. And so ended our second day in Manuel Antonio. 

 

     

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