- Sport fishing and spear fishing
- Jet skiing
- Parasailing
- Horseback riding
- Whitewater rafting
- Mangrove island boat tours
- Snorkeling
- Sunset sailing tours
- Guided tours to the park and other forests
- Surf boarding and lessons
- Canopy tours (zip-lining)
To help you recover from all that activity there are spas and yoga salons, infinity pools, beaches, bars, and restaurants. Of course MA isn't alone in offering all this, but unlike other resorts we're familiar with (Cancun and Ixtapa come to mind) they have done a good job of protecting their environment. No high-rise hotels hug the shoreline, and new developments must set aside some nondeveloped land.
Costa Rica is rightly proud of its green reputation, which supports a tourist industry that employs a great many people. I'm guessing that most of the working people in this town are connected in some way with tourism—not a risky guess since we see them going to and from work wearing shirts with the logos of hotels, tour companies, restaurants and bars.
We couldn't miss out on all this fun so last week we went zip-lining. A minibus picked us up at 7:15 a.m. and carried us out of town to La Foresta Nature Resort, 180 acres of primary and secondary rainforest reserve. After checking in at the office we met our guides, Luis and Ronald, and the fun began. (But not before visiting briefly with an Alaskan man with his foot in a cast. When we asked how it happened he said, "Zip-lining—but not here." Oh good.)
Here's one of the platforms. Sometimes climbing up to these was more frightening than the zipping. |
After the tour we sat down for breakfast, then took a walk around the grounds. I liked this tree. |
Here's Ray on a long suspension bridge. |
The Pacific was calm and hazy with humidity. |
The buffet breakfast was delicious, and the tables uncrowded. No one here rushes anything so we took our time and enjoyed the scenery. |
The peninsula is part of Manuel Antonio National Park. You can see that although hotels and homes are present, the view is unblocked by high rise hotels. |
A few minutes ago Ray called me away for our late afternoon walk. We turned left onto the now familiar road and headed downhill, saying "hola" numerous times and patting many familiar dogs. I waited while he tossed a frisbee with a little boy and then we followed the U left, through the shady jungle trees and up the hill toward the highway. Just past the U we heard the calls of howler monkeys. We've never managed to see them, but we hear their calls—which sound like roar—often. (I can hear them as I write.)
Up the hill now, the road almost disappearing into graveled chaos; more "holas." There are the bantam roosters, here are more dogs to pet. We look for the leaf-cutter ants but can't find them. We stop to watch children kicking a soccer ball around the town field, then turn left again along the highway, cursing the diesel truck and a roaring motorcycle, searching for sloths in the trees near the bus stop, waving to hard-working Khang in his restaurant. Left again at the market, one more greeting from a now familiar Tico, and here we are at home.
There are definitely things I will miss about Manuel Antonio.
3 comments:
So glad you are getting some sunny days and soaking up some lovely relaxing scenery. Snow flurries have been threatening us for days, so enjoy it while it lasts!
A nice, positive take on Manuel Antonio. You are right, they should be proud that the area is not lined with high-rise hotels. The Mariposa looks nice. I wish I'd made it there, but you can't do everything, I guess. Enjoy your last days in Costa Rica.
Brave you (both). We looked at zipping in South Africa, as well as bungie jumping incredible heights (?depths), but we didn't. Glad you have enjoyed your stop-over, you both look very good on it. Have a safe trip home. XXX
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