January 8, 2019

Costa Rica – to Drake Bay

Our First Day , Day 1

We reached San Jose, Costa Rica from San Jose , California. When we came out of the airport, so many people waiting for their pick ups outside. Our pick up was from anywhere.com. Looking out of the flight the first impressions were so good. We can see so many water bodies flowing across the land with so much greenery.

We started from San Jose airport to Manuel Antonio. Driver stopped near the bridge and we walked on the bridge to see the crocodiles lying under the bridge. We were excited to see so many of them in their natural habitats. There was fruit shop there and we tasted Passion fruit for the first time. The shop owner showed us how to eat that fruit. Fruit juices were so refreshing.

Next stop for late lunch at Bowie’s Pointe restaurant, Jaco. Order took long time to be done, but food was tasty. Kids enjoyed it. It was a beach side restaurant. So we walked around while we were waiting for food.

There were few Surfers doing surfing and kids playing in the beach. Seems like this is a good spot for surf lessons and surfing. This beach has a stack of surf boards as icon. Beautiful views of sun set and heliconias.

Drive from SJO to San Bada hotel in Manuel Antonio was 3 hr and 45 mins. With couple of stops and food stop, we reached in the evening and checked in to hotel. Hotel lobbies were decorated with Christmas lights. This hotel is right next to Manuel Antonio national park. There were Papaya plants and monkeys right in front of the hotel room. There was birds sounds in the night and morning. Nature at it’s best.

We had dinner at the hotel restaurant. Already kids were fans of the Chicken fried rice (Arroz con Pollo) and fresh fruits. We noticed every one orders fresh fruit smoothies along with the food.

Very refreshing, and welcoming day for us.

Day 2

Good morning. Breakfast at the hotel and some exploring around Manuel Antonio.

Morning views

Drive from Sierpe to Águila de Osa

We were supposed to go to Palmar sur airport, but the air port was under construction or the date we were going was not open. So we went to Sierpe and an hour long boat ride to hotel. On the way back we booked flight from Drake bay air port to SJO. Drake bay air port is 15 min taxi drive and another 15 min boat ride from Aguila de Osa.

We took Taxi from Manuel Antonio to Sierpe, was estimated to be 2 hours. We reached an hour early to the Sierpe boat dock area. This is where we get pick up to Aguila de Osa. Drive from Manuel Antonio was along the farms and trees.

During the boat ride we passed through Mangrove Trees, some birds and we even saw Crocodiles . Boat passed through ocean for some portion to reach the hotel.

Birds

Águila de Osa

Aguila de Osa located in Osa peninsula. It’s an Rainforest & Marine Adventure Lodge in Osa. An amazing eco lodge set in a beautiful location, reachable by boat. Beautiful views from the rooms and dinning room. Plenty of natural plants and animals with in the lodge. Very tasty food served per your order. Most of the vegetables are grown at the lodge. Knowledgeable guides that gave us day tours and night tours. They even packed us food for our tours. For the stay in Aguila de Osa, we booked all inclusive breakfast, lunch , snack and dinner.

Every day evening there is gathering with snack time. We get to try different food.

One observation in the lodge they use bats as mosquito repellents in the lodge…:)

Photographers paradise for taking pictures. So many variety of plants and flowers with in the hotel surroundings.

Spent evening with Kayaking, walking on the hanging bridge, swim in the private beach and fun time in beach.

4 Course dinner served at the table in Great room with all the guests.

Sleep with natural sounds from Bats and birds.

Day 3

We reserved Corcovado National Park tour and hike today. Tour starts at 6:30AM in the morning. We had fresh breakfast at the hotel before starting.

Corcovado National Park

Map of the Osa Penninsula – trails shown as dashed tan lines

Courtesy of the map : costa-rica-guide.com

The Osa conservation area administrative headquarters just east of Puerto Jiménez next to the landing strip. Park contact information – Monday to Friday 7:30 a.m. to noon, and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., phone 2735-5036 -or- 2735-5580, fax 2735-5276).

From Drake Bay 11 miles (18 km) to the north there is an entry to the park at San Pedrillo Ranger station. During the morning it was high tide, boat stopped very close to San Pedrillo ranger station. By afternoon, it was low tide and we had to walk towards to the deeper water to get in to boat. There was crocodile in the beach while we were at the ranger station in the afternoon. Another ranger station is at the Sirena along the beach side.

We got to explore the rain forest adjacent to San Pedrillo, Corcovado National Park’s northernmost ranger station. From the hotel, it took about 25-minute boat ride along the west coast of the Osa. After the wet landing at the station (boats go in stern first and dropped us a few feet from the beach), we hiked inside the deep rain forest. We were expected to see some white-faced, spider and howler monkeys, white-lipped peccaries, scarlet macaws, coati, and countless other birds and insects. We were luckily to see the Tapir, White-nosed coaties, Spider Monkey, Eagle egg , birds and some insects.

There were coconuts plants coming out of the coconuts on floor. Monkeys drank the coconut water and throw then on the ground and eventually plants are coming out of those.

Our guide showed some plant which we can eat inside.

Picnic Lunch at the ranger station. Our guide setup this lunch after a long hike in the morning.

“There are numerous river crossings on the hikes in Corcovado. Inland, the greatest danger is losing the trail on the other side, or during the rainy season being upended and bruised on the rocks (the water can be waist deep). Along the coast most fords must be at low tide (tide tables are posted at the ranger stations and most lodgings in Puerto Jiménez). Both crocodiles and hammerhead sharks patrol the waters of the estuaries of the Ríos Claro and Sirena. Cross at the shallowest point, as far upstream as possible.”

We went to an afternoon hike to a beautiful waterfall. Along the way to the falls our guide pointed out more diverse flora and fauna. The waterfalls were perfect to relax. We spent some time to swim in the cool fresh water.

Long day hike ended with a relaxing swim in the fresh water falls. We came back to the hotel in the boat after our trip.

Evening fun near the room

Kids want to do one more round of kayaking. There were so much fun near our room when we get back. Monkeys stealing fruits and jumping on the roof.

After that we had a nice walk around the area.

Refreshing dinner in the lodge after all the walking today.

Night Crawlers

We took a guided tour of the Night crawlers. We walked with head lights and it was really creepy and dangerous. Some places we were very close to cliff. Thank God it was a guided tour.