Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
However, the movements of the park's star animal and Central America's rarest primate,
namely the
Central American squirrel monkey
, are far less predictable. These adorable
monkeys are more retiring than capuchins, and though they are occasionally seen near the
park entrance in the early morning, they usually melt into the forest well before opening
time. With luck, however, a troop could be encountered during a morning's walk, and they
often reappear in beachside trees and on the fringes of Manuel Antonio Village in the early
evening.
Offshore, keep your eyes peeled for pantropical spotted and bottle-nosed
dolphins
, as
well as humpback
whales
passing by on their regular migration routes. Other possibilities
include orcas (killer whales), false killers and rough-toothed dolphins.
Big
lizards
are also a featured sighting at Manuel Antonio - it's hard to miss the large
ctenosaurs and green iguanas that bask along the beach at Playa Manuel Antonio and in
the vegetation behind Playa Espadilla Sur. To spot the well-camouflaged basilisk, listen for
the rustle of leaves along the edges of the trails, especially near the lagoon.
Manuel Antonio is not usually on the serious bird-watchers' trail of Costa Rica, though
the
bird
list is respectable. The usual suspects include the blue-gray and palm tanagers,
great-tailed grackles, bananaquits, blue dacnises and at least 15 species of hummingbird.
Among the regional endemics you should look out for are the fiery-billed aracaris, black-
hooded antshrikes, Baird's trogons, black-bellied whistling ducks, yellow-crowned night
herons, brown pelicans, magnificent frigate birds, brown boobies, spotted sandpipers,
green herons and ringed kingfishers.
White-Water Rafting & Kayaking
While not as popular as Turrialba, Manuel Antonio is emerging as a white-water rafting
and sea-kayaking center. Although you shouldn't expect the same level of world-class runs
here as in other parts of the country, there are certainly some adrenaline kicks to be had.
