Zapatilla II (or minor) island is one of the two beatiful Zapatilla Keys. These two islands are located on a coral platform that is defined, toward the open sea, by the breakers that are formed as the waves crash on the reef. Zapatillas Keys lie inside the Bastimentos Island National Marine Park. They are famous for their beautiful beaches, crystal clear waters, coral reefs and small but shady forests. We took a picnic lunch and boated out there to do some swimming, relaxing, beachcombing, and walking through the forest on a trail raised above the swampy forest floor. The weather is hot even though the day was mostly cloudy, and we were careful to wear t-shirts to protect our backs when snorkling and to apply lots of sunscreen. The sun is strong even through the clouds, ... read more

Now we are on the second leg of our trip, and on our own. We shared a van with several other people which was nice, because we all went across the border together. Good thing, because even though I had read about this experience, it was still extremely strange. First, we had a very long ride from San Jose – about 6 hours with a short stop for a bite to eat along the way. The countryside is pretty, and the people live with very little – at least by our standards. The housing is sure different than what we are accustomed to seeing anyway. Then, once we finally get to the border of Panama, the van driver tells us to take all of our suitcases and other stuff and get off. We follow him to ... read more

The last day of the tour, we had a long drive from the Guanacaste coast back to San Jose. On the way we stopped at the Carara National Park, which has a brackish series of canals that are home to crocodiles as well as an amazing assortment of birds. Luckily, they hand out a brochure with pictures and names of the various birds so that we can identify our pictures after we have left and have forgotten the names we were told. It allows you to just appreciate the moment without worrying about trying to remember everything. It really is sensory overload out here. The guides take pieces of chicken along to feed the crocodiles, bringing them to the boat and out of the water so the tourists can take pictures. We weren’t disappointed, as we ... read more

Less than an hour away from Arenal, we stopped for a hike in the rain forest that involves 2 miles of trails and five or six long suspension bridges through the forest canopy. The trail is very steep, taking you both up and down, and is paved with a honeycomb pattern stone that is there to provide traction in the wet conditions. It works well for that purpose, but it sure is difficult to walk on! With the heat and humidity, and the steep trails, it seems like the longest 2 miles ever. Steve is stubborn, and would not give up, so we hiked the whole trail. Being in the middle of this amazing green rain forest is something that is hard to describe. We had a bit of drizzle, but mostly it was just mist. ... read more

This was an incredible day! Tortuguero Park is a naturalist's dream. Our "hotel" could only be reached by a 45-minute boat ride up the Tortuguero canal. We stayed at Pachira Lodge, where we had our own cabin on stilts in the rain forest. It is rustic, with no televisions, phones or air conditioning. The trees surrounding the cabins are filled with howler monkeys, who wake you up before sunrise with incredibly loud grunting and barking sounds. Not to mention the many species of birds. We went on 2 canal cruises with local wildlife guides spotting and explaining about the birds, animals and plants that we saw along with way. We would never have seen as much as we did without them. In between, we enjoyed the lovely pool and walked around the beautiful grounds. It is ... read more