For our first day of activities on board National Geographic Sea Lion, it is hard to find a better place than the Manuel Antonio National Park. One by one, our expedition landing crafts started to take our guests to shore and all of our naturalists were ready waiting for them.
We divided into smaller groups based on different interests – long hikes, wildlife, and photography – and each group took different trails as the adventure began for all of us. As the sun was starting to warm up the day, the wildlife was starting to get more active and visible. The first ones to appear were the reptiles: black iguanas, common basilisk and different species of anoles.
We were all excited about these first sightings of the day but we wanted more, so we kept walking. The first mammal to be spotted was a two-toed sloth; for most of our guests this was the first time they got to see one, a “magical experience” as they described it.
The morning was going great for all of us. As we continued walking, a three-toed sloth became the new “attraction” and not too far away, a troop of white-faced monkeys were moving in our direction and of course, we were ready to get the best photos possible.
The end of our adventure was getting close and as we all got ready to go back to the ship, no one knew the amazing surprise that was waiting for us: a large troop of Central American squirrel monkeys literally came to say good-bye to us.
Back on National Geographic Sea Lion by late afternoon, the session of very interesting recaps reminded all of us about the amazing day we just enjoyed.
