Manuel Antonio was our third and final destination on this tour. It is a national park and is on the Pacific coast. Interestingly, no one knows how this park got its name. One favorite theory is that he was an anonymous donor.

Manuel Antonio is a relatively small park that is an island of nature and has become surrounded by development. It is also home to Costa Rica’s two species of sloths and three out of four of Costa Rica’s species of monkeys. This makes the place a major tourist draw.

Our previous two eco-destinations were both relatively small, remote and isolated. Here we have a much larger human population and all that that entails. Our fanciest yet lodging is a six-story hotel that sports two pools and three bars. It is also directly adjacent to the park’s entrance.

The way this park operates reminded me of a bit from an old roadrunner and coyote cartoon. In this bit, at the beginning of the cartoon we see both antagonists lining up to punch in for their respective work shifts. At the end of the toon they also both matter of factly punch out. Here too, the animals only have to host the humans for only first shift.

Unfortunately, Montezuma’s Revenge struck Anne and she could not participate in this activity. As bad as this was it was not the worst. Another couple got Covid and were booted from the tour. They will have to quarantine in country until released.

The day’s nature tour was a bit of a human zoo. Competing guides and their tours were crawling all over each other. It took us two hours to walk one mile. Mind me, it was an exciting two hours, but not one where you ever found yourself alone with nature. Still we did get to see all of the marquee species.