The drive from Tabacon to Dominical was doused with bouts of torrential rain that made the journey tense. Not only was it hard to see at times, the roads quickly become shallow rivers that hid potholes and other lurking dangers - and once again, we were thankful we decided to hire someone else to do the driving.
About halfway we stopped to unclamp our driver Danny’s fingers from the steering wheel and have lunch at a popular tourist spot. The restaurant sits across from the Rio Grande de Tarcoles river where people crowd along the bridge to peer down at big, gnarly crocodiles. On this particularly stormy afternoon, they looked miserable as they held their ground in the churning water. Or maybe they were loving it. Hard to know with crocodiles.
Our final destination was the Villa Rio Mar resort, about a mile outside the sleepy surfer town of Dominical. Our only reason to stop there was the same neighbor who suggested we tough it out and rent a car had really liked this place - and we wanted her to know we were following her suggestions. Except for the car bit. It turned out to be a fine place to park for two nights and enjoy the pool and the resident wildlife.
The Villas Rio Mar sits along a river that leads to the ocean and is only a fifteen minute walk to Dominical.
We took a walk along the river into the quaint town of Domincal where we found a collection of bars, restaurants, surf shops of course, and an open market dedicated to hippie-wear, smoking paraphernalia, jewelry, and crafts. We had a surprisingly good lunch at a Tiki joint called La Junta (crazy local beers, amazing french fries, and no beans and rice in sight). We finished up with a stroll on the mostly deserted beach.
The rooms at the resort opened onto a jungle setting and allowed wildlife spotting from your porch. We just had to be sure and close the doors when we left to avoid unexpected furry guests rummaging through our luggage, or lizards lurking under the bed.
The resort definitely delivered on its promise that you’d see a lot of animals. From our bungalow we could see small, unidentified monkeys in the trees and we could hear Howlers in the distance. Agouti, coati, and iguanas wandered freely around the grounds. And I could have watched parades of Leaf Ants for hours. Dusk brought out mouse-sized bats that swooped so low you had to dodge them, and on our last morning, a rowdy flock of Keel-Billed Toucans took up residence to lecture us from treetops.
This is a picture of Keel-Billed Toucans - I couldn’t get a picture clear enough to show how beautiful they are up close. They are incredibly noisy birds, but fun to watch as they hop up and down as they squawk!
After two days of R & R we were ready to move on to our next destination. This time Danny send a friend from Dominical to drive us because it was just a half an hour drive to our Airbnb in Quepos, near Manual Antonio National Park.
I picked our Airbnb because many of the reviews talked about the birds and animals that hung around the six-unit condominium complex, and they were right! We saw more Toucans, and once again we could hear Howler Monkeys nearby. A long, fat, black-striped lizard hung out on the porch as if he owned the place and pair of Scarlet McCaws screeched as they flew overhead every morning, but they didn’t stop by. Perhaps best of all, a lively troop of Squirrel Monkeys often played in the trees above the pool.
You know I love monkeys, so when they finally decided to swing by to visit our place I was in heaven! I would have missed them if I hadn’t woken up at 5:30 in the morning and couldn’t go back to sleep. The sun was already up at that hour, so I wandered outside and heard some rustling in the leaves of the nearby trees. I looked closer and there were at least a dozen little monkeys swinging gracefully from branch to branch.
Our host had said you can leave fruit for them as long as it’s something they could find in the forest (no human food including bananas) so I’d bought a mango just for this purpose. I carefully set some chunks down and then sat back with my coffee to see what would happen.
Once they saw the prize they began to creep closer. First up one tree and then across to another until they were on the roof of the house next door. They sat and stared for a bit and then lined up behind a large male and one by one they jumped onto our roof.
I could hear them scurrying around and I suddenly realized that a dozen or more curious (and hungry) monkeys were about to descend on me! But only the bravest four actually dropped onto the veranda. One was a beautiful female with a baby clutching her back.
I’m glad she wasn’t interested in my AirPods!
By now Michael was up and quietly came to watch the show. They jumped onto the table, played on the rocking chair, and peered in the windows. What they didn’t do was eat the fruit! They picked it up and gave it a sniff and then put it right back down. Who knew there was such a thing as a picky monkey! They stayed for about ten minutes and then moved along. It was one of the highlights of the trip for me!
During this last week in Costa Rica we knew we’d be visiting Manuel Antonio National Park, a small and very popular place so we booked an Airbnb Experience to make the excursion easy. No worries about snagging entry tickets or navigating how to get there.
Our Airbnb Experience was called All-Inclusive Manual Antonio. The cost was $60 per person and that included your entrance fee and a snack. You do not have to be staying in an Airbnb to book an Experience. Check them out when you are in a new city - there are always unique activities provided by local hosts.
We were picked up at our place, driven seven miles to the park, and connected with our guide, Mop. He was great. He whisked right past the lines and we found a big male sloth right off the bat. And we finally saw Howler and Capuchin monkeys. There were plenty of colorful birds, lizards and bright red land crabs, and finally, a very American-looking deer that looked a bit lost. We were also treated to a “rare” sighting of the very shy Squirrel Monkey. Really? We ended the day on the beach and enjoyed bobbing in the warm Pacific Ocean as our last commune with Costa Rican nature. Pura Vida.
Danny picked us up in Quepos and drove us back to San Jose on a scenic route that wound from sea level to over 2,200 feet! We stopped for locally harvested and roasted coffee at La Casita del Cafe in Atenas and an incredible view over the valley.
I enjoyed coffee and the view while Danny and Michael indulged in Motorcycle fantasies. The restaurant is a popular stop for bikers since the road is steep and winding - both up one side and down the other.
Three hours later we reached San Jose and said our fond farewells. I am serious when I suggest you ditch the rental car idea and hire “Danny the Driver” to escort you and your companions around Costa Rica. To reach him call +506 8854 5969. He is also on WhatsApp at that number. Tell him the Senior Nomads sent you.
We spent our last night at a small “resort” near the airport called The Hotel Villa San Ignacio It had a nice pool surrounded by lush gardens and was definitely more enjoyable than your standard airport hotel.
After two weeks and five destinations, we left Costa Rica feeling slightly underwhelmed. Maybe, because of built-up anticipation, expectations were too high. It was certainly a more expensive country than we anticipated. From that standpoint, we wondered why it consistently makes the Top 10 Places to Retire. Of course, we are glad we went and will always cherish the memories and friendships we made. Next stop - Cartagena, Columbia!
Thanks for following along,
Debbie and Michael Campbell