Honestly we were worried, not only about the short day on the beach but also about its condition. We didn't book a hotel ahead of time, we figured we can negotiate better rate on the spot and we were right. The price went down from 140$ a night to 55$ and we ended up renting a place with a view of the water, studio style with its own kitchen and best of all walking distance to a small grocery store aka "the super." Our first night we woke up at 5 am to the cacophony of howler monkeys and watched the sunrise from the hammock bed. Kids found a small house gecko that kept them occupied through the morning. 

Manuel Antonio National Park is famous for its wildlife, where people come to see three different species of monkeys, sloths and other tropical wildlife. When you first arrive to the park tour guides pressure you to hire their services but we powered through it not wanting to loose precious sunlight. We were rewarded with a beach to ourselves for hours until the guided tours spilled out onto the white sand. 

The beach didn't disappoint, the water was almost hot, the hermit crabs were fun to play with, we even had an encounter with a raccoon trying to eat the last of our pringles. Leo and Matt tried to catch the waves, Zosia played at the edge of the surf and I took pictures to remember the day. 

Manuel Antonio is a very touristy town so you have plenty of options for food, hotels and various activities. We even thought for a day to stay there for longer and went on a short house search.  We found a beautiful beach home in a gated compound, but we decided the beach was not the best place for the kids. We also discovered while visiting the beach is wonderful, it does not give you a sense of the "Real" Costa Rica. For that you must travel inland and get lost in a vintage Land cruiser.  

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