Turkey Vulture Eggs!

During one of our hikes in the rainforest surrounding Arenas Del Mar in Manuel Antonio, we found some Turkey Vulture eggs on the ground. Our Naturalist Guide, Ersel, explains that the Turkey Vulture is a bird that eats dead animals and has a better smell sense than another species of vultures. They have a very strong digestive system that allows them to eat dead animals with bacteria of anthrax and cholera without any problem.

Beware of Monkeys!

All transportation within the Arenas Del Mar Nature Reserve (11 acres in total) is either by walking or golf carts. But our cart drivers need to be extremely careful and make sure there are no accidents with iguanas or monkeys crossing the road. So far all went well. No other luxury hotel in Manuel Antonio combines the rainforest location with direct access to two beaches and spectacular views of the National Park.

Green Short Nose Vine Snake in the Reserve!

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This week, our Naturalist Guide at the hotel, Ersel, found a green short nose vine snake in the Arenas del Mar reserve. This is not a snake that attacks humans, but is beautiful to watch as it gracefully goes up and down the trees. Its preferred prey are lizards and frogs and it is quite active even during the day as it is very well camouflaged with its green color. There is an onsite guide available at Arenas Del Mar to explore the nearby Flora and Fauna or to take a private tour to the Manuel Antonio National Park, one of Costa Rica’s most famous national parks.

Turtles at Playitas Beach!

In late December, we had a nest of turtles hatch at Arenas del Mar’s Playitas Beach. It is quite unusual for turtles to hatch in the Manuel Antonio area and there have not been sightings of turtles at Playitas in a few years. Hopefully the work of the hotel to keep the beach and its waters clean and undisturbed will help to make turtle hatchings more common again. Arenas Del Mar Beach & Nature Resport borders the maritime protection zone of Manuel Antonio National Park and is the only upscale hotel in Manuel Antonio that has direct beach access to two beaches for its guests.