Isla Contadora is a Panamanian island on the Pearl Islands archipelago in the Gulf of Panama. Contadora was the island where the Spanish counted the pearls that were harvested from the other islands in the archipelago, hence the name of the island, which means "the one that counts" in Spanish.
Sunrise over Panama City while waiting for our ferry to the island
Transportation on the island
Gorgeous beaches
This 34,800 acre (14,084 ha) national park in the Guanacaste Region of Costa Rica is home to an intriguing combination of volcanic geological wonders and pristine tropical forests. The main attraction is the smooth cinder cone volcano, Rincón de la Vieja (6217 ft., 1895 m), comprised of nine contiguous craters that dot the volcanic national park. This collection of volcanic peaks are the most active in the Guanacaste Mountains (Cordillera de Guanacaste), where major volcanic activity occurred during the latter half of the 1960's. The Von Seebach crater is still currently active, continually venting steam and the occasional volcanic hiccup.
Traffic en route to Rincón de la Vieja
Geothermal hot springs
Volcanic mud
Butterflies
Woodpeckers
Hummingbirds
A naturally occurring blue-tinted river
Mount Tolmie is a beautiful, easily accessed mountain in Victoria with 360 degree views. On a clear day, you can spot Mount Baker far off in the distance in the US. There are some short trails and a huge, flat topped water reservoir to walk on.
Mount Tolmie is located near the University of Victoria, Oak Bay and Beach Drive. Its location makes it a popular stop before or after driving the beautiful Beach Drive coastal route and ending at Beacon Hill Park in downtown Victoria.
Playa Grande is a beach town on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica just north of Tamarindo. Playa Grande is internationally popular as one of Costa Rica’s best surfing spots as well as being home to Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas, the nesting ground of the largest marine reptile, the Leatherback Turtle; the second largest nesting area for the Leatherback and Ridley Turtles in the world.
Playa Conchal is located in the Province of Guanacaste. It is one of the only Costa Rican Pacific Coast beaches with crystal clear water, similar to that of famed beaches along the Caribbean. The sands of Playa Conchal are comprised of the remnants of millions of crushed conch shells.
Collecting shells
Accessing the beach by car with play-by-play commentary from the kids.
Travelers say the beach at Playa Flamingo is one of their all-time favorites in Costa Rica: pure white sand, amazing Pacific Ocean views.
TripAdvisor, Travelers' Choice® 2012 Winner
Howler monkeys are among the largest of the New World monkeys. Fifteen species are currently recognized…These monkeys are native to South and Central American forests… As their name suggests, vocal communication forms an important part of their social behavior. They each have an enlarged basihyal or hyoid bone which helps them make their loud vocalizations. Group males generally call at dawn and dusk, as well as interspersed times throughout the day. The main vocals consist of loud, deep guttural growls or "howls". Howler monkeys are widely considered to be the loudest land animal. According to Guinness Book of World Records, their vocalizations can be heard clearly for 3 mi (4.8 km). The function of howling is thought to relate to intergroup spacing and territory protection, as well as possibly to mate-guarding.
Increase your volume to hear the deep guttural growls or "howls" in this video.