Parasailing view of Isla Larga

While planning my trip to Quepos and Manuel Antonio, I was astounded by the sheer volume of things to do and places to see – the possibilities seemed endless. Since I couldn’t manage to do it all in a mere nine days, I was going to enjoy as much as humanly possible. Two and three activities were crammed into each day of my agenda, and I hoped that I could drink enough coffee to keep me awake through it all.

Fortunately, the Costa Rican sun provided more than enough motivation, and I found myself not jumping, but soaring out of bed to greet the bright skies each morning. I managed to taste a little bit of everything the area has to offer, from soothing spa treatments to heart-pounding adventure tours.

Waterfall Rappelling

Although the trip had begun with a bumpy flight, I was pleased that the unsettling turbulence was no harbinger of doom. On the contrary, I met fascinating people and made some incredible friends out of complete strangers during my travels.

On my first day in Quepos, I zoomed along countryside in an All Terrain Vehicle (ATV). This was followed by whitewater rafting down the Savegre River, where my indestructible raft plunged through Class III rapids. I went scuba diving and had a spellbinding day of sport fishing that yielded six sailfish, each tipping the scales at 120 pounds (despite the photographs, not even my mother believes that I reeled them in by myself). After such intense activity, a two-hour body awareness massage was just what the doctor ordered for a mid-week jolt in energy levels.

120-pound sailfish

Next on the itinerary came one of the major highlights of my trip, and something I will daydream about for the rest of my life: parasailing. Floating high in the clouds above Manuel Antonio’s dramatic coastline, I was connected to the earth by nothing more than two long ropes and a parachute for my blissful 15-minute flight. The experience gave me a feeling of complete peace and tranquility akin to meditation, much like yoga or surfing.

By day eight, it was time to get my adrenaline pumping again by rappelling down a 90-foot tropical waterfall. After climbing up the rock face once and catapulting down twice, I “monkey dropped” down an insane 45-foot plunge straight into a freshwater pool.

Manuel Antonio sunset

When the ninth day rolled around, I was not ready to go home – but definitely in need of a long sleep. Every muscle group ached with that feel-good soreness that can only come from action and exercise, and I left the Central Pacific with a slew of vibrant photographs and fond memories.

Stay tuned for all 9 days of my adventures!

Day 1: ATVs, Tattoos and Airplanes
Day 2: Whitewater Rafting the Savegre River
Day 3: Diving the Central Pacific
Day 4: Parasailing Manuel Antonio
Day 5: Sport Fishing Success!
Day 6: A Manuel Antonio Massage
Day 7: A Manuel Antonio Walk in the Park
Day 8: Waterfall Rappelling – the Ultimate Rush
Day 9: Coconuts and Banana Boats

For more trip planning information, see our Manuel Antonio and Quepos travel guide.