saltwatersteve.com/travel

Woke up early, packed up our stuff and we backpacked in to the info center where we found out the camping area is really only 100m inside the park, not 4km as we had been prepared for. So we decided not to camp another night and to just explore and leave. First, we ditched our big packs in Margita, and took the MMT (our daypack). We went to see the thermal stuff and a waterfall and ate lunch on one trail. There we saw more capuchins and a group of about 5 toucans. Back at the entrance there lives a very tame coati who is every tourist’s movie star. Then we changed into our bathing suits for a 5k hike to the swimming hole- la Catarata la Cangreja. This must-see waterfall is 30 ft tall, falling into a perfect aquamarine pool, also some thermal springs flowing in there as well, so we could warm up when we were too chilled by the water. We got about 20 mins at the waterfall before we had to boogie because the park was closing. Got into Liberia where we got the nicest room at a hotel ($16 - with private cold shower and mosquito net), cleaned up and went to dinner at a restaurant recommended by Dennis (hotel guy). There I had casada con bistek again (for comparison) - not as good as before. Meghan had arroz de maiz - didn’t get a real welcome feeling from the locals here. It was pouring as we left and tried to stay dry as we grabbed some postre on the way back to our suite.