He stared at me determinedly, curling his fingers around the railing as I sipped my early morning coffee on the balcony. As soon as I jumped into my room to grab my camera, he pounced on the outdoor table, stuffing my leftover waffle into his mouth and then ripping open sugar packets and sucking in the sweet powder. When I returned, the spider monkey grabbed a jam-streaked plate before scampering down the building’s support posts. Good morning, Costa Rica!
My extended family and I chose Costa Rica for a beach and wildlife vacation, and that’s what we got. At all-inclusive Dreams Las Mareas, El Jobo Beach, Guanacaste Province, spider monkeys greeted us every morning. The country, a mecca for wildlife lovers and eco-adventurers, protects nearly 28% of its land as national parks, refuges and reserves for hundreds of species of mammals, birds and reptiles.
