Travel Review: Tour of Costa Rica & Panama, Panama City, Tortuguero, Manuel Antonio, Arenal Volcano Tour, Crocodile Safari

Tortuguero outstanding. It is an out-of-the way destination and we would not have thought about it on our own. We took the boat in and flew out. The hotel was nice, uncrowded,with good food, pressed napkins, and fresh pineapple juice. Wish I had bought a tee shirt--didn't realize so few people went there. Saw sloths and monkeys swinging across the canal. . 

The crocodile tour was an unexpected delight. The guide gave us a brochure with bird pictures and numbers and identified the birds by number so they were easy to find on the brochure. Lunch was great!. Wish I had bought souveniers there.

Both the Arenal Volcano and Hanging Bridges hikes were informative. It rained for the latter. Our guide recommended umbrellas not just ponchos. This was a great idea and kept rain out of our faces. Both tours had watermelon and pineapple at the end.

Enjoyed the hot springs at our hotel. Rooms are not in main building and it rained while we were there. No fresh juice at breakfast. Best meal was in fine dining room which is only open for dinner. No pressed napkins or cloths in any of the restaurants. The rescued animal program was very interesting. 

El Parador has a self-service laundry, a nice vigorous 1.5 mi. walk on the grounds. The small restaurant near the adult pool was good and fast. Breafast included 2 fresh juices and all meals had pressed linens.

At Manuel Antonio some of the guides were not attentive to the bad behavior of guests trying to touch the animals.

The mangrove boat was very interesting and the causal dinner was great! The driver to the site stopped for me to take photos of the Palm oil trees. 

All drivers and guides were on time, exceptionally nice, informed, courteous, and very thoughtful. Several stopped when we saw animals and birds so we could take photos. 

The Canal and the Canal museum were very interesting. We learned a lot about the Canal and Panama City. 

Our travel agency did an excellent job planning the trip and facilitating it.