This was our first venture to the Osa Peninsula and the wildlife viewing was worth the drive(5 hours from Manuel Antonio). Casa Dos Rios was a beautiful and well-crafted beach home, the open air design brought it's own adventures. The highlight would have to be finding a young brown four-eyed opossum in my suitcase! The drive to Carate is worth it and you'll really feel like you're at the end of the road when you arrive. We saw over 500 Scarlet Macaws and hundreds of Howler monkeys during the week. A Tamandua anteater and Spider monkeys rounded out the wildlife viewing.

Thanks to Melanie and Kim for the rental of their beautiful home! (www.casadosrios.com)