A half hour fun boat ride through the mangroves takes you to Monkey River village where you head upriver into pristine rain forest. Expect to see crocodiles, huge iguanas on tree branches sunning themselves, turtles, and many species of tropical birds. Upriver, your licensed guide will lead you into the rain forest in search of howler monkeys. Nothing you read could prepare you for the adventure of hearing these monkeys for the first time...you just have to experience it! On this mellow hike, your guide will also point out the different plants and trees many of which are used as medicine by local bush doctors. As your hike through the jungle further from the river you may spot gibnuts (now known as royal rat since Queen Elizabeth dined on it), deer, ocelots, peccaries, tapirs, coatimundis and agoutis.

Buy a genuine Kriol lunch at Miss Alice’s restaurant in Monkey River before heading out on a manatee watch on the way back to Placencia.