Manuel Antonio National Park is Costa Rica's premier travel destination ...
Travel Costa Rica
Manuel Antonio National Park hotels are some of the finest in Costa Rica ...
Manuel Antonio National Park Hotels
Manuel Antonio National Park is composed of three long strands of white sand and the surrounding cliffs which are covered in jungle vegetation. The primary forest meets the water's edge at Manuel Antonio National Park and it's the only park in Costa Rica to do so. The evergreen forest is a littoral forest and contains different species of tree and plants including a tree called manzanillo. This tree has poisonous fruits that look like little crab apples.
Manuel Antonio National Park was founded in 1972 when it was declared a national park. It was enlarged to 1,625-hectares (4,015-acres) in 2000 but sill remains the second smallest national park in Costa Rica. Although Manuel Antonio National Park is a busy park, it is very beautiful and has a very well-marked trail system through the rainforest and beaches.
There are an abundance of rainforest animals to view in Manuel Antonio National Park and it's easy to access. Manuel Antonio National Park might just be the ultimate travel destination in Costa Rica, as the scenery and wildlife opportunities are outstanding.
Travelers to Manuel Antonio National Park can hire a licensed naturalist guide for a two-hour tour who will have an official i.d. badge and will virtually guarantee that visitors will see wildlife. Prices per person are around US$25.
Manuel Antonio National Park activities , such as hiking, are fairly simple to do on one's own.
Hiking through Manuel Antonio National Park is simple, as the trails are well marked and there are some good views of the Pacific Ocean. The trails lead to the beaches. Manuel Antonio's beaches are clean, wide and lovely.
There are three beaches in Manuel Antonio National Park: Playa Espadilla, Playa Manuel Antonio and Playa Puerto Escondido. The latter requires visitors to hike a further distance but only during low tide. At the furthest beach, visitors can see a semi-circle of rocks that archaeologists believe were arranged by pre-Columbian Indians. It is believed that this arrangement functioned as a turtle trap.
Be sure to get trail information at Manuel Antonio's park ranger and information center, as there are several trails and options for exploring the national park.
Travelers should be prepared to bring their own gear as there are opportunities to sunbathe, snorkel and body surf. Please note that Manuel Antonio National Park is very busy on weekend during high season.
There are tour operators for numerous activities. The operators can take visitors out kayaking, atv-ing, horseback riding, white water rafting, hiking, boating, fishing and so on.
Outside of Manuel Antonio National Park, in the hills that rise, up from the beach are some opportunities to try some adventure activities including horseback riding, mountain biking, white water rafting, and of course there is sea kayaking on the ocean.
Rainmaker Conservation Project is an interesting tourist sight located in the Fila Chonta mountains. There's 6 suspension bridges of aerial walkways and wood boardwalks on the ground. Bring a swim suit, there's river pool for bathing.
Baru National Wildlife Refuge is located near Manuel Antonio National Park. Baru National Wildlife Refuge is a 740-acre refuge with numerous wildlife species including 35- birds, 69 mammals, 94 reptiles, 87 butterflies and 158 species of trees.
Reptilandia Park is also near Manuel Antonio and could be visited on a day trip or on your journey to Dominical. It is only about 10-km (6 mi) before Dominical. Reptilandia Parkis an animal park with caves and tanks where visitors see reptiles. Crocodiles are the big attraction. Go on Friday when the animals are fed.
The closest town to Manuel Antonio is Quepos Costa Rica. Quepos used to be a fishing village but it's the center that now provides services for Manuel Antonio. I've created a page with a map of the town center and list of things to see and do around Quepos.
Manuel Antonio vacation planning resources and tools:
Manuel Antonio National Park hotel options are numerous and there a different budgets for the diverse travelers that come to Manuel Antonio. The accommodation options range from inexpensive youth hostel to luxury hotels.
Quepos Costa Rica is the closest town to Manuel Antonio National Park and is a charming travel destination with awesome ocean views and numerous services and amenities targeted at the traveler.
