Costa Rica Travel Guide – Manuel Antonio National Park

The beaches, forests, and rocky headlands of Manuel Antonio National Park on Costa Rica’s central Pacific coast are one of the country’s most breathtaking natural attractions. Known for its biodiversity, the park is a magnet for eco-tourists, birders and nature lovers of all kinds.

In addition to its stunning rainforest, the park is home to beautiful beaches and a marine landscape including 12 islands and coral reefs. With a total of 680 hectares, the park is criss-crossed with hiking trails and teems with wildlife from three-toed sloths to white-faced capuchin monkeys.

While the park is a popular destination, visitors need to be prepared for the challenge of hiking in this jungle. The trails are often steep and muddy and the forest is dense, making it difficult to move forward at times. In order to minimize this, guests are encouraged to hire a guide that will help them navigate the trails and find the most interesting animals and plants.

The park has over 350 bird species and is a fantastic location for animal watching, particularly for squirrel monkeys, howler monkeys, two-toed sloths, and other reptiles. Guests can also look out for marine life such as dolphins and migrating whales.

Manuel Antonio National Park has a unique combination of ecosystems that make it one of the most biodiverse spots in the world. The lush rainforest (criss-crossed with trails) is complemented by pristine beaches, mangroves and volcanic-sedimentary rock formations.

As a result of the incredible diversity of plants Manuel Antonio National Park and animals, the park is teeming with exotic fish and sealife and is one of the top diving destinations in the world. In addition, the beaches and coral reefs attract snorkelers.

The area around Manuel Antonio was first settled by the indigenous people of Costa Rica before the Spanish arrived. Later, the region became one of the earliest banana republics where the United Fruit Company exploited its land and native population for profit.

Today, the community of Quepos/Manuel Antonio is a bustling tourism town with a mix of surfers, eco-tourists, families and local ticos. The town’s diversity is reflected in its restaurants, hotels and diverse cultural events.

Be sure to purchase your park tickets online before visiting. There are a lot of hucksters and scammers at the park entrance so purchasing your tickets ahead of time ensures that you will be able to enter the park. This is especially important during the high season months of December through April, and June through August.