Manuel Antonio National Park - not for the masses
If you like to do more than surfing on your Costa Rica vacation, take some days or even weeks off and travel from National Park to National Park. One highlight is Manuel Antonio.
Established in 1972, Manuel Antonio quickly became known as one of the most beautiful and bio-diverse areas in the world. Although it is the country’s smallest national park, its 683 hectares is unequaled regarding the diversity of wildlife.
Within the Manuel Antonio National Park you’ll find a beautiful combination of rain forest, beaches and coral reefs. The forest is home for sloths, iguanas, the rare and adorable squirrel monkeys and millions of colorful little crabs. And the trail that winds around Punta Catedral affords some spectacular views. The park is easy to reach, south of the town of Quepos.
The park’s infrastructure is well adopted, and there are voices like “It is, however, wide open to the tourists and therefore you are getting the clinically clean, safe, Disneyworld-version of the rain forest: sidewalks, safety signs, guides with telescopes and all that. (see Gadling). To be honest: they don’t complain, but suggest to hire a guide to show you the places outside of the beaten path…
From the Manuel Antonio website:
Visiting the park, one is treated to an abundant diversity of wildlife. Cathedral Point, with its forest topped cliffs was once an island, but is now connected to the coast by a thin strip of island. This land bridge now forms the spine separating the parks two most popular beaches, Playa Espadilla Sur and Playa Manuel Antonio.
The southern facing beach, Playa Manuel Antonio, is a picturesque half mile long, white sand crescent bisecting deep green foliage to one side and a private, secluded cove to the other.
Standing with your feet dug into the sand and watching the wave crash against the rocks on either side of the lagoon, it is easy to believe that you are a thousand miles from anywhere.
How to get there:
There is a regularly scheduled air service through Sansa Airlines from San Josè. It is a three and a half hour or more, drive by car or bus from San José depending on the weather and traffic. Direct buses leave from Coca Cola bus terminal in San José three times a day. These are large, comfortable Mercedes buses.
If you are renting a car it is advisable to rent a 4X4 vehible because certain sections of the road can be difficult.
Bus service between Quepos’ main terminal and the national park departs every half hour from 5:00 am. till 10:00 pm. And is less than $0.40.
The Manuel Antonio National Park entrance fee is US$6 per person. Children under 12 free. Hours: 7am. to 4pm. Closed on Monday.
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