Costa Rica Area Info: Costa Rica's National Parks: Costa Rica Photos

Traveling Through Costa Rica: Manuel Antonio National Park

Manuel Antonio National Park

Manuel Antonio Beach

Manuel Antonio, the beach.

A visit to any tropical country is not really complete without at least one trip to the beach. Especially when it’s one of the most incredible beaches in the world. Quepos, the base for visiting Manuel Antonio National Park, is admittedly becoming overrun with hotels – they now stretch all the way down the 7 kilometer road leading to the park. The good news is that the area which everyone is there to see, Playa Manuel Antonio beach, is controlled and protected.

Closed on Mondays, there is an entrance fee of $7 (as of March 2007)and only a limited number of people can enter each day, so get there early. The one major drawback of the beach is that it is quite a distance from any of the hotels. The park itself is quite small and covers only 1,700 hectares, but the walk from the entrance is full of beauty and (without a doubt) wildlife. 

Trails lead visitors through the national park and if you plan to hike around instead of just lie on the beach, bring a good set of walking shoes, or at least sturdy sandals. A circular hike around a tall outcropping will take you to Punta Catedral (Cathedral Point) which provides a breathtaking view of the Pacific’s blue water, rocky islands offshore and the rainforest directly below you.

There are actually three idyllic beaches within the park, Puerto Escondido, Playa Espadrillo and the most popular - Manuel Antonio. On the way to any of the three beaches, you will certainly discover bright pink flowers, purple and orange crabs, as well as countless monkeys. Both squirrel monkeys and white-faced monkeys inhabit the park, but squirrel monkeys are rarely spotted.

White-faced monkeys on the other hand, are everywhere and some visitors consider them to be pests. Accustomed to tourists and tamed by their never-ending presence, these monkeys have no fear. It is not uncommon for them to approach you. I even saw one monkey dig through a lady’s knapsack while she took a mid-day swim.

Manuel Antonio’s sandy beach makes basking in the sun a pleasure. The calm, blue water invites swimmers and is often clear enough to encourage snorkeling. Crescent shaped, the beach is bordered by rocky sections where the tide catches and creates slippery pools of water that beg to be explored. 

It may be more crowded than it has been in past years, but this Costa Rica National Park ensures that the rainforest, its inhabitants and its beaches remain moderately untouched. Signs of development within the actual park are limited.