We invite you to travel to a paradise in Costa Rica on the Pacific coast. This is a national park named Manuel Antonio. Here you will find virgin beaches with crystal clear waters, sunshine 365 days a year, and warm people. What more could you want?
This natural wonder is located in the province of Puntarenas, 130 kilometers from San José, the capital. The closest town is Quepos and is located a little over 7 kilometers. One of the main characteristics of this park is that biodiversity reigns in this place.
A jungle mountain is the one that separates Quepos from the entrance to the national park and to access it it is necessary to travel along a tiny and picturesque road. The route is covered by a kind of tunnel created by the foliage where you can see the iguanas that are walking peacefully.
Ten minutes are enough to leave the concrete jungle (city) and find yourself in front of a gate that announces the entrance to Manuel Antonio, where a chorus of tropical birds is in charge of welcoming you. Inside you can see a large number of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and a wide variety of plants, trees and flowers.
One of the animals that lives the most with tourists is the capuchin monkey (Cebus capucinus). They pose for the cameras and can even peek through the backpacks because it attracts a lot of attention. For this reason, we recommend that you be very careful with your belongings.
Entering paradise, when you do not have Costa Rican nationality, costs around US $ 16, which is definitely worth paying! Once inside you can tour the park on your own, although there are also companies that offer guided tours. This, however, comes at an extra cost.
There are 4 beaches that are located on the limits of the reserve and that attract most of its visitors: Escondido, Espadilla, Manuel Antonio, and Playita. All are surrounded by jungle, white sand and you will see the odd animals that has learned to share space with human beings.
This is one of the smallest parks in Costa Rica. The importance of this place is that it houses an impressive amount of flora and fauna. People who visit this reserve can choose between exploring the jungle, snorkeling, zip-lining or simply lounging on the sand.
How to get there?
The bus ride from San José to Quepos is very beautiful. If you prefer to save yourself that time, you can fly on a local airline. The flight lasts about 20 minutes.
