Manuel Antonio National Park

By The Mantled HowlerActivities, Beaches, Costa Rica, Nature, Travel, Treks

Manuel Antonio National Park is located a few minutes’ drive from Quepos, on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

Admission

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Admission fees for non locals were $16 US dollars per person at time of filming.

Only soda, water and non alcoholic drinks may be brought into the park. No foods (of any type) can be brought on the premises. If you do get hungry or thirsty, there is a snack bar located near the beach.

The Site

The site is very well maintained and some of the trails lead you into the dense Costa Rican jungle.

Manuel Antonio national Park is teaming with wildlife. Keep your eyes open as you will see animals and insects in unsuspecting places.
If you prefer tranquility, I recommend that you check out Gemelas Beach. Since it is a little bit further out, there is a good chance that you might have the beach pretty much to yourself.

You will almost certainly have multiple encounters in close proximity with the adorable white-faced capuchin monkeys. Don’t let the the capuchin monkey’s cuteness fool you. They will probably try to take something from you when you aren’t watching. Now you know why they don’t allow food in the park.

If, like us, you are lucky, you may just see the endangered and extremely agile squirrel monkeys in action. Squirrel monkeys are somewhat shy but they and are quite fun to watch. They can make some impressive long distance jumps.

The Beach

After all that walking around in the humid jungle, what better than to hit Manuel Antonio beach and go for a refreshing swim in the Pacific ocean? Make sure to keep an eye on your belonging as the white-faced monkeys are always hanging around, waiting for an opportunity to score some loot.

After Your Trek

After your long day of trekking in Manuel Antonio National Park, why not stop for a bite at the El Avion restaurant. There, you can have a drink in one of the Cold war relics of the CIA Iran Contra scandal airplanes. The food is relatively pricy but El Avion is one of those places you will regret not going to. You can even climb into and sit in the cockpit of the Fairchild C-123 relic.

A “Must See”

If you enjoy nature, the jungle, wild life and incredible beaches, Manuel Antonio National Park is definitely a “must see” in Costa Rica.

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