I visited Manuel Antonio National Park almost accidentally. I was en route from Jaco to Dominical and decided to take a last-minute detour through Quepos, which turned out to be one of the best parts of the trip.
Manuel Antonio is Costa Rica’s most popular national park, but there’s a strict cap on how many guests can visit per day, so making reservations early in high season between December and April is a must. The park is also closed on Tuesdays. Even though the logistics might seem like a bit of a pain, Manuel Antonio National Park is well worth visiting.
Sloth in Manuel Antonio National Park (Image Credit: Elizabeth Lavis)
Tons of Wildlife
Visit the park, and you’re almost guaranteed to see some wildlife, be it elusive sloths peeking out of the canopy, lime-colored iguanas, or white-faced capuchin monkeys. Hike through places like Punta Cathedral, and you’ll hear deep-throated howler monkeys before you see them. There’s also plenty of vibrant avian life, like toucans and tiny, jewel-bright hummingbirds. Plus, many of these animals are right on the well-marked trails, so you don’t have to venture very far at all to tick off all of Costa Rica’s top creatures on your journey through the park.
Manuel Antonio works as a self-guided experience, but hiring a guide with access to a powerful telescope and a keen eye for the critters will increase your chances of seeing some really cool stuff.
Blissful Beaches
You’ll enter Manuel Antonio National Park on the main drag, near a number of coffee shops, souvenir places, and restaurants. Your first stretch is pure tropical rainforest, wandering down a well-marked, nicely maintained main trail dotted with guides positioning telescopes to get that perfect visual of a three-toed sloth.
The final stretch, after you pass a concession stand and some opportunistic capuchin monkeys, is the most incredible beach you’ve ever seen. Espadilla Sur and Playa Manuel Antonio are both part of the park: soft, gentle white sand beaches backed by dark jungle green, spreading into crystal clear waters. The water is balmy, calm, and ideal for that post-hike swim.
Nearby Jaco Beach (Image Credit: Elizabeth Lavis)
Easy To Get To
If you fly into San Jose (Juan Santamaría International Airport), you’ll be roughly three and a half hours from Manuel Antonio. The roads are paved, easy to navigate, and take you past other points of interest that you can check out along the way.
Also, Manuel Antonio is a logical place to stop before continuing up, or down, the Central Pacific Coast. Head south and you’ll hit Dominical and the Osa Peninsula, and head north for the party town of Jaco.
Accessible Main Trails
Many of the park’s main trails, such as the Manglar Trail, are wheelchair accessible. The trails themselves are well-maintained and fairly flat, although if you want more of a challenge, you can veer off to places like Punta Cathedral. This setup makes Manuel Antonio an inclusive and enjoyable experience for people of all mobility levels.
El Avión in Manuel Antonio (Image Credit: Elizabeth Lavis)
Sip a Pint in Iran-Contra History
While not in the park itself, El Avión is just up the hill, and it’s a spot you’ll definitely want to stop at while visiting Manuel Antonio National Park. This restaurant houses a full Fairchild C-123 cargo plane, a relic of the Reagan-era Iran-Contra scandal, and you can sit directly in the cockpit.
If you’re not familiar with the story, no worries. There’s an information sign right outside the plane’s entrance. Plus, the aircraft itself is only one small part of the restaurant. Check out the rest of the place for views over the park.
Plenty of Places to Stay
You’ll likely want to get an early start seeing the park, particularly if you travel there during the high season. Fortunately, there are tons of places to stay. Budget-conscious travelers will find hostel dorms starting at roughly 14 euros a night, but there are also splashier options like boutique hotels and resorts. If you don’t mind a bit of a journey in, consider staying in comparably cheaper Quepos, which is only a fifteen-minute bus ride away.
Have you been to Manuel Antonio National Park? Tell me why you’d suggest people visit or skip in the comments.
<p>The post Why Manuel Antonio National Park Is Costa Rica’s Premier Destination: 6 Reasons to Visit first appeared on Travelbinger.</p>