Location: Manuel Antonio National Park is located in Puntarenas Province, Canton de Aguirre, Costa Rica.
Cost: $16 each (foreigners)
Time: 7 am - 4 pm (closed on Mondays). Plan on spending the 4-9 hours here.
Description: The beaches are about a 30-minute walk from the entrance. It isn't a tough walk, and wooden walkways are used to help keep the trail free of encroaching vegetation.
Playa Manuel Antonio is known for its beautiful views of rocky outcroppings edged with leafy vegetation from the encroaching rain forest. Visitors can spend as long as they want bathing in the warm waters while bobbing in the relatively tranquil waves, swimming, snorkeling, exploring the hidden jungle trails and taking pictures of the ever-present wildlife. We saw Capuchin monkeys, raccoons, sloths, agoutis and various birds. Just make sure someone is guarding your stuff because the monkeys and raccoons will steal it. Not might, WILL - if left unattended. In fact, they are so clever, there is a good chance they'll make off with something even if it is guarded. They sometimes work in pairs, one distracting a guest while his partner grabs a lunch bag or whatever is handy.
Since Playa Manuel Antonio is the closest and most popular beach, it is also the most crowded. If you want a more solitary or adventurous experience, head to the other side of the peninsula to Playa Espadilla Sur. Not only is it less crowded, the waves are bigger and more powerful. This can be a good thing or a bad thing - depending on what kind of experience you are looking for. This is also a popular beach for surfers. Both beaches are covered with soft, white sand making them the perfect place to just sit and relax.
In between the beaches is a wooden observation tower. It is about 50 meters high and offers a nice view of the surrounding area.
The beaches are divided by a strip of rain forest with trails that head up to the Punta Catedral 0.9 mile loop trail - which crawl up and down the large bluff jutting out of the sea at the end of the peninsula. While hiking along the jungle trails, you often can't see the beach even though it is usually less than 50 yards away. On the other hand, you are more likely to run across some of the shyer wildlife - such as sloths and agoutis.
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| agouti |
Things You Should Know: - Take cash; there is a fee for using a credit card.
- There are bathrooms up the trail from the beaches where visitors can change into bathing suits or vice-versa. This might be a big deal for someone those with bathing suits that aren't well suited to walking since it is about a half hour walk to and from the beach.
- Things to bring: swimsuit, sun screen, insect repellent, towels, drinking water, hat, sunglasses and hiking sandals. If you bring food, make sure it is zipped up tight and guarded; otherwise it will be stolen. For this reason, certain food items, like chips and peanuts, are not allowed.
- For more information on hiking trails within the park click here.
- If you go during the rainy season (May - November), be prepared for intense rain storms which occur almost daily - usually in the afternoon. Bring a poncho or waterproof pack and try to hit the park early to try and take as much advantage of the time as possible, while beating the crowds and getting a better view of the wildlife.
- When you go in the water, try and stay near other swimmers and keep an eye on conditions as riptides can occur.
- Because of environmental restrictions, most hotels do not have direct beach access. Instead, they are set up on the cliffs where they have superb views of the outlying area. There are public and hotel shuttles that take visitors to the park entrance.
- If you came to see animals, the best time is in the morning. You can book a tour with a local naturalist who will know the best spots to find them. To guarantee a good experience at a reasonable price, only use guides certified by the ICT (Instituto Costarricense de Turismo).
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| capuchin |
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| sloth |
