Manuel Antonio National Park: Where Vibrant Rain Forest Plunges to the Sea

By Noreen Kompanik
Senior Writer

“Oh my gosh” I shrieked with excitement. “I can’t believe I am here and seeing this!”

I was in Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio (Manuel Antonio National Park), Costa Rica’s crown jewel due to its idyllic combination of verdant forest, white-sand beaches, coral reefs, mangroves, flora, and local wildlife.

And what was I witnessing? A family of Capuchin white-faced monkeys just put on a show for us – hissing, wrestling, and rolling wildly on a footbridge before catapulting limb from limb into the tree canopy overhead. A few brave ones hung behind like little beggars hoping for a treat.

About the National Park

Manuel Antonio National Park, located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica is one of the country’s smallest national parks though it spans 1,983 acres. The tropical paradise is renowned for its incredible biodiversity and beauty and our family found it to be the perfect size park to explore in a day.

Few parks boast a coastal location but Manuel Antonio has several pristine beaches, perfect for swimming, sunbathing, and snorkeling. But my family and I weren’t necessarily here with a goal of beach time.

We were accompanied to this awe-inspiring park by our private local naturalist guide, Daniel Bolaños, who is also a professional photographer. He provided the history and inside scoop of this impressive national park established in 1972 to conserve and protect its unique rainforest ecosystems and promote sustainable tourism.

In support of that sustainability effort, the park only sells a limited number of tickets each day, and reservations must be made in advance.

Everyone receives a trail map with a paid entry and though it’s not mandatory to have a guide to enter the park, a guided tour is the way to go.

Hitting the Trails

The park offers 10 well-maintained hiking trails that wind through lush forests and provide numerous opportunities to spot wildlife. The trails vary in difficulty, making them accessible for various fitness levels. The joy of hiking in Manuel Antonio National Park is not just about the animal sightings but the incredible stunning vistas along the coastline from the miradors (lookout points).

Though we mostly stayed on fairly level footing, some of our explorations led us to a few more adventurous pathways. These more challenging pathways however led to even more spectacular wildlife sightings.

Animals and Other Park Inhabitants

Visitors to the National Park should plan to arrive in the morning to see the most wildlife. Expect to see monkeys – lots of monkeys!

There are three different types of simians within the park – howlers, recognizable by their bulging throats and loud calls, cute but ornery white-faced Capuchins, and the elusive endangered squirrel monkeys, small and agile and moving in groups. This is one of the only places in the world where nature lovers will see squirrel monkeys in the wild.

Sloths are common here in the park – both two-toed and three-toed species but they camouflage so well into their natural environment and barely move making them a challenge to spot.

Luckily, our guide had a telescope and located a few that we could see up close.

Additionally, these local guides are well-versed in the places where wildlife typically prefers to hang out.

As we rounded the bend on one of the trails, a group of coatis (pointy-nosed raccoon-like animals), were foraging on the ground and competing for the fruits and seeds that had fallen from the trees, completely indifferent to having human beings near them.

Bird life in San Antonio National Park is an abundant and main attraction. We were fortunate to have spotted brilliantly-colored scarlet macaws, toucans, and parrots, along with zippy little
hummingbirds and so many others.

Numerous butterfly species including the famous blue morpho fluttered through the foliage. We were also treated to iguanas basking in the sun, not the mention the tree frogs, crabs, and a host of other creatures including many insects foreign to us.

Colorful poison dart frogs hopping along the forest floor were absolutely fascinating to me but they are one of the most dangerous amphibians in the world. They can be found in a wide range of colors from yellows to reds, blues, greens and oranges. And while they are tiny (only one inch in size), their skin is incredibly toxic. But their beautiful colors warn other wildlife to stay away.

Tropical Plants

Though I’ve been to other tropical destinations around the world, there were some plant species here in Manuel Antonio National Park that I had never seen before.

I was expecting the ferns, palms and orchids blooming all throughout the park and in the undergrowth, but I loved the exotic bromeliads, vibrant African tulips and other colorful jungle plants dotting the trails.

Our guide shared that there are 346 plant species found within the National Park border alone.

The one to watch out for is the manchineel tree also known as the “beach apple” or little apple of death” tree.

These are common in the park, especially along the beaches and you may see the tiny green apples underneath on the ground. The trees are toxic to touch and there are warning signs throughout the park so visitors will heed the serious advice.

Taking a Beach Break

Manuel Antonio beaches are absolutely stunning, especially Playa Manuel Antonio with its gentle crescent of warm white sand wrapping over 1,200 feet around a calm tourmaline bay surrounded by lush vegetation.

A series of offshore rocks shelter the beach from the powerful waves, making this a great place for swimming, snorkeling, and relaxing.

If the beach gets crowded, which it wasn’t during our visit, you’ll find other stretches of sand close by such as Playa Espadilla Sur and the rocky but secluded paradise of Playa Gemelas to be much less busy.

As we were sitting on the beach near the water’s edge, a loud shrieking noise came from somewhere behind us. A white-faced monkey swung down from the trees, ripped open a backpack that contained snacks and squirreled back up the tree to unwrap and enjoy a fruit bar along with other goodies he pilfered. And he appeared to grin madly, so proud of his accomplishment.

Food is strictly prohibited inside the park and for good reason. Though backpacks are typically searched on entry, these snacks must have been missed. As a result, monkeys are smart enough (the Capuchins being the most savvy and intelligent) to know there’s a treat waiting for them which, one, isn’t good for their diet, but also, it can make them aggressive with visitors.

As we finished up the remainder of our day’s visit to Manuel Antonio National Park, it became clear to us that every visit here must yield many varied surprises. That’s when our guide Daniel, told us about the newest addition to park tours, a night jungle tour.

Since many of the wildlife here are nocturnal, the night tour is a whole different kind of experience. It’s definitely on our to-do list on our next visit to Costa Rica.

Tips for Visiting Manuel Antonio National Park

There are a few tips that will make any visitor’s time to the National Park a great experience.

• Buy tickets or book tours in advance as only a designated number of visitors are allowed in the park each day. The current park entrance fee for adults is $18.08 and children ages 2 to 11 years $5.65. This is an amazing price for the encounters you’ll have at this impressive national park.
• Arrive early. The park opens every day at 7 am and closes at 4 pm and is closed on Tuesdays. Arriving early, you’ll avoid the crowds and enjoy cooler hiking temperatures.
• Hire a guide. This will make your experience so much better. If you don’t have a guide once you get to the park, you’ll likely see locals offering individual and group tours at the park entrance. Just be sure they have an official Institute of Costa Rica (ICT) card around their neck indicating they are credible and certified.
• Make sure to bring an ID to the park that matches the reservation ticket. Don’t forget essentials as a refillable water bottle, sunscreen, bug spray, and of course, your camera or cellphone for photos.
• Be sure to wear good walking shoes for the walk and hike. And dress cool. We found that shorts and a T-shirt with a hat and sunglasses were ideal to ward off the heat and humidity and kept us very comfortable.
• If you plan to spend time at any of the park’s beaches, don’t forget to pack a swimsuit and towel. Though facilities here are minimal, you’ll find washrooms at the main entrance and a few other spots around the park with showers and changing rooms near the main beach (Playa Manuel Antonio).

American entrepreneur and author Ryan Blair once said, “Create experiences that leave you in awe, for these will be the highlights of your life.”

Manuel Antonio National Park is one of those places that left us in awe and we can’t wait to return. Find out more about the park here.