Discovering Manuel Antonio National Park (days 10 and 11 of our 15-day self-guided trip to Costa Rica).
A convenient minibus shuttle took us from Monteverde Cloud Forests straight down to Manuel Antonio National Park on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, another must-see destination on our travels across one of the most biodiverse countries in Central America.
Visting Manuel Antonio National Park
Tarcoles River Crocodiles
On the way along Route 34 we made a five minute stop at the famous Tárcoles River ‘crocodile bridge’ to watch the huge crocodiles in the river below, then passed through Jaco, a very lively surf resort.
Manuel Antonio National Park
Staying near Manuel Antonio is generally more expensive than other resorts in Costa Rica, and there are some really exclusive hotels with sea views along the only road that leads down to the nature reserve. Basic backpackers’ accommodation is also available here otherwise there are cheap hostels in nearby Quepos town which has frequent economical ‘shared transport’ connections.
Manuel Antonio National Park is one of Costa Rica’s most popular conservation areas.
Just outside the park limits, popular Espadilla beach is wide and sandy although you need to take care in the sea as there are currents. There is a freshwater brook at the far end with crocodile caution signs too! If you do see a croc, stay well away and don’t feed it (it might fancy your hand!).
Like the majority of nature reserves in Costa Rica there’s an entrance fee and, additionally, visitors can hire a guide to point out the wildlife; parts of this park have special access facilities for invalids.
There are several paths through the woods, including Sloth Trail, and a number of other nature trails through the lush vegetation, to a waterfall, to lookout points where there are fabulous views across the Pacific Ocean and tropical forest, to sandy coves and the best sheltered golden sandy beach we’d seen in the country which was safe for swimming. Manuel Antonio is considered to be the best nature reserve for a Costa Rica family vacation.
During the course of the day we saw sloths in the trees, an iguana on a rock by the sea, graceful swallow-tailed kites, cheeky white-faced monkeys and playful white-nosed coatis in the woods. It really is scenic and the weather was very warm!
Photo courtesy Make Them All Trips Of A Lifetime
Like many places in Central America, from Florida down to Colombia in fact, there are shady Manicheel trees by the sands… do be careful, don’t touch them or sit underneath the branches, and never eat the apple-like fruit, because it is poisonous. Long-ago, natives dipped darts in sap to use as a mortal weapon!
The Penultimate Guide to the Best Beaches in Colombia is a great read if you’re thinking of visiting this country. It’s written by one of my favourite travel bloggers, Anna of ‘Green Mochila’.
In Costa Rica’s Manuel Antonio nature reserve, there are four beautiful, sandy beaches within the actual park limits which are open to the public; these are Espadilla Sur, Manuel Antonio Beach, Teloro, and Playita.
Dining out in Manuel Antonio
There is a more international choice of eateries near Manuel Antonio than other places we’d visited in Costa Rica, which made for a change. We ate a great curry at the backpackers’ restaurant near the nature reserve make a great curry and the Wagon Pizzeria serves fire-baked pizzas in true American style!
El Avión, a pub with a fighter plane outside where you can take a selfie in the cockpit, is a landmark too. In the evening I got chatting to a couple from Minnesota who invited us up to see Voyageurs National Park where they live right up by the Canadian border.
Restaurants in Manuel Antonio
Backpackers Paradise (Hostel & Rte) Costa Linda (near Espadilla beach and close to the National Park entrance).
Good prices, good food, don’t charge service tax.
El Wagon Pizzeria
Great pizzas, reasonable prices, rustic decor
El Avion Bar And Restaurant Manuel Antonio Costa Rica
Discovering Costa Rica: Related Posts
Read about the fabulous places we visited on our travels through Costa Rica:
- Cahuita and the Caribbean Coast
- Tortuguero Waterways
- Arenal Volcano and La Fortuna
- Monteverde Cloud Forest
- Manuel Antonio National Park
- Uvita and Ballena Marino (Pacific Coast)
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I love Costa Rica, but have not visited Manuel Antonio. We must go next time. Check out our adventures – http://adventurousretirement.com/blog/?s=Costa+Rica&submit=Search.
Hi Wendy, thankyou! We loved travelling around Costa Rica.
We did zip lining in Monteverde and walked in the cloud forest which was amazing http://www.kalitravel.net/blog/index.php/en/monteverde-cloud-forest-costa-rica/
Cahuita on the Caribbean is fascinating too http://www.kalitravel.net/blog/index.php/en/cahuita-costa-rica-caribbean-coast/
But our favourite place was Uvita/Marina Ballena on the Pacific http://www.kalitravel.net/blog/index.php/en/marino-ballena-osa-uvita-costa-rica/