case study manuel antonio national park costa rica

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The effect of land use change and ecotourism on biodiversity: a case study of Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, from 1985 to 2008

• Research Article
• Published: 21 February 2012
• Volume 27 , pages 731–744, ( 2012 )

Cite this article

• Eben N. Broadbent 1 , 2 ,
• Angélica M. Almeyda Zambrano 1 , 3 ,
• Rodolfo Dirzo 2 ,
• William H. Durham 3 , 4 ,
• Laura Driscoll 3 , 4 ,
• Patrick Gallagher 3 ,
• Rosalyn Salters 4 ,
• Jared Schultz 4 , 5 ,
• Angélica Colmenares 6 &
• Shannon G. Randolph 3  

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Development in biodiversity rich areas is of global concern. While development may lead to socioeconomic benefits, this often comes concomitant with biodiversity loss and deforestation. Biodiversity rich areas present the opportunity for both improvements in socioeconomic conditions and conservation; however numerous challenges exist. Costa Rica’s Manuel Antonio National Park presents an ideal case study to investigate the balance between alternative forms of development which have contrasting environmental impacts. The Manuel Antonio region is a highly dynamic landscape experiencing deforestation, from agriculture, cattle ranching and oil palm plantations; and also reforestation from abandonment of land holdings and nature oriented tourism. Landscape dynamics are closely intertwined with the livelihoods and perspectives on biodiversity conservation of local communities, determining ecological sustainability. We use an analysis combining multi-temporal remote sensing of land cover dynamics from 1985 to 2008 with questionnaire data from local families on their socioeconomic status, perspectives on conservation, and perceived changes in local wildlife populations. Our results show that, while regeneration occurred and forest fragmentation in the area decreased from 1985 to 2008, Manuel Antonio National Park is rapidly becoming isolated. Decreasing ecological connectivity is related to the rapid expansion of oil palm plantations adjacent to the park and throughout the lowland areas. Perceived decreases in wildlife abundance and compositional change are evident throughout the area, with local communities attributing this primarily to illegal hunting activities. Nature based tourism in the area presents an effective strategy for conservation, including reductions in hunting, through increased valuation of biodiversity and protected areas, and socioeconomic advantages. However, without urgent efforts to limit deforestation and preserve the remaining forested corridor connecting the park to core primary forest, the ability to maintain biodiversity in the park will be reduced.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the many households in the Manuel Antonio area communities who invited us into their lives. We thank the Sí Cómo No and El Parador hotels for allowing us to conduct our investigation on their premises and allowing us time with their workers during their busy schedules. We thank the Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford University for providing the majority of field work funding support. We thank the Departments of Biology and Anthropology at Stanford University who provided E. Broadbent and A. Almeyda Zambrano with the time to conduct this field work and a Department of Energy (DOE GCEP) fellowship to ENB for financial support. We thank E. Vargas for help with logistics in Costa Rica. We thank M. Honey for ongoing support and insights to this research. We thank the W. Clark, N. Dickson and M. Holbrook for help during the writing process. This work was partially conducted while the E. Broadbent was a doctoral fellow and A. Almeyda Zambrano was a Giorgio Ruffolo Fellow in the Sustainability Science Program at Harvard University. Support from Italy’s Ministry for Environment, Land and Sea is gratefully acknowledged. We thank the anonymous reviewers for their many excellent comments throughout the revision process.

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Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution for Science, 260 Panama Street, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA

Eben N. Broadbent & Angélica M. Almeyda Zambrano

Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA

Eben N. Broadbent & Rodolfo Dirzo

Department of Anthropology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA

Angélica M. Almeyda Zambrano, William H. Durham, Laura Driscoll, Patrick Gallagher & Shannon G. Randolph

Center for Responsible Travel, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA

William H. Durham, Laura Driscoll, Rosalyn Salters & Jared Schultz

Department of Anthropology, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA

Jared Schultz

Universidad de Turismo de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica

Angélica Colmenares

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Broadbent, E.N., Zambrano, A.M.A., Dirzo, R. et al. The effect of land use change and ecotourism on biodiversity: a case study of Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, from 1985 to 2008. Landscape Ecol 27 , 731–744 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-012-9722-7

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Received : 02 January 2011

Accepted : 06 February 2012

Published : 21 February 2012

Issue Date : May 2012

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-012-9722-7

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A Complete Guide to Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica

Manuel Antonio National Park is the smallest yet most heavily visited national park in Costa Rica. Is this place the real gem worth visiting, or should you better skip it? Read our Manuel Antonio National Park travel guide that includes all the essential information on things to do, how to get, how much things cost, when is the best time to visit, what to pack, or where to stay.

For many, visiting the Manuel Antonio National Park is among the best thing to do in Costa Rica . But our first impression of the park was nothing to write home about.

You see, traveling long-term has many advantages, but also brings several cons when we compare this travel style with a regular two or three weeks holidays. And how this topic cohere with our trip to Manuel Antonio National Park, a top attraction on the Pacific side of Costa Rica? Just hang in there.

For us, the biggest downside is the lack of planning and doing proper research, as we would have done normally when preparing for a shorter vacation. There are many reasons why we don't plan much ahead anymore when on the road, some more significant than others.

Reason number one, unfortunately, we don't have much time to do it because of ongoing work on our blog which requires a lot of sitting behind the desk (we do not complain, though). The reason number two, we probably became a bit lazy, and reason number three, we found out that if we miss a thing or two or if we see a place sooner or later, nothing will actually happen.

So what a surprise when we arrived in Quepos , a base for visiting Manuel Antonio National Park, and started to read the latest reviews about the park. Plenty of them from the past couple of months was negative, and for a moment or two, we were even thinking not to travel to the park at all.

We must admit that we did not expect that, as until that time, we considered Manuel Antonio National Park among the must-visit places in Costa Rica . This was a huge wake-up call for us, and we again realized that there's nothing better than having our own real experience.

Sure, comments and reviews are often helpful, but only a personal experience, the right mindset, and a general idea of what to expect can prepare travelers for visiting a new destination.

In the end, we (thankfully) decided to give visiting this diverse national park that offers a unique combination of jungle, wildlife, and beaches a try, and in this travel guide, we bring everything you need to know before visiting Manuel Antonio National Park.

We sincerely believe that this post will inspire you to include Manuel Antonio in your itinerary, but as we've mentioned, there are a few things every traveler needs to know.

To enjoy the trip to the fullest, we believe that information on how to get to the park, when is the best time to visit, how much things cost, or advice on whether it is necessary to hire a guide will come in handy.

MANUEL ANTONIO

Before you start planning your trip, it is good to set the park's location into perspective.

First of all, it is necessary to know that the national park is very easily accessible from the capital San Jose, but basically from the whole of Costa Rica, thanks to being one of the country's top destinations on the Pacific Coast.

You have a few options on where to base yourself (more about it in the accommodation section), but it is important to know that there is Manuel Antonio park and a village that carries the same name, which is on the way to the park.

Manuel Antonio is rather a stretch of houses along the road than a village, but still, it is one of Costa Rica's top destinations, where hotels sell out fast.

The location close to the rainforest, unspoiled beaches, proximity to the famous national park made this place one of the most sought-after places in Central America, and prices, unfortunately, reflect this trend.

The positive news is that this is not the only alternative on where to stay, it is completely fine to visit the park from nearby Quepos, which is exactly what we did.

MANUEL ANTONIO NATIONAL PARK

One of the things to know about Costa Rica is that it's a country with incredible biodiversity.

If you want to see the best of what this pearl of Central America has to offer, head to Manuel Antonio National Park, where you can admire lush green jungle, pristine white sand beaches, amazing ocean views, look for wildlife, and overall enjoy the perfect day out.

The only problem is that the word about the park's exceptionality has already spread out, and you won't be the only person heading this direction when in Costa Rica.

Yes, over-tourism and crowds are definitely a problem in Manuel Antonio, same as, for example, on the Rainbow Mountain in Peru, but who could blame others who want to see such an extraordinary place as many people before them?

We are definitely not travelers who visit a popular destination and then complain about crowds - on the other hand, we would rather search for alternatives and ways to visit to enjoy our time fully.

We have advice, though. Suppose you prefer exploring places off the beaten path and a large number of tourists at one place upset you.

In that case, you won't have a problem finding a similar, not-so-popular not-so-touristy park in Costa Rica. However, we still think that skipping Manuel Antonio National Park would be a mistake.

HOW TO GET TO MANUEL ANTONIO NATIONAL PARK

Manuel Antonio National Park is well-connected with other tourist destinations within Costa Rica, so you have plenty of options for visiting the park.

There is a public bus from the capital city, San Jose and other major tourist destinations, but we think it is worth it to spend the night before the trip in either Quepos or Manuel Antonio village.

You will have to change the bus in Quepos anyway (in case you travel by public transport). Here's the list of options on how to get to Manuel Antonio park.

So far, the most popular way to travel around Costa Rica is by car rental. This way, you can drive all the way almost to the park's gate without bothering about bus schedules.

Renting a car in Costa Rica is definitely the most comfortable alternative. It is worth seeing the bigger picture and creating your Costa Rica itinerary before deciding on either traveling in the car or public transport.

If you have a car, you might be interested in parking options.

There is a small parking lot close to the entrance which tends to fill up early in the morning and costs 3000 colones per day.

In the past, there were lots of parking scams going on, so when the park's parking is full, your best bet is to drive to Hotel Manuel Antonio at the end of the road where you can park your car on a secured parking lot for the same price, 3000 colones per day.

If traveling independently is not your thing or this time it simply makes sense to visit Manuel Antonio with a tour, the good news is that you can arrange a day tour from several tourist destinations within Costa Rica.

The most popular places where you can base yourself and visit Manuel Antonio National Park without arranging your transport are San Jose or Jaco. Taking a tour also has advantages, the biggest one is a knowledgeable guide and a stress-free day.

Manuel Antonio Tour from San Jose includes hotel pickup and drop-off.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

It is easy to reach Manuel Antonio National Park by public transport, which is good news for all budget travelers. First, you need to get to Quepos, the closest town to the park, which is well-connected with Uvita, Jaco , or San Jose.

In Quepos, you need to take a regular bus that leaves approximately every 30 minutes from the bus terminal to the park.

The seven kilometers long ride takes less than 30 minutes and costs 350 colones per person one way. The first bus leaves at 5:30 AM, so you don't need to be worried you won't make it for the opening.

The bus stops along the way to the park if you are staying in one of the hotels lining the road on the way to Manuel Antonio National Park.

ENTRANCE FEE

To get to Manuel Antonio National Park, we had to pay $16 each, which is quite a lot, and what we found the most annoying is that locals often pay six times or seven times less. We were used to paying double than locals in South America , but the difference here seemed way too big.

Simply put, tickets to Manuel Antonio National Park are the chapter on its own. Moreover, we must say that we found all the entrance fees to national parks in Costa Rica overpriced (for example, the entrance fee to Monteverde Cloud Forest cost $22).

Anyway, even though we consider ourselves budget travelers , we wanted to see the exceptionality of Manuel Antonio National Park with our own eyes.

Not that long time ago, travelers had to line up in front of the entrance from the very morning to ensure that they will be let in the park as there was a quota of 1700 visitors daily to the park and only 600 people at one time. It was not a very good system.

First of all, it was tiring of waiting by the gate under the harsh sun and secondly, it was quite frustrating for holidaymakers on a strict schedule who arrived a bit late.

In our case, we had to line up in front of the entrance before 7 AM as we did not know that a presale exists. It was actually possible to buy a ticket online back then, but this option was not very popular.

Nowadays, the conditions are different, and travelers must purchase the ticket in advance for a specific timeslot. It is basically impossible to show up without an online reservation as you'll be asked to book the ticket online anyway.

The reservation must be created via an official government website SINAC , where you have to create an account, choose the buy option and then select an online reservation.

Then the process is simple, select the national park, in our case Manuel Antonio National Park, next choose what time slot suits you the best (we think the earlier you go, the better), select the number of visitors, and the next step is the completion of the payment.

There are designated time slots to enter the park between 7 AM and 11 AM.

OPENING HOURS

The park is open every day of the year except on Tuesday from 7 AM to 4 PM. It is also open during holidays if the day doesn't fall on Tuesday.

We think it is pretty significant news that the park is not open every day in a week, and it should be emphasized more than it is nowadays to avoid the disappointment of many travelers.

It is also super-important for planning the perfect Costa Rica itinerary .

Also, the beaches close at 3 PM, which is also when the park's staff starts reminding people about closing time. As you can see, the time for visiting the park is quite limited; therefore, we would recommend you booking the morning time slot.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE VISITING MANUEL ANTONIO NATIONAL PARK

The busiest season in Costa Rica is between November and March, which is also when you should consider booking the ticket more seriously; the situation in the rainy season is a bit calmer and not that crowded.

What else should you know before visiting Manuel Antonio National Park? Take plenty of water with you as the weather is often very hot and humid. We had 6 liters and drank it all, even though it seemed like overkill at first.

Also, you can take a snack with you, but no nuts and seeds - your bag will be searched at the entrance gate. The rules are basically very similar to airports.

There is a small shop in the middle of the park where you can buy some snacks and water, but no real food.

We think it is important to know what to expect from visiting the park - it is the only way how to avoid disappointment. The park is simply stunning, and we certainly enjoyed our visit - the beaches are beautiful, and you will see many animals, but you must accept that you will share the place with others.

The first impression was quite negative, even intimidating because of many people near the entrance and at the beginning of the trail, but after a while, crowds dispersed, and we could focus only on searching for wildlife and on looking for the best beach to relax on.

Do not leave your bags unattended on a beach, especially when you have food in them. There are lots of monkeys and raccoons waiting to steal your food, and you would be doing a disservice to them by feeding animals, although unintentionally - you can always ask someone to watch your bag.

BEST THINGS TO DO IN MANUEL ANTONIO NATIONAL PARK

The park offers plenty of activities, and we found it quite challenging to do everything we wanted within nine hours when the park is open, especially when we take into account Costa Rica's terrible humidity, which makes everything much more exhausting.

We've already mentioned that Costa Rica has many national parks, and it is often hard to say which one is the best. But we can with certainty say what makes Manuel Antonio so special.

Sure, it has beautiful nature and photogenic wildlife to admire, but we saw its potential in a perfect mix of staying active and relaxing, and it is only up to you what you decide to do.

Here's a list of the top things to do in the Manuel Antonio National Park.

Manuel Antonio National Park has many hiking trails, and it is possible to dedicate the whole day to explore them. There's a map of hiking trails on almost every junction in the park, so it is impossible to get lost.

We've done them all, and probably the favorite hike was the loop you can make from Playa Manuel Antonio, but other trails were excellent as well.

All hikes within the park are for all ages and abilities. Note that the waterfall in the park is only seasonal, and in March, there was no water running down at all, but it is a place where you can look for snakes and frogs.

All trails usually lead on boardwalks and are not challenging, but there are some sections where you will have to climb up and down, and it is good to know if you have mobility issues. In this case, you might need hiking poles .

WILDLIFE WATCHING

It was fun looking for the wildlife in Manuel Antonio National Park, and the day we went, it was not particularly hard to spot animals, but every day is different. Be patient, and listen quietly to discover sloths, birds, or monkeys.

We were actually positively surprised that despite the number of visitors, animals were still very close to trails, and we could capture them with, but sometimes even without, our telephoto lens. On the other hand, for better views, it is definitely worth it to bring binoculars .

If you are an enthusiast photographer, bring proper gear. A camera such as Canon EOS R6 with an animal eye focus paired with Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 will deliver superb results.

If you are looking for a place to unwind, Manuel Antonio National Park is the destination you are looking for. There are several pristine beaches in the park where you can spend all day long.

Honestly, we wouldn't pay the steep entrance fee only to lie down on a beach - there are so many pretty beaches outside the park or in other parts of Costa Rica where you don't have to pay at all.

On the other hand, the beaches in the park are very eye-catching, and you must forgive them the fact that swimming is usually forbidden because of dangerous currents.

CATAMARAN CRUISE

If you want to enjoy waters around the national park, see crocodiles, whales (depending on the season), and snorkel, you can check out the Catamaran Cruise .

It is a bit an unusual way to spend time in Manuel Antonio National Park, and if you are looking for an extraordinary activity, this might be it.

MANGROVES KAYAKING

Mangroves Kayaking Tours are pretty popular in many places around the world, such as in Paraty in Brazil or Bocas del Toro in Panama, and you can enjoy it even here in Costa Rica if you are looking for a way how to actively spend your day.

Mangroves are super-important for the world's ecosystem, and Damas Island near Quepos is a great spot to see mangroves and animals living there up close. Even though this activity takes place not within the national park, we believe it's worth it.

There is an adventure park in Manuel Antonio where you can try different adventure activities such as zip lining, ATVs or rappelling.

We've done canyoning in Jaco , Costa Rica, and can only recommend trying it.

Travel Insurance

We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.

Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.

World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.

SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.

Travel smarter and safer!

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ANIMALS IN MANUEL ANTONIO

Wildlife watching is without doubt one of the top activities available in the park, which definitely deserves mentioning. The abundance of animals and various species is hard to believe, so your expectations should be high.

The best time to see wildlife in the park is early in the morning, later in the afternoon, and when it does not rain, but we think you will always spot at least sloths and monkeys.

What animals should you expect to see in Manuel Antonio National Park? For sure, sloths, hanging lazily on tree branches, several species of monkeys such as howler monkeys, capuchin monkeys or squirrel monkeys, birds, insects, frogs, snakes, iguanas, and much more.

When lucky, you can also spot migrating whales and dolphins offshore; the best season is from December to March.

VISITING THE PARK WITH A GUIDE VS. INDEPENDENTLY

Manuel Antonio National Park is a heaven for families with young kids, for the elderly, but also young independent travelers or millennials, even though it is evident that each of these groups has a different travel style and budget.

TAKING A GUIDED TOUR

If you are really keen to see the wildlife, and if this is for you the main motivation to visit the park, we recommend you hire a guide.

The guide will point out all animals he can spot during the tour, he knows where to go at what time, and he also has telescopes for better observation. Manuel Antonio Tours usually cost $50. It depends on how many people are in the group and whether the entrance fee is included or not.

You can reserve Manuel Antonio Tour here.

Even when you hire a guide, the tour usually takes four hours, and you will still have a lot of time to walk in the park on your own and enjoy pristine beaches.

VISITING MANUEL ANTONIO WITHOUT A GUIDE

We visited the park independently, and maybe we were only lucky but saw a lot of wildlife that day even without a guide, but we are sure we still missed out quite a lot, for example, it is hard to look for snakes or small insect when you don't know where to look.

But because we already seen places on our year-long trip such as the Peruvian jungle in Pacaya Samiria National Reserve to be specific, wildlife watching was for us only a nice bonus, not the main reason to visit the park.

Sometimes, you can also meet a group with a guide, and you can see that they are looking at something which can be helpful, but remember you chose to visit the park independently, so do not linger around too long.

WHERE TO STAY

When visiting Manuel Antonio National Park, you have endless options on where to stay, although cheap options are unfortunately scarce as Costa Rica is not a budget-friendly country.

First, Costa Rica is quite a small country, so if you have a rental car or take a tour, you don't need to stay close to the park, but you can get up early and drive directly to the entrance, or the bus will pick you up.

The closest town to the park where you can stay is Quepos, or another alternative is to find accommodation along the seven kilometers long stretch of road leading from Quepos to Manuel Antonio National Park. This place is fittingly called Manuel Antonio.

We think it doesn't matter if you decide to stay in the town or closer to the park, as the bus to the park runs from Quepos via Manuel Antonio village.

Here are the top accommodation options in the Manuel Antonio area for all types of travelers.

Budget | Wide Mouth Frog - Close to everything, the location of this hostel cannot be better. You can find here private rooms and dormitories and a large outdoor swimming pool.

Mid-range | La Foresta Nature Resort - The charming accommodation just outside Quepos has its own swimming pool, rainforest canopy, and zip line and also offers a free beach shuttle.

Luxury | Los Altos Resort - Luxurious suites in Manuel Antonio have a fully-equipped kitchen, balcony, and access to the private beach is among the best features in this hotel.

THE BEST TIME TO VISIT MANUEL ANTONIO

Costa Rica has two distinct seasons - dry and wet. The peak season runs between December and the end of March or mid-April when you can expect dry conditions (it is not uncommon to experience afternoon rain in Costa Rica's dry season, though).

Still, prices and overall tourism are at their peak as well. During those four months, the park can get insanely busy as it receives international travelers and local visitors at the same time. If you want to avoid crowds, try to plan your visit outside this timezone.

The green alias rainy season runs from the end of April to the end of November. You can expect fewer people in the park and frequent showers, especially in the afternoon, so it is definitely better to visit the park in the wet season early in the morning to increase your chances of having nice weather.

The rainiest month of the year is September, when you also have the smallest chance to see the wildlife as it is hiding the same as visitors. When visiting during this month, consider hiring a guide to help you see animals.

WHAT TO PACK

The weather in the park is hot and humid throughout the year, and temperatures often sit around 30°C - take plenty of water with you!

Costa Rica is one of the few places in Central America where tap water is drinkable. The country also fights against single-use plastic , so bring your reusable water bottle , but if you do not trust tap water, invest in SteriPen , which kills bacteria.

What are other items you should pack? Do not forget a swimsuit, reef friendly sunscreen , and insect repellent . You'll be swimming and sweating, so it is necessary to reapply sunscreen and repellent during the day.

Make sure you have a comfortable daypack and trail runners .

Travel Resources

Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.

Accommodation : When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld .

Tours : Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.

We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator .

Rental Cars : When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com , a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.

Flight Tickets : When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.

Travel Insurance : World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.

A Traveler’s Handbook to Manuel Antonio in Costa Rica – Everything You Need to Know for Your Trip

If you’re interested in visiting the famed national parks of Costa Rica, consider adding Manuel Antonio to your list. A bite-sized chunk of primeval rainforest that spreads across a tombolo on the wild Pacific Coast, Manuel Antonio is known for being one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. The stats speak for themselves: 184 species of birds, three out of four of Costa Rican monkey species, two types of sloths – we could go on and on.

All that draws a hefty crowd, who filter through the bustling gateway town of Quepos and into a relatively small reserve of just 4,900 acres (1,983 hectares) – the smallest in the country, no less. But there’s still room enough for beaches with cotton-tinged sand, endless groups of manzanillo trees and buttonwoods, and a series of the best day hikes Central America has to offer.

Discover the wonders of Manuel Antonio with this comprehensive travel guide. Packed with insider tips, this guide covers everything you need to know to make the most of your visit, including transportation options, ideal times to go, and top things to do, as well as recommendations for hotels, dining, and the best beaches. You’ll even find a sample itinerary to help you better plan your trip. For more information, check out this amazing Manuel Antonio trip .

My experience in Manuel Antonio

I didn’t think it was quite so easy to get up close and personal with the famed wildlife of Costa Rica. Then I visited Manuel Antonio National Park. Less than five minutes after entering the off-the-beaten-path reserve, I was hushed into silence in the hopes of spotting a Hoffman’s two-toed sloth in the canopy above. That’s the sort of amazing thing that happens here every single day – a vision of a swinging howler monkey one moment, a glimpse of a humpback whale splashing in the ocean the next.

I also can’t overstate the joy of having a paradise beach right on the doorstep of your resort. After a day’s trekking, you can crash on long runs of glimmering sand threaded by coconut palms from tip to toe. Nice.

One of my favorite adventure destinations is Costa Rica, a place where I have explored extensively. In my time there, I especially loved everything from the hanging bridges and zip lines around Arenal and surfing in Jaco, to the rich history of coffee farms near San José. With a strong sense of sustainability, amazing opportunities for adventure, and some of the most beautiful beaches and landscapes around, Costa Rica and Manuel Antonio in particular are worth seeing for any traveler.

Ever since I was young, I’ve dreamed of exploring this incredible planet. I have been very fortunate to have explored over 50 countries across this extraordinary world and to have made travel my career. I am very grateful to run The Explorer’s Passage, an award-winning premier adventure travel company and, in my opinion, the best tour operator in Costa Rica. Our team has over 30 years of experience running successful tours there. If at any point throughout this guide you find yourself with any questions, reach out to our team and we’ll gladly help build your dream trip!

What’s in this guide?

Where is manuel antonio, how to get to manuel antonio.

• Getting around

Best time to visit Manuel Antonio

Top things to do in manuel antonio, entry and opening times at the manuel antonio national park.

• Where to stay?

Where to eat?

Sample manuel antonio itinerary.

• Why travel with The Explorer’s Passage?  

Manuel Antonio is home to one of the main highlights on the Central Pacific coast of Costa Rica – the Manuel Antonio National Park and its two main beaches. The Manuel Antonio National Park reserve spreads over an isthmus headland to the south of the town of Quepos – this stretch of land is known as Manuel Antonio. Quepos is the closest town to the national reserve and has now become the unofficial base for those headed to this Central American top attraction.

Manuel Antonio is located in Costa Rica’s Puntarenas province – a long, thin region that goes all the way from the Panamanian border to the edges of the surf-washed Nicoya Peninsula in the north. Manuel Antonio is about 105 miles (170 kilometers) southeast of Costa Rica’s booming capital of San José

Aim for the aforementioned Quepos town to get to Manuel Antonio. You’ve got two choices: fly or go overland. The first involves a very short flight from the Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) in the capital San José to the La Managua Airport (XQP), which sits just northeast of Quepos itself and is about a 10-minute taxi ride away.

There’s a bit more of an adventure in going overland. Buses connect with Manuel Antonio from San José, and – as of more recently – a number of other major Costa Rican vacation hotspots, like Tamarindo and Jaco. The public services are the cheapest but also the slowest. They’ll take around three-plus hours to get over from the capital.

Alternatively, you could go in a shared shuttle, which takes 2.5 hours, or rent a car of your own, which is better in the dry season because the Manuel Antonio roads can get washed out when the rains come. Or better yet, go with an organized tour operator like The Explorer’s Passage who can take care of your transportation details  so you can focus on enjoying your trip.

Getting around Manuel Antonio

Hiking the Manuel Antonio National Park is the way to go. It’s actually the whole point. There are a series of marked trails that we’ll cover in a bit more detail later on but suffice to say that they reveal the sloth-filled innards of the jungles and all the best beaches like Playa Manuel Antonio and Playa Espadilla.

The only time you’ll need public transport here is when it comes to getting from Quepos town or the road between Quepos and the national park itself. Thankfully, there are very regular buses that go from early in the morning to the early evening, taking a mere 25 minutes from Quepos to reach the main gate for the reserve.

There’s no real best time to visit Manuel Antonio National Park. Both the dry season and the wet season in Costa Rica bring their own pros and cons to bear on these jungle-clad beaches. When to visit will depend on your preference. Let’s take a closer look at both seasons:

• Dry season (December-April) – The dry season is the most popular time to come to Manuel Antonio. November sees almost half the rain of October, and December sees half of November’s precipitation. It dries up fast here and when it does the hiking paths that weave and wiggle through the park tend to be more pleasant experiences. The dry season also brings the best beach weather for activities like snorkeling tours .
• Wet season (May-November) – The rains kick in in earnest from May, when precipitation counts more than double in just four weeks. It’s not the worst news in a rainforest, because it brings the flowers and the greenery to life in the mangroves, but also ups the chance you’ll see wildlife. It may change the scenery on the beaches, but the rainy season in Manuel Antonio is also better for doing adventure activities like whitewater rafting and surfing tours, and it’s the main whale-watching season on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast. Oh, and it’s cheaper all round!

Manuel Antonio National Park is about experiencing the fabled biodiversity of Costa Rica firsthand. As such, the reserve itself is where you’ll want to be most of the time, but there are also some other activities in the surrounding region. Here’s some of the best things to do in Manuel Antonio that will make your trip worth it:

• Wildlife viewing  – There’s no doubt about it, the wildlife is attraction numero uno in Manuel Antonio and it’s something that can be done from the comfort of your resort. This national park was essentially established to protect a small corner of land where the jungles meet the ocean beaches.

Manuel Antonio now has one of the highest wildlife biodiversity counts in Central America, and, by extension, the planet. Whether it be on the beach or through the mangroves, here are a few of the amazing animals you can expect to find:

• Howler monkeys
• Hoffmann’s two-toed sloths
• Spider monkeys
• Boa constrictors

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Check out the full list of Manuel Antonio wildlife . Get ready for a wild adventure!

• Hiking – Hiking is the way you’ll get to see the wildlife here. A web of many designated paths cut through the Manuel Antonio reserve. Some of the routes are, simply, unmissable. Take the Sendero Perezoso , or the Sloth Trail. Named by Lonely Planet as one of the best short hikes in Central America, it detours from the main trail into groves of ancient trees with some of the best sloth-viewing spots in the world.

For a longer hike, take Sendero Mirador to the lookout point above the forests. For spotting whales and dolphins, hit the Sendero Punta Catedral on the coast. These are just a few of the scenic trails that await you in Costa Rica and we welcome you to explore these (and all the others) with The Explorer’s Passage. 

• Playa Manuel Antonio – On the south side of the national park’s isthmus, Manuel Antonio Beach is the most glorious beach of the lot with sugar-soft sands and clear water. It’s well protected from the swell, so it’s great for families with kids in tow.
• Espadilla Sur Beach – A long run of about 0.5 mile (800 meters) that goes from the edge of the park to the mirador point, Espadilla Sur beach is a wild vision of cinnamon-tinged sand with a backing of jungle that’s often inhabited by cheeky howler monkeys. Great for strolling.
• Playa Biesanz – Referred to as the “secret beach” among tourists, Biesanz beach is a charming secluded haven nestled amidst a breathtaking jungle teeming with a variety of wildlife. Situated to the north of Quepos, this beach is an excellent spot to surf for novice and moderate surfers.
• Playa Espadilla – Located in Quepos, this is the only beach that’s outside of the national park, which means you can come to laze and swim here after the approximate 4 PM closing time. There are some hotels right on the Espadilla beach shoreline and plenty of bars for a cold beer with the sunset.

• Whale and dolphin watching – Don’t lose track of the fact that only a small portion of the Manuel Antonio National Park is actually on dry land. The reserve also extends past the beaches and a long way into the Pacific, through waters that are known for their populations of dolphins and – during the migration period from June to September – humpback whales. There are tours that can whisk you out to spot the amazing wildlife. Or you could go it alone with sea kayaks. 
• Whitewater rafting – If you visit Manuel Antonio during the wet season and want some high-octane adventures outside of park territory, consider adding rafting to your activities list. There are challenging Class IV rapids on the Naranjo River and more accessible Class II and III rapids down on the Savegre River. Take your pick.

You will have to pay to enter the Manuel Antonio National Park and there is also a parking fee if you have rented a car. Entry costs are typically included in the price of a tour, but be sure to check that beforehand.

The Manuel Antonio National Park is open every day of the year, apart from Tuesdays, from 7 AM to 4 PM. We recommend getting there as early as you possibly can, though. This is a hugely popular place and it’s all the more magical if you can beat the crowds.

Please note that this information may be subject to change, so it’s always a good idea to double-check the availability of entry and parking fees, as well as the Manuel Antonio National Park opening hours before your trip. Or better yet, leave all the nitty-gritty details to us when you book your trip with The Explorer’s Passage.

Where to stay in Manuel Antonio?

Given the ever-growing popularity of Manuel Antonio, it should hardly be a surprise that there’s now an overload of hotels and resorts to bed down in the region. And they aren’t just for sleeping. These pads have infinity pools, suites with canopy views, and even walking access to the beach.

• Makanda by the Sea – A very cool boutique hotel that’s for adult’s only, Makanda by the Sea isn’t quite what you’d expect in tropical Costa Rica. It’s the sort of hotel that would fit in in New York City, with Art Deco interiors and plush standalone Victorian baths and the like.
• Arenas Del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort – One of the few true beachfront resort options along the Espadilla sand stretch that runs north of the Manuel Antonio reserve, Arenas del Mar Resort has a small pool in the coast jungles and walking access to tree-shaded sands. Simply one of the best hotels for wildlife spotting.
• Si Como No Resort, Spa & Wildlife Refuge – Channel a bit of Monteverde by leaving the coast behind and hitting the dense forests for this resort, spa, and eco lodge that has a fantastic outdoor deck space with its own pool. Located close to Biesanz Beach.
• Parador Resort & Spa – Perched at the end of a headland north of Manuel Antonio, El Parador resort has overtones of a plush Grecian villa. The pool is very elegant and the food is top-notch – think artisan sushi and Mediterranean fusion fare.

• Tulemar Resort & Beach – Nestled in the heart of Manuel Antonio, Tulemar is a one-of-a-kind Costa Rica mega resort. Tulemar offers the added convenience of having a private beach as well as four resort pools, one of which is exclusively for adults.
• Los Altos Resort – If you want to be pampered in Manuel Antonio, Los Altos Resort has spacious rooms, a gourmet restaurant, and an infinity pool. Los Altos even offers a variety of fun things to do, including cooking classes and yoga sessions.

Just as there’s plenty of hotel options, there are also oodles of spots to eat. Here are a couple that we really love. Naturally, they are all outside of the main Manuel Antonio reserve.

• Mountain Top Park Costa Rica – A novelty place to munch on frijoles and nachos and other zingy Latin American staples, complete with its own truly Costa Rican swing bridge overlooking the wildlife-filled rainforest.
• The Gallery – Part café, part kitchen, part nightlife hub, The Gallery beckons on the winding road into the national park. The menu runs the gamut from spicy rojos eggs for breakfast to stacked burgers sandwiched between fresh-made buns.
• Soda El Angel – The budget choice in Manuel Antonio. Head down to Soda El Angel for a taste of authentic, home-cooked Costa Rican fare . Rice is served with almost everything and they offer popular daily specials.

A Costa Rica trip to Manuel Antonio sounds great, doesn’t it? Whether you plan the whole thing yourself or decide to come with us (fingers crossed!), we hope this comprehensive guide with recommendations on the top things to do in Manuel Antonio will serve you well.

How many days you need to spend in Manuel Antonio to get the full experience will depend on your preferences, but we are confident that our customizable 5-day adventure will leave you with an unforgettable Manuel Antonio experience.

Below is a sneak peek of what you can expect during your off-the-beaten-path adventure with The Explorer’s Passage. Everything is fully customizable to your idea of the perfect trip. Here’s what your first few days may look like:

• Day 1: Arrival in Manuel Antonio – Bienvenidos a Costa Rica! Be greeted by a member of our team as you arrive in San José at the Juan Santamaría International Airport. We’ll privately transfer you to your hotel, stopping for a tasty lunch along the way. Take in the new scenery and catch a glimpse of the culture during the drive. You’ll have the rest of the day to explore this beautiful beach town and enjoy dinner at one of its many delicious restaurants – we can recommend our favorites!
• Day 2: Manuel Antonio National Park – Start your day with a hike through Manuel Antonio National Park, where you’ll have the opportunity to explore the lush tropical rainforest, see diverse wildlife, and enjoy the relaxing beaches. After the tour, take a dip in the crystal clear beach waters, sunbathe with a good book, surf along the shoreline, or simply take in the generous views.
• Day 3: Sea Kayaking and Snorkeling Tour – Enjoy a delicious breakfast before starting your fun-filled day of adventure. You’ll get picked up from your resort to go sea kayaking and snorkeling on a guided tour, where you’ll paddle through pristine waters and snorkel to discover the diverse marine life of Costa Rica. After the tour, explore more of the unspoiled beaches of Manuel Antonio or continue exploring the town and its exciting surroundings.

For the full itinerary or a customized version, contact a dedicated adventure consultant at The Explorer’s Passage. And if you want to explore more, check out these other incredible places in Costa Rica .

Why travel with The Explorer’s Passage?

Experience Manuel Antonio with the best tour operator in Costa Rica. With over 30 years of experience in the tourism industry, our team has extensive local knowledge and networks that you can trust.

We pride ourselves on delivering extraordinary tours based on travelers’ needs and are humbled by our guests’ testimonials . In fact, our dedication has earned us a 5-star rating on Tripadvisor , and awards by Travel+Leisure Magazine and Newsweek.

Check us out and discover why so many travelers worldwide choose us . My team and I would love for you to join us on a trip to Manuel Antonio or any of our many other adventure trips !

If you liked this post, be sure to check out the 15 best places to visit in Costa Rica and 14 fast facts about Costa Rica . You’ll also find more of this kind of adventure content on our blog page !

Cheers, Jeff

Jeff Bonaldi Founder & CEO The Explorer’s Passage

About Jeff Bonaldi

Jeff Bonaldi is the Founder and CEO of The Explorer’s Passage, a premier adventure travel company. His mission is to provide travelers with the opportunity to transform their lives and the planet through the power of adventure.

Learn more about Jeff’s story and his company HERE .

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2024 Guide to Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica

Home / Costa Rica / National Parks / Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio is one of Costa Rica’s most popular national parks — and there’s a good reason for that. It offers everything people love about Costa Rica: spectacular beaches, calm turquoise water, lush rainforest, and abundant wildlife.

Best of all, the park is incredibly accessible. No backbreaking travel or rugged hiking is required. Instead, Manuel Antonio’s beautiful beaches are just a 25-minute stroll from the park entrance, and you’ll see lots of incredible wildlife along the way. If you’re traveling with kids, Manuel Antonio is a terrific destination.

This online guide explains the basics of visiting Manuel Antonio National Park. I’ve saved the best travel tips – including expensive scams to avoid – for my guidebook, Costa Rica: The Complete Guide .

Top Manuel Antonio Travel Tips

• Manuel Antonio National Park is closed Tuesdays. Plan accordingly.

• Arrive when the park opens at 7am. You’ll beat the mid-morning crowds and enjoy cooler hiking temperatures.

• Buy tickets in advance at serviciosenlinea.sinac.go.cr

• Only hire certifited guides. As you approach the park, lots of people will offer “professional” guide services. Ask to see their ICT ( Institute of Costa Rica Tourism ) card. If they don’t have a card, they’re not certified — and they’re probably not a good guide.

Getting to Manuel Antonio

There are several ways to get to Manuel Antonio: flying, driving, public bus, private shuttle, Uber. For a discussion of the various options, including my recommendations, see Best Ways to Get to Manuel Antonio .

Manuel Antonio National Park

At 1,983 hectares (7.7 square miles), Manuel Antonio is one of the smallest national parks in Costa Rica. But it protects an impressive range of biodiversity. There are over 100 mammal species — including three of Costa Rica’s four monkey species — and over 180 bird species, including the fiery-billed aracari and mangrove hummingbird. All this wildlife is drawn to the park’s lush rainforest, which you can explore via a series of well-maintained hiking trails.

If there’s a downside to Manuel Antonio it’s the mid-morning crowds. Arrive early, however, and you’ll wonder what all the fuss is about. By 10am crowds tend to concentrate at Playa Manuel Antonio, the park’s most famous beach. Plan on exploring other beautiful parts of the park during this time.

Average Temperature: 27˙C (80˙F)

Average Annual Rainfall: 3.875 meters (12.7 feet)

Manuel Antonio Hotels

Learn more about Manuel Antonio’s Best Hotels .

Park Entrance & Tickets

The park’s main entrance is set back about a block from the southern end of Playa Espadilla. It’s best to take a taxi or the public bus to the park entrance, but there are two reputable parking areas nearby. The park is open from 7am–4pm, Wednesday–Monday (closed Tuesdays).

Buy park tickets online at serviciosenlinea.sinac.go.cr .

Important Note: To reduce crowding the park limits the number of people allowed to enter each day. During peak season (Christmas, Easter) arrive as early as possible.

Professional Guides

Near the park entrance, you’ll probably be swarmed by guides offering their services. Should you hire a guide? If you want to see monkeys, you can easily do that on your own. For harder-to-spot animals—sloths, birds, snakes, insects—a good guide is invaluable. They carry powerful spotting scopes, and they know amazing facts about local wildlife.

Guides often charge around $50 per person. But prices are negotiable, and groups can often negotiate lower rates. Before hiring a guide, make sure they have an official ICT card. I list some of Manuel Antonio’s best guides in my book Costa Rica: The Complete Guide .

Manuel Antonio Wildlife Watching

Wildlife watching is one of the highlights of any visit to Manuel Antonio. Despite the park’s accessibility and popularity, it remains a terrific place to see wildlife in Costa Rica.

Manuel Antonio is home to three of Costa Rica’s four monkey species.

The park’s most famous (and adorable) monkey is Central American squirrel monkey ( Saimiri oerstedii ). Once common in Costa Rica and Panama, squirrel monkeys are now endangered. Much of their former range has been destroyed due to deforestation. Today squirrel monkeys live only in the rainforest around Manuel Antonio and Corcovado National Park .

Mantled howler monkeys ( Alouatta palliata ) are another common sight. Their booming roar is one of Costa Rica’s most memorable sounds. Lasting 4 – 5 seconds, it is audible from several kilometers away, even through dense jungle. Despite this intimidating roar, howler monkeys spend most of their time napping on tree branches.

White-faced capuchin monkeys ( Cebus capucinus ) are the most commonly spotted monkeys in Manuel Antonio National Park. That’s because they have no fear of humans, and they delight in stealing visitors’ food. Watch out! White-faced monkeys are the smartest monkeys in Costa Rica. They’ve even learned how to open backpacks.

The only Costa Rican monkey species not found in Manuel Antonio is the Spider monkey ( Ateles geoffroyi ).

Both two-toed sloths ( Choloepus hoffmanni ) and three-toed sloths ( Bradypus variegatus ) dangle from the trees in Manuel Antonio National Park. Famous for their slow motion lifestyles, sloths are called osos perezosos (“lazy bears”) in Spanish.

To conserve energy, sloths have the lowest body temperature of any mammal. They are vegetarians that digest leaves, branches and twigs through a process of bacterial fermentation. Their multi-chamber stomachs can take up to a month to digest low-nutrient plant matter.

There are over 180 bird species in Manuel Antonio National Park, including:

• Chestnut-mandibled toucan ( Ramphastos ambiguus ) • Brown pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis ) • Mangrove hummingbird ( Amazilia boucardi ) • Fiery-billed aracari ( Pteroglossus frantzii ) • Magnificent frigatebird ( Fregata magnificens ) • Red-legged honeycreeper ( Cyanerpes cyaneus ) • White-necked puffbird ( Notharchus hyperrhynchus ) • Passerini’s tanager ( Ramphocelus passerinii ) • Black-hooded antshrike ( Thamnophilus bridgesi )

Is Manuel Antonio too crowded?

In my opinion, Manuel Antonio is not too crowded. But I’ll let you be the judge of that.

Below are two photos, taken on a Sunday in March. A peak day during peak season. The first photo is Playa Manuel Antonio, the park’s most popular beach, at 9:00am. The second photo is Playa Manuel Antonio at 10:00am, when the crowds are near their peak.

If you think Playa Manuel Antonio is too crowded at 10am, there are several great uncrowded beaches in other parts of the park.

Manuel Antonio Beaches

For many visitors, Manuel Antonio’s stunning beaches are the park’s main draw. After passing through the entrance, follow the wide path 2.2 km (1.4 miles) to Playa Manuel Antonio, the loveliest beach in the park. This gentle crescent of sand wraps 400 meters (1,312 feet) around a calm bay surrounded by lush vegetation. A series of offshore rocks shelters the beach from powerful waves, making this a great place for swimming and snorkeling.

If Playa Manuel Antonio is too crowded, three are two other beautiful beaches in the park that are far less crowded…

Continued in Costa Rica: The Complete Guide

Manuel Antonio Photos

Playa Manuel Antonio, located just east of Playa Espedilla Sur, is one of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica.

Sheltered by Punta Catedral, Playa Manuel Antonio is famous for gentle waves, making it one of the best beaches for families in Costa Rica.

Uncrowded beaches are easy to find in the eastern sections of Manuel Antonio National Park.

Hiking trails lead to beautiful viewpoints, like this mirador overlooking Puerto Escondido.

Manuel Antonio at sunset.

Discover the best of Costa Rica

The #1 Costa Rica guidebook.

11 Tips & Tricks for Visiting Manuel Antonio National Park in Costa Rica

By Author Jurga

Posted on Last updated: April 30, 2024

Manuel Antonio National Park is the most visited nature reserve in Costa Rica. This tiny national park is home to lush rainforests, pristine beaches, and an incredible variety of exotic wildlife. Plus, it’s very easy to get to and to explore. All this makes Manuel Antonio a tourist hotspot.

However, as you can imagine, visiting any popular destination nowadays comes with its challenges and requires some advance planning and preparation (or you may not even be able to enter at all!).

We recently visited Costa Rica and had heard very mixed reviews of Manuel Antonio. Some people even compared it to Disneyland, because of how busy it is… But don’t let this put you off!

We had an amazing experience here, without the crowds and with tons of wildlife, and this park became one of our favorite spots in Costa Rica . I am sure that you can have the same great experience as we us, if you travel well prepared.

In this guide, we share our experience-based tips and insights to help you plan your visit to Manuel Antonio National Park and ensure it’s nothing short of extraordinary. Find out!

Here are our top tips for visiting Manuel Antonio National Park:

1. Book in advance

Let’s start with the most important tip first – you really should book your tickets to Manuel Antonio National Park in advance. The park ​limits the number of visitors and works with timed-entry slots. So without reservations, you may not be able to visit at all.

In addition, you may want to know that Manuel Antonio National Park is closed on Tuesdays. Booking in advance, you will see this (or if there are any other unexpected closures planned) and will be able to adjust your trip itinerary accordingly.

How long in advance to book really depends on the season when you travel. During the rainiest months (September – October), you should be able to get tickets pretty much last minute. Whereas in the peak season (for example, the week before Easter or around Christmas – New Year), tickets are often sold out even several weeks upfront.

Our experience: We recently visited Manuel Antonio in April, a week after Easter. We booked tickets a few months in advance. Afterward, they got completely sold out for weeks in a row and I read reviews online where people were complaining about not being able to visit. We heard from locals that someone was reselling tickets at x5 the price at that time (and I wonder how they did it with tickets that are issued on name/passport number).

Luckily, it’s not always this busy. When I checked the website for availability two weeks later, there were plenty of tickets available for the day itself. So it does depend on when you travel. Still, if you know your travel dates and you know you’ll want to visit the park, I would just book it.

Good to know: You can book tickets for this and other national parks in Costa Rica via the official website, SINAC . The first time, you will have to create an account, but after that, it’s pretty straightforward. Just note that the tickets have to be booked for a specific person and you have to provide their passport number as well.

2. Visit early in the morning

This is just as important as booking in advance – choose the earliest available time slot and visit Manuel Antonio National Park in the morning.

Not only there will be no crowds, but animals are usually more active and it’s easier to see them without hundreds of people around.

Our experience: We booked the first time slot – at 7 am, and the park was very quiet during the first 2 hours. Our local guide said that it would get quite busy from 8.30-9 am. And indeed, we could witness this ourselves when we were leaving the park around 10 am. There were big groups of people blocking the boardwalks and all queuing around the same spotting scope to see the same animals…

Witnessing this circus, I understood why some people are disappointed with their visit to Manuel Antonio. It’s a totally incomparable experience when you have the park almost all to yourselves or have to ‘share’ it with hundreds of others. Not even to mention that you will see fewer animals this way since it simply gets too busy and too loud…

TIP: If you can’t visit early in the morning, you may want to book a time slot late in the afternoon. That way, you will also avoid the biggest groups. That said, in the peak rain season in early fall, it often rains hard in the afternoon and the park website also recommends visiting in the morning during the months of September and October.

3. Go with a local guide

Before our trip, we read everywhere the recommendation to visit Manuel Antonio with a guide. After some hesitation, we decided to book a private tour. It was the best decision!

Before we even entered the park, the guide gave us some really useful info and spotted a group of colorful toucans which we would have never seen without him. Exploring further, he pointed out so many animals – some high in the trees, but many others literally a few feet away from us – which we hadn’t noticed at all!

I can confidently say that we would have missed about 90% of wildlife without our guide. Yes, you can see capuchin monkeys and iguanas quite easily, and maybe even a sloth or two (although they can be really hard to find!). But you will miss tons of birds, lizards, and countless other animals! Plus, you would never learn stories about the ‘Jesus Christ Lizard’, ‘Mafia monkeys’, or the ‘Michael Jackson Bird’, to mention just a few :).

Good to know: You will need the official park tickets even if you book a guide!!! (See #1 above). I recommend booking the two at about the same time, to make sure that you can find the same time slots for both.

There are many guided tours that you can book online (both – Viator and GetYourGuide – offer plenty of great options). In addition, there are usually guides offering their services just before the park entrance (but we only saw them during the day and none at 7-8 am).

We highly recommend booking online. That way, you can read reviews, compare prices, and know exactly what you are paying for. I saw people complaining online that they booked a guide not far from the park entrance to then find out that the guide didn’t even take them inside the actual national park!

4. Book a private tour

While there are plenty of group tours, see if you can find a private tour instead, just for your family/group of friends. Or make sure that it’s a small-group tour that limits the number of people to 8-10 persons maximum.

Otherwise, you will have difficulties hearing the guide and will have to queue at the viewing scope every time they find some animals further away. Believe me, you don’t want to share a viewing scope with 20 others!

Our experience: Just out of curiosity, I contacted a few guides directly thinking that I could get a better price for a private tour for our family of 5 that way. But every single price quote I got was way more expensive than the prices I saw online – it just makes no sense… In the end, we booked this private guided tour via GetYourGuide . It was amazing value and was even cheaper than some of the group tours I checked.

Our guide was great and made our visit so much more special not just by finding all those animals for us, but also telling stories and making it engaging for everyone including kids. I highly recommend going with a local guide and a small group!

5. Drive to the park entrance (or don’t come by car at all)

If you are visiting Manuel Antonio National Park by car, you may want to know that the park doesn’t have its own designated car parking. There are plenty of private places where you can leave your car for a fee. However, the ones that are located near the entrance tend to fill up quickly (one more reason to arrive early!).

Also, when driving toward the park, you will see people standing on the roads, trying to get you to stop and show where to park. Ignore them and just drive by, even if they look quite official in their fluorescent vests or brown shirts that resemble a park rangers’ uniform. Otherwise, you risk parking a mile from the park entrance and overpaying for it too.

If they insist, just tell them that you are meeting your guide further (e.g. El Chante Restaurant) or that you are staying at one of the hotels located just next to the park entrance.

Good to know: One of the best places to park your car close to the entrance at Manuel Antonio National Park is Chalo Parking. If it’s full, ask them where to park nearby. Oh, and bring some cash to pay for parking (at the moment, around 5000 Costa Rican colons or 10 USD, but this might depend on the parking area too).

TIP: Avoid booking any guided tours with random people along the road or at the parking lots. Very often, they will charge you way too much. Plus, if you don’t have park tickets, it’s very unlikely that they will be able to take you inside the national park. I read about people being tricked into paying lots of money thinking that these guides would bring them to Manuel Antonio, but they just did a ‘tour’ at the outskirts.

PRO TIP: If you want to avoid the hassle with parking and unsolicited guides, etc. simply book a guided tour that includes transfers . Alternatively, take a taxi/Uber. Of course, you can also stay at one of the hotels close to the park entrance (e.g. La Posada Jungle Hotel , Hotel San Bada , Millenium Manuel Antonio Park and Beach , etc.) and simply walk.

6. Only bring what you really need

Manuel Antonio National Park has some of the strictest rules in Costa Rica for what you can or cannot bring with you inside the park. We recommend taking only what you really need.

Here are some of the things that are NOT ALLOWED inside the park : non-reusable plastic (plastic water bottles, plastic bags, etc.), food, drinks (except water), cigarettes, vapes, etc. Beach toys and camping equipment are not allowed either. And you cannot fly drones inside the park.

What should you bring? Make sure to carry plenty of drinking water (in reusable bottles), sun protection and/or a rain jacket (in the rainy season). You may also want to take your swimwear and a light travel towel if you are planning to spend some time at the beach inside the park. Be sure to also bring your camera (with the best telezoom lens you have) and/or binoculars.

You should also carry a copy of your passport – it can also be a digital copy on your phone. It’s best to leave original documents in a safe place at your accommodation.

Good to know: You can’t use insect repellent spray inside the park, but mosquito repellent wipes, patches, bracelets, and similar are allowed. Also, there are bathrooms and changing facilities close to the two main beaches.

If you are wondering what to wear, shorts and T-shirts are ok, although all local guides wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts. Closed shoes are advisable, but you can also wear sandals. I wouldn’t recommend flip flops. Don’t forget a sun hat!

READ ALSO: What to Wear & What to Pack For Costa Rica (+ What NOT to Bring)

7. Be careful around mafia monkeys

Manuel Antonio NP is home to white-faced capuchin monkeys which are known as ‘mafia monkeys’. They could steal food, sunglasses, or even backpacks. And they can be quite aggressive.

In the past, capuchin monkeys used to steal food from tourists. Our guide told us stories about monkeys sending their little ones to the restaurant area. People found them so cute that they would leave everything behind, grab their cameras, and go take pictures. In the meantime, the bigger monkeys would steal all the food.

Capuchin monkeys are one of the reasons why it’s no longer allowed to bring any food inside the park. It’s also why the café close to the beach is completely caged.

Our guide was joking that this is a human cage where animals come to look at people. But this is the only safe place where you can consume food inside the park (and only the food you bought there). Because the moment you take something with you (even if closed and hidden inside your backpack), you could get acquainted with the monkey mafia. And they can be ruthless. So be careful.

8. Don’t interact with animals

One of the most important things to remember when visiting a wildlife sanctuary is that you should not interact with animals in any way! This is for their safety as well as yours.

Be sure to always keep an appropriate distance from wildlife. Don’t touch or feed animals and don’t give them any reason to charge at you.

Remember that even the cutest looking animal can become dangerous when it feels threatened. Sometimes they may also have youngsters nearby and be extra protective and aggressive without you even realizing why.

We encountered some very aggressive capuchin monkeys on one of the boardwalks when walking toward the exit of the park. I don’t really know why they felt threatened; maybe they had little ones nearby or maybe something happened with other visitors before we arrived there (it was already quite busy on boardwalks at that time). But the monkeys looked really stressed and were showing their teeth clearly telling everyone to stay away.

We kept a safe distance and quickly walked by. But the boardwalks are rather narrow and I can tell you, I didn’t feel at ease. I took some pictures of them with my telelens afterward, but only once we were far away and felt safe to stop and take a better look.

9. Swim at Manuel Antonio Beach

The beaches at Manuel Antonio National Park look paradise-like and it’s very tempting to jump in and cool off after all the walking and wildlife spotting.

And indeed, you can swim inside the national park if you like. But you may want to know that it’s better to swim at Manuel Antonio Beach and not at South Espadilla Beach.

Manuel Antonio Beach is the smaller of the two and is located closer to the park café. It is much calmer and safer than the bigger beach where the sea is rougher and there is more risk for rip currents. You can go swimming here too, but it’s best to stay on the far left side of the beach (when looking toward the sea).

10. Avoid sitting under killer trees

Manuel Antonio National Park is home to the Manzanillo tree (Manchineel tree), which is sometimes also called a ‘killer tree’.

These trees are toxic and can cause inflammation, blistering, or even burns. You can get a severe allergic reaction just by sitting under them. You definitely don’t want to touch the tree or its little ‘apples’!

Manzanillo trees grow on sandy beaches and the longer beach at Manuel Antonio is full of them. So be careful where you sit, especially if looking for a nice shady place to hide from the sun!

You can recognize these trees by their small leaves and green fruit. There are informational signs at the beach explaining the dangers, but we only saw these signs when leaving the park. Luckily, our guide warned us about the tree before leaving us to relax at the beach at the end of our tour.

11. Want to see nocturnal animals? Book a night tour!

Costa Rica’s biodiversity is incredible with an remarkable variety of nocturnal animals as well. So we highly recommend booking a night tour as well. It’s your chance to see all kinds of species that remain unseen during the day.

On the night tours in the area around Manuel Antonio, you can expect to see all kinds of spiders, insects, bats, various frogs, snakes, and maybe even an owl or some nocturnal mammals.

Just to be clear – there are no tours inside Manuel Antonio National Park after dark. But there is plenty of amazing nature in the area where you can see nocturnal wildlife. Night tours usually visit private nature reserves, e.g. Rainmaker Park .

Good to know: Night tours usually take about 2-2.5 hours and sometimes also include dinner. You can find a selection of highly-rated night tours here .

So these are our tips and insights for visiting Manuel Antonio National Park. As you can see, there are quite a few things to know before you go that can make your experience so much more special.

I hope that this guide gives you a better idea of what to expect and helps you make the most out of your visit.

Once more, if you can, try to go early in the morning! It’s the best way to experience this beautiful place without the crowds.

Have a great trip!

Costa Rica travel inspiration & destination guides :

• Costa Rica Bucket List
• Top Things to Do in La Fortuna
• Top Things to Do in Monteverde
• Costa Rica Itinerary for 2 Weeks

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Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Manuel Antonio National Park

Manuel Antonio National Park is one of Costa Rica’s most-visited and most-loved national parks, despite being the smallest in size. Its location along the beach, just outside of Quepos, makes it easy to get to from San Jose, and the thriving jungle ecosystem means there’s a healthy wildlife population. You’ll likely be greeted by monkeys before you even make it into the park! Here’s everything you need to know about how to visit Manual Antonio National Park!

If there was one park in Costa Rica I had to recommend that everyone visit, it would be Manuel Antonio National Park. Lush green jungle, white sand beaches with crystal clear water, mangroves, and easy-to-spot wildlife – what could be better?

If you’re planning a trip to Manuel Antonio National Park, there are a few things to keep in mind and be aware of ahead of time. Here’s everything you need to know about how to visit Manuel Antonio National Park.

Table of Contents

Where is the Manuel Antonio National Park?

The park is located on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast in the province of Puntarenas. Manuel Antonio National Park is 82 miles (132 km) south of San José, the capital city of Costa Rica. The closest city is Quepos, which is 4.7 miles (7.6 km) north of the park.

How to Get To the Manuel Antonio National Park

There are various ways to get to the park, depending on where you’re coming from. You can travel to Manuel Antonio National Park by public transport, on a tour, and by car. If you choose to visit by means of car, you can either rent a car or hire a taxi.

If you plan to rent a car and drive to Manuel Antonio National Park make sure you have a 4X4. The 103 mile (165 km) drive takes approximately three hours from San José. Take Route 27 towards the Pacific coast then Route 34 south to the park. Be aware that there are three tolls between San José and the park. You’ll first arrive at the town of Quepos and then drive up the mountain and back down to reach Manuel Antonio and the park.

Most tours you book all offer pick up and drop off from either a prearranged point or your hotel to the park. Tours like this one pick up in Jaco as well as Manuel Antonio, which is a great option if you are based in Jaco and just want to make a day trip to Manuel Antonio.

By Public Transport

If you’re traveling from San José by public transportation you can catch the public bus, Tracopa in Plaza Víquez. There is a direct bus at both 6 am and 9 am which costs $4 to $8 and is roughly 4 hours long. Ask to be dropped off at the Marlín Restaurant. From there, you’ll see signs directing you to the park entrance, which is a ten-minute walk.

For those coming from Jaco, there is a public bus to Quepos at 7 am and 9 am. From Quepos to Manuel Antonio buses run every 20 to 30 minutes, with a cost of $0.65. However, you’ll still have to walk the remaining ten minutes to the park from the drop-off point at the restaurant.

(Note that these times and prices are accurate at the time of publishing but you should always check bus schedules ahead of time!)

Read More: Incredible Animals You Can Find in Costa Rica

Is There Parking at the Manuel Antonio National Park? (location + cost)

There is no parking area at the park. However, you can find two private parking lots close to the park entrance. You’ll know you’re at the right spot as there are restaurants and signs around. The parking fee is between 4000 and 5000 colones for the day. From there, you’ll need to just walk a few minutes to the park entrance.

Hours & Entrance Fee 

Tickets for Manuel Antonio National park are $18.08 USD and ₡1.808 colones for Costa Rican nationals and residents. For families visiting with children, kids under the age of two get free admission.

The park is open every day, including holidays, during the hours of 7am to 4pm, but closed on Tuesdays.

Note that as you approach the entrance of the park, especially if you’re walking from the parking lot, you’ll likely run into some white-faced monkeys. They are not afraid of humans and often come a bit close. Do NOT touch them and do NOT feed them. The little monkeys can be quite aggressive and will often try to grab any food you have on you (one reason food is not allowed in the park!) as they’re so used to humans feeding them. It’s best to just snap a few quick pictures and keep walking. You’ll likely see more inside the park!

Where To Buy Manuel Antonio National Park Tickets

For those visiting the park on their own, and not with a tour group with prearranged tickets included in your package, you’ll have to purchase entrance tickets online in advance. You can get tickets through the official government website SINAC here .

There are designated time slots to choose from for entering the park. Time slots are between 7 am and 11 am. This is to prevent the park from getting too crowded, too quickly and everyone being gathered around the same spot at the same time. We arrived a bit late for our time slot and no one said anything, but I would try to honor the reserved time as much as possible.

The reservation process is simple and easy to use. After you create an account, you select the park, then the time slot, add how many visitors, and then complete your payment.

What Time Should I Arrive?

The best time to visit Manuel Antonio National Park is first thing in the morning. Or at least the earliest possible.

With heat and humidity, you’ll want to enjoy the hiking trails before the temperatures are too hot. Then you can relax on the beach for the rest of the day. Plus, there’s plenty to do and see in the park, so the earlier you go, the more you can pack into your visit.

Plus, as the most popular national park in Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio can be CROWDED later in the afternoon. I recommend getting there early, walking through the park with a guide, grabbing a snack, and heading to the beach.

Another plus to visiting the park earlier in the day is that this is when many of the animals are most active.

Do I Need A Guide at Manuel Antonio?

If you want to see animals, it’s highly recommended that you book a guide. A tour guide will help you spot a wealth of wildlife that you may not notice otherwise. Guides will know where to look and be able to tell you what the animal is.

The last time I visited Manuel Antonio, a guide was able to find a mama sloth with her baby. We ended up watching them for at least 20 minutes, something we never could’ve done on our own.

You can find guides outside the park and negotiate a price (usually $20 per person for a group tour) or book one in advance . There are also tours available that pick you up from your hotel and take you directly to the park. Many guided tours take approximately two hours.

If you just want to go to the beach, a tour is not necessary. 

Read More: 11 Places to Find Sloths in Costa Rica

What Animals Will I See?

Manuel Antonio National Park is known for the incredible wildlife within its boundaries. There are over 100 mammal species and over 150 species of birds, plus reptiles!

The animals you’re most likely to see inside Manuel Antonio National Park include various species of monkeys – like howler, spider, white-faced, and squirrel monkeys -, sloths, and coatis. You can also find anteaters, deer, and many others depending on the time of day. A few lucky people have even spotted ocelots!

There are so many awesome birds in the park ranging from small hummingbirds to large toucans. A couple of colorful birds to watch out for are the fiery-billed aracari and chestnut mandibled toucan.

Other species to look for are reptiles and amphibians like the Jesus Christ lizards and red-eyed leaf frogs. There are also poisonous snakes like the eyelash viper and the fer-de-lance. Be sure to keep an eye on the path to avoid any accidents – especially if you’re not traveling with a guide! (We saw a fer-de-lance on our last visit!)

What Should I Take With Me?

When deciding what to bring to Manuel Antonio National Park there are a few things to keep in mind. One of the big wins is that Costa Rica is known for their drinkable tap water. So, a great reusable water bottle is a must addition to your packing list. You’ll even find refilling stations throughout the park. (When we confirmed with our guide that the water stations were safe to drink, he laughed in said, “if they weren’t, the park would’ve been sued by now!”)

Other things to add to your daypack include reef-friendly sunscreen, insect repellent, a hat, and a swimsuit. You’ll also want a comfortable pair of walking shoes. Unless you’re doing some of the more challenging hikes, good sandals are fine. Just watch the path for snakes and spiders!

More important, perhaps, is what you can NOT bring into the park – including food! No outside food is allowed into the park, to prevent attracting animals to the humans who feed them and litter. There is a restaurant in the park, which has some surprisingly decent pizza and sandwiches, but you must eat at the restaurant. (The restaurant is also a good places to spot white-faced monkeys who like to snatch food from the table when you turn your back!)

Alcohol, drones, pets, and single-use plastic are also banned from the park.

Read More : 16 Best National Parks in Costa (+ Free Checklist!)

Manuel Antonio Park Beaches

One of the top things to do in the park is to visit its beaches. There are several beaches within Manuel Antonio National Park.

Playa Manuel Antonio is known as one of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica. It was even voted one of the top 25 beaches in the world! To reach the beach it’s an approximately thirty-minute walk from the entrance. Manuel Antonio Beach is popular for swimming and snorkeling as it’s super calm. Plus, it offers incredible views of the water, wildlife, and rainforest.

Playa Espadilla Sur is just a bit further along the main trail from Playa Manuel Antonio. This beach is home to stunning white sands but the currents can be strong and dangerous. Facilities at the beach include bathrooms, drinking water, and showers.

Playa Las Gemelas is a small, secluded beach that’s a hidden gem in the park. Located further in the park, Playa Las Gemelas is not ideal for swimming as it’s quite rocky. However, it’s great to hike to and enjoy a stretch of beach all to yourself.

Is Manuel Antonio National Park Accessible?

While the main trails are relatively flat and suitable for most people, there is also a specific accessible trail in Manuel Antonio National Park. The accessible trail runs from the main entrance and goes down to Playa Espadilla Sur. This universal trail is for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility.

Is Manuel Antonio National Park Worth It?

Our answer to this is a resounding yes. While Manuel Antonio is one of the most popular parks in Costa Rica, it’s popular for a reason. There are few other locations where you can find stunning white sand beaches, jungle, and mangroves all in one small area. Not to mention the variety of wildlife that comes with those eco-systems!

Plus, Manuel Antonio is easy to get to from many other destinations within the country so stopping here typically doesn’t require too much of a detour on your travels. It’s often just a natural stop and one that’s well worth it!

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Manuel Antonio

National park, manuel antonio national park.

Manuel Antonio Park has 683 hectares, it has the most varied and beautiful landscapes. Surrounded by a lush tropical very wet forest and in their paths can be observed capuchin monkeys, sloths, coatis, raccoons, iguanas and many species of birds, as well as the squirrel monkey (Saimiri oerstedii citrinellus), endemic to Manuel Antonio, i.e. that is only in that part of the world, increasingly threatened, left only 1,500 individuals according to the most recent census. The Park protects also 12 Islands that represent excellent shelter for several species of marine birds. It also has excellent beaches: Espadilla Sur, Manuel Antonio and Puerto Escondido. There is also a 14 hectare lagoon and mangroves. Cathedral point connecting Manuel Antonio and Espadilla Sur beaches is a place of great natural beauty. In terms of the services the visitor is: information, home of Rangers, trails, health services, potable water, signage and several natural viewpoints.

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Home » Destinations » Pacific Coast » Manuel Antonio » 21 Things you NEED to know before visiting Manuel Antonio National Park

21 Things you NEED to know before visiting Manuel Antonio National Park

By Author Costa Rica Travel Life

Posted on Last updated: April 14, 2024

This blog may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy for more info.

Known as one of the most  spectacular national parks in Costa Rica , Manuel Antonio National Park is a place you don’t want to pass by.  

While it isn’t a huge park, it’s the perfect size to explore in a day. There are beautiful walking trails, lots of wildlife (including the adorable squirrel monkeys!), and stunning beaches to enjoy.  

Visiting this national park is one of the  best things to do in Manuel Antonio town, and after visiting this beautiful place it’s easy to see why. The sprawling area is a mixture of rainforests and beaches that are full of animals, birds, and plants. You’ll have the chance to see monkeys, sloths, macaws, snakes, frogs, and more. It’s a different experience every time you go! 

The park is simple to get to and close to the small town of Manuel Antonio, so it’s easy to base yourself in the area for a few days.  

Whether you’re hiking along “The Sloth Trail” (and hopefully seeing a few sloths!) or spending some time relaxing on the beaches here, you’ll want to be prepared so you can make the most of your time. We’ve put together this Manuel Antonio National Park guide, so you’re prepared and will have the best time once you arrive.  

1. About Manuel Antonio National Park  

Manuel Antonio National Park was established in 1972 as a way to protect this area of rainforest and all the animals inside. Back then, there were concerns about development overtaking it, so establishing the park ensured the area would remain as it is.  

It’s the smallest national park in the country but one of the most popular. The park gets around 150,000 visitors every year! Visitors are limited daily though, which is why you should buy a ticket in advance (more details on that below.) 

The park is filled with rainforests, mangroves, and beaches. There are incredible hiking trails and some of the   most beautiful beaches in all of Costa Rica  inside the park.   

The animals and birds who live here will be one of the highlights of your visit, depending on what you spot! There are sloths, LOTS of monkeys, reptiles, and birds galore. 

2. Where is Manuel Antonio National Park  

Manuel Antonio National Park is  located along Costa Rica’s Central Pacific coast . It’s about an hour’s drive from  Uvita  and three hours from San Jose, making it a  great day trip from San Jose ! 

The park is very close to the small towns of Manuel Antonio and Quepos. The park is literally right next to Manuel Antonio town and less than a 10-minute drive away from Quepos. If you’re staying in the area, most hotels are situated between the park and Quepos around the town of Manuel Antonio. Check out our hotel recommendations at the end of this Manuel Antonio National Park guide!  

3. How much does it cost to visit Manuel Antonio National Park? 

Admission to visit the park is $18.08 USD per adult and kids aged 2 to 11 are $5.65 USD. Make sure you read below on how to purchase tickets in advance, as this is a MUST. 

You can also book  guided tours like this one . But be aware that some tours do not include the entrance fee, so you’ll be paying that either way.  

Also, the park warns about people along the road leading here that will try to sell you entrance tickets, tours, or parking – they are not connected to the park in any way, so don’t buy anything from them!  

4. Do you need to book your ticket to Manuel Antonio in advance?  

Yes!! I can’t stress this enough. Don’t show up and try to buy a ticket on-site as you’ll end up disappointed. Tickets MUST be   purchased in advance online here .  

When you book, you’ll select the day you’re visiting. This is because the park only sells limited tickets for each day. The ticket is good for the whole day, but once you’re in the park, you can’t come and go and use the same ticket. So plan to spend the day here to get the most value!  

If you go the guided tour route, double-check to see if it includes admission or not. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to purchase a ticket in advance, just like if you’re coming on your own.  

When you arrive at the park, bring whatever documentation you used to purchase your tickets – like photo ID or a passport that matches the name on the ticket. This is very important.  

5. When is the best time to visit Manuel Antonio?  

If you want the greatest chance of sunshine and warm days the  best time to visit Costa Rica  and Manuel Antonio National Park is from December to April. This is the dry season during Costa Rica’s summer months. It’s also the most popular time to visit, so expect more tourists and crowds. Book as far ahead as you can.  

Things tend to be less expensive and not as crowded during the rainy season from May to November. Going to the park from May to August is still a good time – you’ll have fewer crowds to deal with and typically the rain comes in the afternoons. I’d avoid September-November as these tend to be the rainiest months.  

Once you’re here, mornings are the best time to come to Manuel Antonio National Park. It’s cooler first thing in the morning and the animals and birds in the park tend to be a bit more active than in the afternoons.  

Come right for when the park opens at 7 am or shortly after and you’ll have the best chance to see the park before it gets busy. Then, hit up one of the beaches in the afternoon to cool off!  

6. Manuel Antonio National Park hours 

Manuel Antonio National Park is open daily from 7 am to 4 pm and closed on Tuesdays.  

It’s also open on holidays like Christmas, New Year’s, and Easter (unless they fall on a Tuesday). But if you’re planning to visit on a holiday or weekend, arrive as early as possible – preferably right when the park opens.  

7. Is there parking at Manuel Antonio National Park?  

Yes, there are private parking lots outside of Manuel Antonio National Park where you can pay for parking. The closer you park, the more expensive it will be.  

Because there’s no official parking lot for the national park, you should drive close to the entrance of the park and then you’ll see parking lots with spots available for 2,000 to 4,000 colones per day ($3.77 to $7.54 USD).  This specific spot is really close . If you can find on-street parking in the area, it will be free.  

Make sure to drive close to the park entrance and not pay anyone for parking on the road to get there. There will be people trying to sell you overpriced parking that you need to avoid.  

8. Can you visit Manuel Antonio Park without a tour? 

Yes, you can! All you have to do is buy a normal entrance ticket and explore. You’ll likely get a trail map you can follow as you look for animals in the park and enjoy a hike.  

I will say that if it’s your first time in the park or it’s really important to you to see a variety of Costa Rican wildlife , a guided tour is the way to go. The guides here know where to look for animals and birds and will probably point out lots of critters you would have missed.  

A lot of the guides here also use a scope (basically a powerful telescope) that you can use on a tour to see animals up close – like a sloth or a monkey hiding up in the treetops. Guides are also really good at telling you the history of the area and giving you more information about the critters here, so you’ll learn lots.  

You don’t need a tour to enjoy the beaches here, so I recommend having a guided tour in the morning and then enjoying the beaches for the rest of the day on your own. That being said, if you’re coming from San Jose, I recommend taking one of these guided tours from the city so you won’t have to navigate windy roads and can fully enjoy the day! 

9. What are the hiking trails in Manuel Antonio National Park? 

Hiking in Manuel Antonio National Park on its  rainforest hiking trails  is the best way to see some of the animals here. There are 10 hiking trails and all of them are really walkable – there are some with stairs, but nothing too strenuous.  

In fact, I recommend walking them all if you can! The longest trail is the Waterfall Trail and it’s around 5.5 miles (9 kms) and most are much shorter in that 1-mile (1.5 kms) range.  

The trails throughout the park are:  

• The Sloth Trail  
• The Mangrove Trail 
• The Waterfall Trail  
• Sendero Playa Espadilla Sur 
• Sendero Playa Manuel Antonio 
• Sendero Congos 
• Sendero Playa Gemelas  
• Sendero Punta Catedral  
• Sendero Miradores  
• Sendero Puerto Escondido 

All trails are well marked and there are signs and maps everywhere so you won’t get lost.

10. How long does it take to explore Manuel Antonio National Park?  

Because it’s best to come in the mornings, you can easily spend an entire day here. I’d say you need at least half a day (4 hours) to really explore the park and walk along some of the trails.  

If you want to extend your time here, grab lunch at the café inside the park and then head to one of the beaches for the afternoon. If you want to get in a couple of good hours at the beach, you can stay in the park for the entire day. Just a note that the beaches close around 3 pm and everyone has to leave the park by 4 pm, so plan accordingly. 

11. What wildlife can you see in Manuel Antonio National Park?  

One of the best things to do in Manuel Antonio National Park is to check out all the amazing wildlife here. There are literally hundreds of different types of animals, birds, insects, and reptiles you can spot! This national park is famous for its biodiversity and a wide variety of critters.  

You’ll most likely see a lot of monkeys! There are three different types of monkeys in the park – howler, white-faced, and the endangered squirrel monkeys. This is one of only a few places in the world you can see squirrel monkeys in the wild.  

Sloths are also common in the park – both two-toed and three-toed sloths. If you’re lucky enough to see a baby sloth, they are so incredibly cute! Keep your eyes in the tree tops to spot them, sloths are notoriously hard to see since they camouflage so well and move so little.

Also keep an eye out for toucans, parrots, hummingbirds, and butterflies. And don’t forget to look down! You might spot red-eyed tree frogs, tiny crabs like the orange Halloween crabs, or snakes.  

12. Can you swim in Manuel Antonio National Park? 

Yes, and you should! The beaches are one of our favorite places inside the park. They are just perfect. You’ll find soft sand to sink your feet into and lots of room.  

The most popular beach in the park is Playa Manuel Antonio. The water is calm here and a gorgeous shade of turquoise blue. Be sure to swim to the far side (left if you’re facing the water) as this is where there is no reef. There are lots of almond trees for shade, so it’s easy to spend a few hours here. It can get busy, so if you walk over to Playa Espadilla Sur, that’s typically less busy and still a great spot for swimming or sun tanning.  

If you’re looking for a more hidden beach, head to the secluded Playa Gemelas. It’s a bit rockier here, but it’s actually two small beaches that combine into one. It’s about a 20-minute hike from the main beaches, so it’s never as busy! Just be aware of the rip currents here, so don’t swim too far out.  

Related Read: If you’re hoping for some  great surfing in Costa Rica , head to Espadilla Beach in Manuel Antonio town. The waves here are calm, so it’s perfect for beginners.  

13. Is there food in Manuel Antonio National Park?  

There is no outside food allowed in the park. Your bags are searched when you enter and any food or snacks you packed will be taken away.  

This is mostly because of the animals like monkeys and raccoons who like to dig into people’s bags and steal food. It isn’t good for them and you don’t want them grabbing your stuff either!  

However, there is a café in the park that sells food like, pizza, sandwiches, cakes, fruit, chips, and drinks. These aren’t the highest of quality, and I highly suggest having a big meal before you enter the park.

You can bring a refillable water bottle with you – just not a single-use plastic one as those are banned in this park. If you need to fill up your water bottle, the café can help you with that.  

14. What should I bring to Manuel National Park?  

Make sure you bring ID for entry into the park that is the same as on your ticket! You’ll also need some money (cash is best) and then some other essentials like water in a refillable water bottle, sunscreen, bug spray, and a camera.  

Make sure to wear good walking shoes like runners if you want to hike. If you’re just heading to the beach and doing the main trail, sandals are okay. It does get really humid in the park, so shorts and a t-shirt will help keep you cooler. It can rain here (even in the dry season), so also pack a light rain jacket.  

If you’re going to the beach while you’re here, make sure to have a bathing suit, towel, and sunglasses. You can’t bring any beach umbrellas or chairs, so travel light!   

To carry everything, I recommend a waterproof backpack. This way if it rains, all your gear is still nice and dry.  

15. Facilities in Manuel Antonio National Park  

The facilities in the park are minimal, but there’s enough so you can stay all day comfortably.  

There are washrooms at the main entrance and a few other spots around the park, showers and changing rooms near the main beach, a café for food, a small shop, and some water refill stations.  

16. Is Manuel Antonio suitable for kids/families? 

Yes, kids will have a great time at Manuel Antonio National Park! The trails are flat and not too difficult, so little ones can tag along and help you spot wildlife. The beaches are also great for kids with the calm waves.  

NOTE – Keep kids (and yourself!) away from the manchineel tree. Also known as a “beach apple” or “little apple of death” tree (I’m not kidding!!), these are common in the park, especially along the beaches and you might see the tiny green apples on the ground. The trees are toxic and extremely dangerous – don’t touch any part of the tree or eat its fruit. There are signs throughout the park warning of the tree, but because kids can venture off, keep them close as you explore the park.  

17. Should I hire a guide to explore the park? 

If you’re traveling on a budget or prefer to explore on your own, you can save money by not hiring a guide. It’s still really enjoyable to wander along the hiking trails by yourself and see what animals you can spot.  

However, if seeing more wildlife and knowing what exactly you’re seeing is high on your list, hire a guide. You’ll not only see more; you’ll learn a ton about the park and its creatures along the way. The guides here are passionate about what they do and they know some of the popular spots where animals (like sloths!) hang out. You’ll also get the chance to use the guide’s telescopes to spot animals far away that you would have totally missed seeing.  

I recommend hiring a guide or booking a guided tour for the morning. You’ll see the most animals in the mornings and then once your tour is done, you’re free to explore the park on your own or head to the beach.  

Tip: We recommend booking your guide in advance online . This way you can read reviews and ensure you will get a quality experience!

18. How do you get to Manuel Antonio National Park entrance from Manuel Antonio or Quepos? 

Our favorite way to get around is by  renting a car in Costa Rica . While an SUV is nice to have if you’re planning on driving around any backroads, if you’re sticking to main roads and heading to the national park, it isn’t necessary.  

Our top company to rent from is Discover Cars because they have locations in Manuel Antonio and Quepos (plus in 34 cities around the country) and they have a variety of vehicle types, so we know we will have something reliable no matter what adventure we go on. Even better is that their cars are reasonably priced, and include Costa Rica’s mandatory insurance so there are no surprise fees! You can reserve with Discover Cars here .

The drive from Manuel Antonio to the national park is 10 minutes and possibly even shorter, depending on where your hotel is. From Quepos, the drive is around 18 minutes to the park entrance. Taxis are also an option from both Manuel Antonio and Quepos and should cost between $5 to 10 USD each way.  

If you want to avoid paying for parking or don’t have a rental car, you can easily take the bus from Quepos to Manuel Antonio National Park. You’ll head to the bus station in Quepos or you can wait at a bus stop along the hill in Quepos if you’re staying at a hotel there. The bus is around 335 colones (.63 USD) for a one-way ticket.  

The buses run about every half hour from 5:30 am until 9:30 pm and will take you through the town of Manuel Antonio and close to the park entrance – but not right to it. The bus drops off near the beach at a roundabout. You’ll walk about 5 minutes to the entrance and it is well-signed here so you won’t get lost! 

19. The difference between Manuel Antonio National Park and Manuel Antonio town 

While they share a name, Manuel Antonio National Park and Manuel Antonio town are different. The small town is on the cliffs near the park and is about 15 minutes from the larger city of Quepos.  

Manuel Antonio town literally borders the national park and is a  great place to stay  if you want to be based in this area for a while. The town is built on a hillside and is full of wildlife – I think I’ve seen almost as many animals like sloths, monkeys, and toucans in town as I have in the national park!  

There are also some nice beaches in Manuel Antonio that are not in the national park. These are great because they are free to get to and you don’t have to leave by a certain time – so stay for the sunset!  

While you’re in town, check out all the  amazing restaurants in Manuel Antonio . You’ll find places to eat with awesome food, ocean views, and great cocktails. I love having the buffet breakfast at  Rico Tico Jungle Grill  right when they open at 6:30 am so I’m all fueled up for a day at the national park.  

20. What are the best things to do in Manuel Antonio National Park? 

There’s a huge variety of activities to do in Manuel Antonio National Park! The top activity is the simplest – just walking around! Start your visit here with a guided tour or explore by yourself without a guide along the trails to spot monkeys, sloths, poison dart frogs, butterflies, and many other critters!  

Swimming is also fun inside the park at one of the beaches. The water here is beautiful and the sand is super soft. Some of the best beaches in Costa Rica are found here. It’s a good way to relax after a busy morning of hiking.  

Another way to see the national park from a different angle is with a boat or snorkeling cruise.  This catamaran tour  passes by the national park to give you great views but has the added perks of being on a boat like suntanning, snorkeling , taking a dip in the Jacuzzi, and spotting animals in the water like dolphins and turtles . The tour is $86 USD per person and includes lunch and transportation.  

Related Read : Don’t stop your adventure at Manuel Antonio National Park! Keep exploring the country to see all the  incredible things to do in Costa Rica . 

21. What are the best tours of Manuel Antonio National Park?  

One of the best ways to see Manuel Antonio National Park is with a tour. You’ll have the extra perk of an experienced guide to show you around and make sure you get the most out of your time here.  

For guided tours from Manuel Antonio that include transportation, this half-day guided nature tour  pairs you up with a naturalist guide who will point out animals and plants and explain the biodiversity of the park. It’s under $65 USD and includes transport from all hotels in the Quepos and Manuel Antonio area.  

If you have a rental car or are taking the bus, there’s no need to worry about a tour with transportation. Instead, book a small-group guided tour  for a more personal experience with a maximum number of eight people allowed. This means you’ll have more time to look through the spotting scope at animals you find along the way and can ask lots of questions. It’s only $28 USD per person, which doesn’t include the park entrance fee.  

If seeing sloths is high on your list, book a sloth tour of Manuel Antonio National Park . Your guide will make sure you see lots of sloths as well as other critters. You’ll have the chance to take lots of amazing photos as you wander through the park. This tour is $70 USD per person.  

See the park come alive in the dark with a night tour. Many of the amazing animals inside Manuel Antonio National Park are nocturnal, so this jungle night tour  is a whole new experience – even if you’ve already visited during the day. It’s under $60 USD and includes transportation and a tour guide.  

Explore the coastlines of Manuel Antonio National Park from the comforts of a luxury catamaran. On  this catamaran tour , you’ll pass by the national park, small islands and get the chance to swim in the bay or go down the waterslide attached to the boat! It’s $86 USD for this little getaway that includes transportation.  

Related Read: Manuel Antonio is one of the places we suggest that you visit even if you only have one week in Costa Rica !

Where to Stay in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

There are tons of different  hotels to choose from when deciding where to stay in Manuel Antonio . Here are a few of our favorites:

Selina – $

One of the best budget-friendly places to stay in Manuel Antonio is  Selina . Selina has hostels all over Costa Rica and the world. They always offer an ideal place to stay with clean rooms, a great bar, and a social atmosphere. In Manuel Antonio, Selina is no different, and the hostel comes with a huge pool, restaurant and bar, private rooms, and dorm rooms. 

Rates begin at $57 USD per night. You can  book Selina here on Hostelworld ,   here on Booking.com ,  here on Hotels.com , or  here on Expedia .

Hotel Villas Lirio – $$

For the medium-budget traveler, my top choice is  Hotel Villas Lirio  (pictured above.) This gorgeous hotel is reasonably priced but has some very luxurious features such as an outdoor pool, tropical manicured gardens, an included breakfast, and a restaurant. 

The hotel is also located in the heart of Manuel Antonio and is only meters from the main road where to bus down to the beach and national park goes (it’s a 1-minute drive or a short walk.) Be sure to book it in advance as it is often fully booked. You can book Hotel Villas Lirio online  here on Booking.com ,  here on Hotels.com , or  here on Expedia .

Parador Resort and Spa – $$$

Those who enjoy staying in a beautiful hotel and don’t mind paying for it, have to check out  Parador Resort and Spa . This place does tick a lot of boxes! It’s only a short walk to the beach, has fantastic panoramic views thanks to its elevated location, and has two infinity pools.

The hotel is surrounded by rainforest, so there’s tons of wildlife around too. It’s more around the $350 USD+ per night mark, but is great for a luxury getaway! You can check availability and book  here on Booking.com ,  here on Hotels.com , or  here on Expedia .

Getting Around Costa Rica

How you choose to get around Costa Rica is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make when planning your holiday here! How you do it depends on your budget, travel style, and comfort level. 

Renting a Car

Without a doubt, the number one way to explore Costa Rica is in a rental car. We book rental cars on the Discover Cars website as we have had good experiences with them in the past.

One of the things you need to watch for when renting a car in Costa Rica is the mandatory insurance that the government requires you to have. There are a lot of very cheap rentals that don’t include this mandatory insurance (TPL) in the original booking price, but there are also ones that do. To avoid additional surprise charges when you pick up your rental car, be sure to rent a car that includes the mandatory insurance when you book.

Thankfully, on Discover Cars it’s easy to tell apart the companies that include the mandatory insurance and those that don’t. The trick is you can’t pick any car on their website. In the picture below, you can see this rental car, with pick up in Jaco, includes the TPL. That means the mandatory insurance is included in the price. Any cover you get above that is extra.

Of course, I still suggest getting the full coverage offered by Discover Cars, which covers you even more.

You can  browse cars on Discover Cars here .

Book Shuttles

If renting a car isn’t in your budget, you don’t feel comfortable driving in Costa Rica , or you just don’t like driving, shuttles are the next best option. There are hundreds of shuttle routes available all over the country, and they are very affordable.

Shuttles in Costa Rica are specifically for tourists and often include pick up and drop off at your selected hotels and airports. The drivers also speak some English, and the vehicles have air conditioning. You’ll also be guaranteed a seat when you book a shuttle (which isn’t the case with the public bus system.)

To get the best price, use the website  Bookaway . They compare all the offers and prices of shuttle companies in Costa Rica so you get the best price! Honestly, we have saved so much money using Bookaway! 

You can search for shuttles online on Bookaway here.

Lastly, you can use the public bus system. On short journeys, such as from San Jose to La Fortuna or Uvita to Manuel Antonio, this system is great. However, the longer the journey the more hassle and time spent on a bus. It’s undoubtedly best to save the public bus in Costa Rica for short and straightforward trips!  

The public buses are definitely the cheapest way to get around Costa Rica, but they are not always very reliable and schedules often change without notice and delays are to be expected. The buses can also be very crowded and hot – so just be prepared!

It’s also good to speak some Spanish if you plan on riding the public bus since most drivers and ticket booth operators don’t speak English.

Thanks for reading! 

Manuel Antonio National Park is among my favorite national parks in Costa Rica. The scenery is stunning and I love that I can get a rainforest hike and a beach day in the same place! The park is surrounded by such a beautiful area too, that we love hanging around here for a few days to explore.  

I hope you found this guide to Manuel Antonio National Park helpful before your upcoming visit.  

If you have any other questions about this park or traveling to Costa Rica in general, don’t hesitate to reach out. Also be sure to check out more of our in-depth guides including:  

MUST-VISIT volcanoes in Costa Rica  

COMPLETE guide to visiting La Leona Waterfall  

Fun things to do in Puerto Limón, Costa Rica  

Saturday 25th of March 2023

I was curious if you can still enter the park if you show up after your reservation time?

Costa Rica Travel Life

Thursday 30th of March 2023

Hey Whitney,

It depends on the person and on the day. Sometimes the park is not as busy and they won't mind. Sometimes, the park is full and they will turn you away. It is best to just arrive at the time you book.

Two Weeks in Costa Rica

Travel and Moving Blog

The Wildlife of Manuel Antonio National Park

• Jenn and Matt
• Activities , Family Travel

Costa Rica holds about 25% of its land in protected areas. There are 32 national parks and many more private reserves. These vast stretches of jungle, mountain, mangrove, and other habitats are home to an amazing number of species. While Manuel Antonio National Park is one of the country’s smallest parks, it is arguably one of the easiest places to see Costa Rica’s best wildlife. In this post, we’ll tell you what animals you can see and explain why it is so easy to observe them.

3 Reasons Why Manuel Antonio National Park Is Great for Wildlife Viewing

Here are three reasons why Manuel Antonio is one of the best places in Costa Rica to see wildlife.

A Mix of Habitats

Manuel Antonio National Park has the perfect mix of habitats for easy wildlife viewing. Positioned on the central Pacific coast , you can find primary and secondary rainforest, mangrove, wetland, and beach all within a short walk.

Within these environments is an incredible diversity of plants and animals. Over 346 plant species provide food and shelter for more than 350 species of birds and 100 species of mammals.

The Wildlife Isn’t Scared of People

Over generations, the wildlife inside Manuel Antonio National Park has grown accustomed to living with people around. Tourists and guides are part of their everyday life. This allows you to get some great, close-up wildlife encounters without stressing the animals.

Be aware, however, that getting too close to the animals or feeding them can be dangerous and is also bad for the wildlife.

The Park is Small & Accessible

Manuel Antonio National Park is small compared to many of Costa Rica’s other national parks.

In total, there are about 5 miles (8.3 km) of trails. If you are just looking for an easy walk, you can combine a few of the shorter trails to make a 2- or 3-mile (3-5 km) loop. If you are the type to hike all the trails, you can zig-zag through the different habitats.

For those with limited mobility, wildlife is still within reach. The first trails inside the park are along a flat boardwalk, which is handicap accessible. There are resting benches and shady spots to sit and observe the wonderful flora and fauna.

Wildlife You Can See Inside Manuel Antonio National Park

Anyone visiting Manuel Antonio National Park should expect to see at least some wildlife. How much depends on the day, conditions, and of course, some luck. Seeing a lot of wildlife on your own is possible, but a good guide can help you get even more out of your visit.

If you are visiting Manuel Antonio National Park, you’ll no doubt be able to see monkeys. In Costa Rica there are four types of monkeys. Inside the park, you should be able to find two or maybe even three of them.

The two most common monkey species to encounter inside Manuel Antonio National Park are howler monkeys and white-faced monkeys.

You’ll likely hear the howler monkeys before you see them. These blackish-brown monkeys spend most of their time in groups high up in the trees. They occasionally let out loud bellows to mark their territory and communicate. Once you hear their call, you can usually pinpoint their location.

Howlers are the biggest species of monkey inside the park. They can grow to be around 20 pounds (9 kilograms).

White-faced monkeys (capuchin) are easier to spot since they are more active and social. These black monkeys with white faces travel in small troops. They especially like to hang out near the beaches in the low branches but travel all around the park as well. They aren’t shy and are the ones who have a reputation for stealing food.

A third type of monkey called the squirrel monkey (known locally as the titi ) is a bit harder to find, but their squeaky calls can give them away.

They are small, a bit bigger than a squirrel, and a rusty brown color. These super cute monkeys usually travel in large family groups in the middle-level of the canopy searching for fruits and insects to eat. They are fast and great jumpers.

While Costa Rica’s fourth species, the spider monkey, is said to live in the park, we have never spotted one on our many visits. They are fewer in number throughout the country and may live in more remote parts, away from the main trails.

Costa Rica has two species of sloth. The three-toed sloth and the two-toed sloth. Both live inside Manuel Antonio National Park.

In our experience, the three-toed sloth is the easiest to see. These sloths have grayish, rough fur that can sometimes appear green because of algae growth. They also have a distinctive black mask.

Three-toed sloths are more likely spotted along the inland trails in taller trees. However, they do move around into lower branches.

Two-toed sloths are less common or maybe just better at hiding from us. Two-toed sloths have whitish fur and sort of a pink face. When we do see them, they are usually in trees near the beach catching an ocean breeze.

If you are set on seeing sloths, we would highly recommend a guided tour of the park. Guides know what trees they prefer to sleep in and what leaves they like to eat.

Many species of reptile call Manuel Antonio National Park home as well. There are larger reptiles like crocodiles and caiman inside the park’s swampy lagoon and salty mangroves. These can be tricky to see, though, because of the dense vegetation.

More easily observed are smaller species like spiny-tailed iguanas, green iguanas, Jesus Christ lizards, basilisk lizards, whiptail lizards, and anoles. Less common species like the helmeted iguana and some species of skink also can be observed with a little luck.

With over 350 species of birds living in or migrating through Manuel Antonio National Park, you’re sure to see at least a few exotic feathered friends.

Two types of toucan, the Yellow-throated Toucan and Fiery-billed Aracari, are common inside the park.

You also may be able to see a few trogons, antbirds, flycatchers, tanagers, motmots, and birds of prey like hawks as well.

The rocky islands just offshore, which are observed best by hiking the Cathedral Point Trail, are home to Frigate Birds, Brown Pelicans, and even the occasional Brown or Blue-footed Booby.

Other Critters

Other things you may see on your own are racoons and coati.

Coati are sort of like racoons but have longer snouts and walk with their tails in the air.

Agouti are small, brown rodent-like animals that can sometimes be seen scampering along the forest floor.

Keep a lookout for white-tailed deer too. These quietly stroll through open areas or across the trail. 

Halloween crabs, with their bright orange and black color pattern, are easy to see near the mangroves and on the edges of the boardwalk. They make burrows in the mud.

Also be on the lookout for cool insects like leaf-cutter ants walking in long lines along the trail edges.  

How to See the Most

Self-guided.

Our best advice when trekking through the park on your own is to go slowly and look very carefully. Many people walk the trails too quickly, trying to see everything, and pass right by some amazing creatures.

Guided Tours

If you want to learn more about what you are seeing and find wildlife that is hidden, a good certified naturalist guide is key.

Guides are trained to know the local flora and fauna specifically found in Manuel Antonio. They know where to look for certain species.

Guides also walk the park’s trails over and over. They see patterns in the animal’s behavior and might know where a certain animal will be hanging out based on previous tours.

They also talk to one another, so if there is a special animal along the trail, they may get that location from a colleague.

A guide’s scope also can zoom in on wildlife. Some guides will take pictures with your phone using their scope, giving you a great memento to take home. 

Some cool animals we have seen with the help of a guide inside the park include a mangrove hummingbird, two-toed and three-toed sloths, three types of monkeys, toucans, parrots, a central American bull frog, Brazilian hornets, a sleeping kinkajou, and even a humpback whale and her baby breaching off the coast nearby.   

Planning Your Visit

For details about visiting the park, getting tickets online, trail descriptions, and how to book a great guide, see our post, Manuel Antonio National Park: Hiking, Wildlife, and Beautiful Beaches .

We hope this post has gotten you excited about the wildlife you can see inside Manuel Antonio National Park. We have probably visited this park more than a dozen times now and always have a different experience. Whether it is monkeys leaping from branch to branch, a sloth yawning in the treetops, or iguanas nodding their heads on the beach, you are sure to check some of Costa Rica’s best wildlife off your list.

Have a question about visiting Manuel Antonio National Park? Post a comment below.

Need more information to help plan your visit check out these posts:.

Manuel Antonio Trip Planning – This post is a great place to start if you are in the initial phase of your trip planning. We lay out the town, tell you what there is to do, and where to stay and eat.

Manuel Antonio Hotel Guide – Looking for a place to stay in Manuel Antonio? The options can be overwhelming. Check out this post for a narrowed down list.

Manuel Antonio Activities Guide – There is much more to do in Manuel Antonio and the surrounding area. Check out this post for adventure activities, cultural experiences, and more.

Manuel Antonio National Park – the ultimate guide about the most popular park in Costa Rica

• March 16, 2021

The people of Costa Rica decided to preserve one of the most beautiful and biodiverse areas in the world for future generations, and therefore in 1972, they established the Manuel Antonio National Park . Even though it is the smallest national park in the country, in an area of only 683 hectares you can experience unspoiled Costa Rican nature. The park is a combination of rainforest, beaches, and coral reefs.

There are three beaches. Playa Manuel Antonio – situated in the park visited by some people only to spend there the whole day, which only makes sense to me when you go there in the morning. Then it gets crowded, which takes away the charm of this idyllic place. Playa Espadilla – the main public beach which offers decent surf waves at the north end and smaller ones – perfect for an afternoon swim. And Playa Biesanz, a great place for snorkeling at certain times of the year, the northernmost of the three.

Many believe that beaches surrounded by lush tropical forests here are the most beautiful in the country. In my opinion, they are very nice, but in Costa Rica, there are many other local beaches that are magical and far from the crowds of tourists (I will compile them in the next posts).

Manuel Antonio – the animals of Costa Rica in a one place

However, Manuel Antonio Park’s diversity of wildlife cannot be denied. The park is home to sloths, iguanas, rare squirrel monkeys, white-headed monkeys, and millions of colorful crabs. However, keep in mind that as is the case with wildlife – to see animals in their natural environment, several factors must occur including patience, appropriate equipment (binoculars or a lens with a long focal length), and lots of luck.

I will be honest with you. I have seen more animals and birds in the places where I live. Off the beaten track, far from the crowds of tourists, where mainly locals live. The irony is also that in Manuel Antonio I waited to see monkeys with my camera for three hours and I had a chance to only see two, and 15 minutes after leaving the park, about 20 of them appeared next to the local cafe :)

In addition, there is a myth, unfortunately, reproduced on the Internet, that in Manuel Antonio Park you can find large, colorful parrots. People blog about it and post pictures of parrots supposedly taken in the park, so you expect a close meeting with them. I was one of those people who counted on it. However, after talking to the employees of the park, it quickly turned out that this is just an internet legend because parrots have never lived in these areas. Not to mention the fact that there is a red parrot in the logo of the park and every employee has it on their T-shirt. This is just confusing! The lesson here is as follows: when reading blogs and posts always be somewhat distrustful, because people love to color stories so that they are more attractive.

Manuel Antonio Park – walking trails

The main trails in the Manuel Antonio National Park give you the opportunity to see nature from different perspectives. None of them are difficult or dangerous. These are rather walking paths than hikes. The infrastructure allows you to walk through the entire park even in flip-flops. You can choose from the following trails:

La Catarata

The main point of the trail is 200 meters from the entrance to the park. The trail is 900 meters long and, as the name suggests, leads to a small waterfall (catarata in Spanish).

El Perezoso

It is one of the shortest trails. It leads to various beaches and the main infrastructure of the park – restaurants, showers, and toilets. This is where you can most often see sloths.

Punta Catedral

In addition to the beautiful beaches in the park, Punta Catedral is one of its most iconic parts. The trail is only 1,4 km long and there are several viewpoints from which you can admire spectacular views, including the view at Cathedral Point, with its wooded cliffs, which used to be an island but is now connected to the coast by a thin strip of the island. This land bridge now separates the two most popular beaches of the park – Playa Espadilla Sur and Playa Manuel Antonio.

Playa Gemelas

This short trail will take you to Playa Gemelas and also connects to other trails in the west part of the park. If you visit it at low tide, you will have the opportunity to enjoy an incredible view of Punta Catedral.  

The 1,3 m long trails will take you to the  viewpoint from which you will be able to observe the majestic beauty of Punta Serrucho – a saw-like landmark thanks to numerous tectonic movements.

This short trail connects Playa Gemelas and the Mirador trail; can be used as an alternative way of returning.

Manuel Antonio village and park area

The village of Manuel Antonio is full of shops, restaurants, bars, and street souvenir sellers. For me, it is a far too touristy and crowded place to stay there for longer. In addition, prices in restaurants and stores are three times higher than the local prices. During a short visit, I tested the brilliant The Fringe cafe. It has a beautiful boho decor, serves great iced coffee and warm banana donuts. Totally worth it!  

The hill that connects Manuel Antonio with the port town of Quepos, in turn, is full of luxury hotels, spas, restaurants, and bars with breathtaking ocean views. If you are looking for something a bit more luxurious, then having a cocktail at sunset in one of the cocktail bars sounds like a good plan.

There are plenty of cheap accommodations in Quepos, you can also find great restaurants specializing in typical local food and international cuisine, and bars that lively on the weekends.

I decided to live further down the coast – near Uvita and Dominical. I spent over two weeks here and I was delighted. It was local, quiet, close to nature, and the places where I stayed turned out to be real gems.

As I used a car to get around Costa Rica, it was not a problem for me to get up in the morning and drive about 35 minutes to the park, and in the afternoon to come back to my place of stay in the jungle.

What you should know before visiting Manuel Antonio Park

Opening hours: every day from 7.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. except for Mondays, also open on all public holidays. From April 1, the park will be closed on Tuesdays.

I recommend you to be in the park at 7.00 in the morning, which means right after opening. This is what I did and thanks to that I was practically alone in the park until 9.30 am. It was one of the reasons why I was able to see few deer on my way.

The entrance fee to the park is $18.08, children from 2 to 11 years old pay $5.65. Tickets can be purchased at the park entrance with a credit or debit card. You can also buy them online HERE .

Guided tours are available at $55 for adults, $40 for children, and $38 for locals and residents. Private tours are available at $76 for adults and $60 for children. All guided tours include round-trip transportation from MA/Quepos hotels and holiday homes; entrance fee; bilingual certified guides with telescopes; 2.5-3 hours guided walk, including a stay at the beaches. The rest of the day can be spent in the park and beaches, but you may need to use the bus or taxi in order to get  to your hotel.

Beware of scammers!

If you decide to visit the Manuel Antonio National Park on your own, be aware that on your way there you will be hustled and stopped by people claiming to be “guides” or pretending to sell parking or entrance tickets. They will be dressed like official rangers or guides and may have badges identifying them as employees of the park, but they are scammers and have no relation to the park. They will try to sell you tickets, tours, and parking spaces, which are usually located kilometers from the main entrance to the park.

Don’t get scammed. You can drive up to the entrance to the park by car and park there for 2000-3000 CRC (less than $4-6), and buy a ticket at the ticket booth at the entrance. Tickets can also be purchased online (that’s what I did and I recommend the same to others – not only do you have a guaranteed place for a particular day, which is important with covid restrictions, but also you don’t waste time standing in the line).

How to get to Manuel Antonio Park

There are several ways to get to the park. Depending on how you like to travel, you can choose from the following:

Private Transfer – available between most places in Costa Rica. Comfortable door-to-door air-conditioned minivans to and from most hotels for $45-60 per person. Detailed prices and reservations at: Interbus

Public transport: The “Colectivo” buses stop outside the airport (10:15, 14:15, 15:15, 16:15 and 17:15), a four-hour ride costs $8. The “Directo” buses depart from the Tracopa bus terminal in the city center (20 minutes by taxi or Uber) at: 9.00am, 10.30am, 12.00pm, 1.15pm, 2.30pm, 4.45pm*, 6.00pm and 7.30pm (* = excluding Sunday) for $10/person. The ride takes 2.5 hours. Get off the bus on the beach in MA.

By car: I was getting around Costa Rica by car and I highly recommend this option. More about the technical side of renting a car and sightseeing in such way can be found here:  How to rent a car in Costa Rica – the ultimate guide

 If you like me post and find it helpful I would appreciate if you buy me a coffee and support my work. Thank you so much! :)

Welcome on my blog about traveling, active lifestyle and chasing all the crazy dreams. I have been on 6 continents and in more than 100 countries so far, but I still have so much to explore :)

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Manuel Antonio

Manuel antonio snapshot.

• Summary: Sandy beaches; family-friendly destination; great for nature enthusiasts
• Landscape: Beaches, rainforest, mountains
• Attractions: Adventure Tours, Damas Island Mangroves, Manuel Antonio National Park
• Activities: Bird & wildlife watching, nature tours, parasailing, swimming, surfing, zip lining
• Caters to: Budget travelers, couples/honeymooners, families, wildlife enthusiasts
• Quick Facts: 110 miles from San Jose ; 82 feet above sea level ; Warm and humid with light sea breezes ; 69-89 F

Lush coastal rainforest trees arch over the ivory sands and blue opal waters of Manuel Antonio's coast. Their branches quiver and their leaves shuffle like a wave rolling through the jungle canopy as troupes of monkeys pass overhead. The playful titi monkeys swing upside down to land flat on the beach searching for fruit and scampering past visitors at the most popular park in Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio National Park.

In Manuel Antonio, the jungle meets the ocean.

The tides of the Pacific have worn Manuel Antonio's serpentine coastline into jagged cliffs, rocky archipelagos, long, sandy beaches like Espadilla and intimate coves lined with tropical flora like those of Manuel Antonio and Biesanz.  Behind them, hotels draped in rainforest hide in the folds of the hills that encompass Manuel Antonio.

Places to stay

The road through Manuel Antonio is lined with hotels and restaurants. Wake up in your hotel room to monkeys passing through the trees while enjoying ocean views, just three hours from San Jose. Stay on the coast, beside the national park or close to marina in Quepos at one of the more than 50 hotels in Manuel Antonio. Whether you're looking for a luxury hotel or travelling on a shoestring budget, Manuel Antonio has something in every price range.

Things to do

Mangrove tours, zip-lines, canyoning, parasailing, whitewater rafting, snorkeling and horseback riding are a few of the ways to explore Manuel Antonio and the outlying area. Jet Ski tours lead visitors around the coves, crags and cliffs of the coastline while deep sea fishing excursions offer some of the world's best sport fishing. Relax on one of the beaches, cocktail in hand, or spend a day hiking through the Manuel Antonio National Park.

Fiery-billed toucans, two- and three-toed sloths and red-eyed tree frogs dwell in the canopies of the national park alongside three different species of monkeys – capuchin, howler and titi. In fact, Manuel Antonio is the only place in Costa Rica to find the squirrel-like titi monkeys that make chirping sounds and eat insects. Not limited to the park, the monkeys swing through trees throughout all of Manuel Antonio, making it just as likely to see them at your hotel as in the national park. Off the coast, pelagic sea birds nest among the rocky islands while spotted-nose dolphins, humpback whales and sea turtles swim in the warm Pacific Ocean.

Manuel Antonio's dry season (Dec- April) averages between 81 and 86 degrees making the most popular time to visit. The average annual rainfall is 151 inches, most of which falls during the wet season (May-Nov.). Don't be discouraged to visit during the wet season however, as hotels have lower rates and the rain generally falls only for a few hours during the afternoon and at night.

• Manuel Antonio in Pictures

manuel antonio destination manuel antonio beach - Costa Rica

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Manuel Antonio National Park: A Full Visitor Guide

Disclaimer: This article may contain affiliate links. Clicking on them may earn Costa Rica Vibes a commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!

Would you like to visit Manuel Antonio National Park?

Manuel Antonio National Park in Costa Rica, also called Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio in Spanish, is the most popular national park in the country. 

Travelers flock to this spot on the Central Pacific coast to hike the well-maintained trails, relax on the white sand beaches, and of course, see wildlife up close!

In our opinion, it is definitely worth visiting Manuel Antonio National Park because it is one of the best places in the country to see an abundance of wildlife in their natural habitat. 

We have visited Manuel Antonio National Park several times throughout our years of living in Costa Rica and have seen how things have changed over time.

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That being said, there are some things we think you should know before exploring this area in order to make your trip as amazing as possible.

So, let’s get to it!

Manuel Antonio National Park at a Glance

Opening Hours:  7am to 4pm every day except on Tuesdays. The park is closed on Tuesday.

Cost:  $18.08 USD per adult. $5.65 USD for kids aged 2 to 11.

Note: You need to pre-book tickets online

Location:  The town of Manuel Antonio on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica

Guided National Park Tour (without transportation): Manuel Antonio National Park Tour

Tour with Transportation from Manuel Antonio : Manuel Antonio Guided Walk – ALL INCLUSIVE TOUR

Tour from Jaco : Manuel Antonio National Park Hiking Tour from Jacó

Day Tour from San Jose :   Manuel Antonio National Park Sightseeing and Wildlife Day Tour

Nearby Hotels: Tulemar Resort | La Vela Boutique Hotel | Hotel Villas Nicolas | Millenium Hostels

Nearby Restaurants:   Morpho Beach Bar | Restaurant Hostel Costa Linda | Marlin Restaurant

Best Time to Visit : Dry Season (mid-December through mid-April) and early in the morning

Manuel Antonio National Park Tickets

Manuel Antonio National Park now only sells tickets online. It is not possible to purchase tickets the day of, in person. You need to purchase through the government’s online booking system.

To book your tickets, head on over to the official Costa Rica National Park website (SINAC) .

The booking process is a bit convoluted, so let me go through it for you.

Step 1: On the Manuel Antonio National Park website click “Buy” in the bottom right-hand corner.

Step 2: Register a new account

Step 3: Fill in the details to register an account (you can change between Spanish nad English in the top right corner)

Step 4: Receive Confirmation and Log in to the SINAC booking system. Click “Buy”

Step 5: Select “Manuel Antonio National Park

Step 6: Select your ticket date and time

Lately, tickets have been booking out several days in advance. So, book early if you can. Also, I noticed that the system is a bit glitchy. Sometimes it appears that all tickets are booked out. Refresh the date and try again.

Step 7: Select the number of adult and child tickets you need. Make sure you select foreigner, not local (unless you are a Costa Rica resident)

Step 8: Complete your booking and receive a confirmation email . Note that in Costa Rica there is a 13% tax. So, the price for tickets is a bit more than it appears in the subtotal.

When you visit the park you will be asked to show your tickets and sometimes they will ask for a form of ID. You can bring your tickets on your cell phone. They do not need to be printed.

Again, here is the link to book your tickets

Things to Note About Manuel Antonio National Park Tickets

– Often you don’t need to book things too much in advance in Costa Rica, the Manuel Antonio National Park is the exception to that. If you can, book your tickets early. They have been selling out a lot recently.

– You can not just show up to the park and purchase a ticket. All Manuel Antonio National Park ticketing is now done only online.

– If you are unable to book tickets online due to them being sold out, we suggest arranging a tour with a guide. The park sets aside a set amount of tickets for guided tours.

Manuel Antonio National Park Tour

Booking a guided tour either with or without transportation is a great way to ensure you will see wildlife. Plus, this allows you to skip the stress of purchasing a national park ticket online.

Here are our favorite tour options:

Guided National Park Tour (without transportation)

⭐️  RATING:  5/5 Stars | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:   2 hours and 30 minutes | ✅  Book it!

This tour is only for booking a tour guide at the park. It does not include park admission or parking.

In our opinion, it is a better value to do the tour below with transportation and national park ticket included.

However, if you would like to spend a full day at the park, this is a better option. That way you can drive yourself and won’t be limited to just the tour length for exploration.

Book Your Manuel Antonio National Park Tour Without Transporation

Tour with Transportation from Manuel Antonio

⭐️  RATING:  5/5 Stars | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  2 hours and 30 minutes ✅  Book it!

This guided tour with transportation from Quepos and Manuel Antonio area hotels is awesome! It is done with a professional guide and includes entry admission to the park.

Book Your Manuel Antonio Guided Walk – ALL INCLUSIVE TOUR

National Park Tour from Jaco

⭐️  RATING:  5/5 Stars | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:   7 hours | ✅  Book it!

On your fun-filled day you will be treated to:

• Transportation from and back tp your Jaco area hotel
• A hike at Manuel Antonio National Park on well-defined trails with a bilingual nature expert
• A 45-minute leisure stop at one of the Manuel Antonio beaches
• A delicious traditional lunch
• This tour maxes out at 14 participants, so it is a reasonably small group size

Book Your Manuel Antonio National Park Hiking Tour from Jacó

Manuel Antonio Day Tour from San Jose

⭐️  RATING:  5/5 Stars | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:   12 hours | ✅  Book it!

This tour includes:

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from most San Jose area hotels
• Transport by air conditioned vehicle
• National park entrance fee
• A delicious traditional breakfast & lunch
• A visit to the Crocodile Bridge
• A stop at a scarlet macaw observation place
• Fruit stand & Jaco Beach look-out point stop
• Professional and knowledgeable bilingual guide

  Book Your Manuel Antonio National Park Sightseeing and Wildlife Day Tour

Should I Book a Tour with Transportation?

Booking a tour with transportation has its pros and cons. Not having to drive yourself takes the stress out of parking and saves you from having to pay for parking.

However, the downside is it will limit your time in the park. When your tour with transportation leaves the park, you will need to leave as well.

Is it Worth it to Hire a Guide in Manuel Antonio National Park?

We have hired a guide a few times and I’m happy we did it for the experience. Our guides have always been extremely knowledgeable. 

They also walk these trails every day, so they know exactly where the wildlife hangs out (pun intended). 

The guides also carry a telescope with them so you have the chance of getting a really close look at all the wildlife. 

They’ll even help you take photos through the telescope so you can get close-up pictures like this. ↓

If you opt not to book a guided tour and book your national park tickets yourself, you can usually decide on the day of your visit to hire a guide.

Typically there are local guides standing outside the park that are happy to offer their services.

Pros and Cons of Booking a Guided Tour

• The guides walk through the park every day and can spot all the wildlife
• The guides can tell you all you would ever want to know about flora, fauna, history etc.
• If tickets are sold out online, the guided tours can bypass this and get you into the park
• You don’t have to worry about driving and finding parking
• Sometimes you might be in a large group, which isn’t always the most enjoyable experience
• If you take a guided tour with transportation you might not have a lot of time to explore other trails, beaches, etc on your own.
• Guided tours cost a lot in comparison with just buying the park ticket

🐒 Check Manuel Antonio National Park Tour Prices and Availability 🌴

Important Info About Manuel Antonio National Park

Wednesday – Monday 7am to 4pm. In other words, keep in mind that the park is closed on Tuesday’s and plan your trip accordingly.

Manuel Antonio National Park is located in the town of Manuel Antonio (go figure). This is about four hours from the San Jose International Airport and an hour south of Jaco on the Central Pacific coast.

Just follow the highway down from Jaco until you get to Quepos . It gets a bit confusing around Quepos for a few minutes, so we suggest using your GPS then.

We like the Waze app for directions here. Just plug in “Manuel Antonio National Park” as your destination and you’ll be good to go.

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If you are in the downtown area of Manuel Antonio do not follow the beach road all the way to the end. Instead, take a left on the last possible road. You will see a restaurant called “Restaurant Marlin” on the left corner.

Follow that road and it will loop up to the park entrance.

There is also a good public bus in Manuel Antonio which will take you directly to the entrance for about $1.50. You can ask at your hotel about the schedule.

Note: If you would like to rent a car in Costa Rica we suggest our favorite rental car company Adobe. Book here and receive a 10% discount plus other great perks.

The reason I stressed in the Directions section to take a left instead of following the road to the end is that people at the end of the road will tell you there is not another parking lot and you should park with them. 

They have also been known to say that they are the only official parking lot.

Don’t listen to them! This is a lie. If you park here you will still have to walk about a mile to the park entrance. I have also heard stories of them drastically overcharging people.

As of now, there is no official lot.

Instead, you can either park on the street near the park entrance (if there are still parallel parking spots available when you arrive) or park at one of the private lots.

We suggest two parking lots located just next to the entrance. Both are private lots. You can expect to pay about 4,000 colones to park at either one. It is best to have this money in cash.

Here is a Google Map link with the two parking lots we suggest.

Manuel Antonio National Park costs $16 plus tax for adults. This comes out to $18.08.

The ticket price for children between the ages of 2 and 12 years old is $5. Plus tax this comes out to $5.65.

Children under 2 years old are free

If you are a Costa Rican resident the cost is 1,600 colones for adults (plus tax it comes out to 1,808.00) and 500 colones for kids ages 6 to 12 (plus tax it comes out to 565 colones).

At the park entrance, a national park ranger will check your tickets and possibly check your ID to make sure that your name aligns with your ticket.

Your bag will also likely be checked for any contraband goodies like cigarettes and beach umbrellas.

More on that later on in this article! 

The facilities at Manuel Antonio National Park are impressive for Costa Rica standards.

There are multiple public restrooms located throughout the park, outdoor showers, a small cafe with drinks and lunch items, lockers for rent at the cafe, picnic tables, and more!

To Bring or not to Bring?

Manuel Antonio National Park is a bit strict on what you can and can’t bring into the park. Let’s start with all the things you can not bring and then I will tell you the things I suggest packing.

You can not bring beach umbrellas, chairs, awnings, beach balls, cigarettes, hammocks, camping tents, drones, food, or bicycles into the park.

Yes, you read that correctly. No outside food is allowed inside the park. I know this sounds like an excessive rule, but there is a good reason for it. 

The monkeys love to steal food from tourists.

In the past, before this regulation, we witnessed a monkey steal a woman’s bag. When she tried to get the bag back the monkey clawed her down her whole back. It was really bad. We had some wound-disinfecting stuff that we gave her, but I’m sure she still had to get medical treatment.

W hat to Bring

Shop All The National Park Essentials Here

• Pocket binoculars (they are good to have for looking at wildlife up in the trees)
• A lot of drinking water
• A fast-drying towel (we like micro-fiber towels best)
• Your swimsuit
• Strong reef-safe sunscreen
• A rain jacket (if traveling in the rainy season).

Note: Costa Rica has banned single-use plastic bottles in national parks. Definitely bring a water bottle with you from home to use to refill during your vacation. We like Lifestraw bottles for some added bacteria filtration.

What to Wear

It tends to get really hot here and some of the trails are intense. You don’t need to dress as if you are doing serious hiking, but instead, dress for the heat.

I usually opt for shorts, a t-shirt, a hat, hiking sandals (like Keens ), a breathable hat ( I love this one from Columbia ) and a waterproof daypack (great for protecting against rain and for the beach). 

Also, you could wear your bathing suit under your clothes, but if you don’t want to, there are bathrooms near the beach that you can change in.

Check out our Full Costa Rica National Park Packing List on Amazon for everything you need!

Amount of Time You’ll Need

I would set aside a minimum of three hours. This will give you enough time to hike almost all the trails and relax a bit on the beach.

However, you could easily spend 6 hours or more here if you would like to turn your visit into a beach day.

The Manuel Antonio National Park Hikes

One of the best things about Manuel Antonio National Park is that it is easily accessible for everyone.

Most of the main trails are flat and paved. We have even heard of people taking wheelchairs into the park without much trouble getting around the main trails.

You will start at point 1 on the map. If you arrive early we suggest heading straight to point 3 (Playa Espadilla Sur), point 4 (Tombolo) and 6 (Playa Manuel Antonio) on the map. These are the nice beaches in the park.

If you get there early enough you can have them all to yourself for some beautiful pictures.

The hike at Point 5 (Punta Catedral) is nice for some great ocean cliff views. Just note that it does involve a lot of stairs.

If you are interested in more hiking opportunities, I suggest the trails to point 9 (Mirador Puerto Escondido), point 10 (Mirador), and the trail near the park entrance to the waterfall (Sendero Catarata Estacional Trail).

These trails are all a bit more strenuous than the main trail, so they usually aren’t as heavily walked. Plus, most tours only go down the main trail. So, you shouldn’t run in to as many people here.

Also, just note they do not give you a map of the park at the entrance. We actually only found two spots where you could view this full map. 

We posted a picture of the Manuel Antonio National Park map for you at the beginning of this section. We suggest taking a screenshot so you can guarantee that you have a copy of the trails.

Manuel Antonio National Park Wildlife

The main attraction in the national park is definitely the wildlife. 

Some of the animals you will probably see include two and three-toed sloths, howler monkeys, white-faced capuchin monkeys, and squirrel monkeys (which are actually endangered). 

You may also see iguanas, crazy insects, unique species of birds, deer, snakes and more!

Here is some of the wildlife we have been lucky enough to take pictures of in the park.

The Manuel Antonio National Park Beaches

There are two main beaches in the national park. These are Playa Espadilla Sur and Playa Manuel Antonio.

Playa Espadilla Sur is the better option for kids or if you want a wide beach.

Playa Manuel Antonio is smaller and is a bit rocky in some spots. However, I think the water on this side is usually a bit more calm because it is more of a cove.

Usually, it is possible to swim here. or at least wade out in the water, but always pay attention to signs and follow any instructions given by park staff. There are sometimes rip currents.

Best Time to Visit

Since this is the most popular national park in the country, December through April (dry season) are the busiest months at Manuel Antonio.

During this time of year, we definitely suggest booking your ticket online as soon as possible and arriving at the park when it opens. 

If you opt to visit during the rainy season we also suggest getting to the park early in the day. Typically the rain won’t roll in until 2 or 3 pm.

If you start your day around 7 am you will have plenty of time to explore the park while enjoying sunny and hot weather.

Another perk of visiting during the rainy season is that everything tends to be more green and lush.

Manuel Antonio National Park Hotels

There are not any hotels located directly in the national park, but there are plenty of hotels in the town of Manuel Antonio. 

Just note that a lot of these places are located in the hills above the national park. You will need a rental car or another transportation option in order to get to the national park. 

$$$ Tulemar Resort Los Altos Resort Gaia Hotel & Reserve $$ La Vela Boutique Hotel Hotel Villas Nicolas $ Millenium Hostels

Places to Eat Nearby

After your adventure you can always leave your car where it is parked and go grab some lunch. A few of our favorite nearby places are:

  Morpho Beach Bar , Restaurant Hostel Costa Linda , Marlin Restaurant

Manuel Antonio National Park Photo Break

Manuel Antonio National Park History

The national park was founded in 1971 after strong pressure from the local community for further protection of this unique area. 

Although it is the most popular national park with tourists, it also happens to be the smallest national park in Costa Rica with an area of 1,700 acres of land.

It is estimated that as many as 150,000 people visit Manuel Antonio National Park annually.

That number seems very conservative to me. I would estimate the yearly visitor count to actually be much much higher.

But, what do I know?

Is It Worth A Visit?

We think, yes. Manuel Antonio National Park is definitely worth a visit. It is the perfect place to enjoy hikes for all skill levels, see a lot of unique wildlife up close, and enjoy pristine tropical beaches.

The biggest downside in our opinion is definitely the popularity. You are most likely looking for a natural experience and the chance to see a lot of wildlife, not a theme park.

Unfortunately, if you arrive in the middle of the day during peak tourism season, it tends to feel a bit like the latter.

But, just book your tickets to arrive at 7 am and you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the scenery before most tourists arrive.

If you would like a less touristy place to enjoy some trails within this area, we suggest Carara National Park to the north or Nauyaca Waterfalls to the south.

What to Do After Visiting Manuel Antonio National Park

There is plenty to do in Manuel Antonio ! We are usually hungry after so we head straight to get some food downtown. There is also a huge beach there if you’d like to check that out.

If you would like to visit another beach, we suggest checking out Playa Biesanz . It is only about a 10-minute drive from the national park. We love it because it is on a cove, is less crowded than the main beaches, and locals sell food, rent kayaks, and more!

Need more help with planning your stay in Manuel Antonio? Check out our complete guide to the Manuel Antonio area . It is filled with suggested activities, hotel, and restaurant recommendations.

In conclusion, we definitely suggest visiting Manuel Antonio National Park if you find yourself in the Central Pacific part of Costa Rica. Just remember to book your tickets early, arrive early in the day, wear lots of sunscreen, and take advantage of the beaches and trails.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask in the comment section below. We are always happy to help you out!

You Might Also Like:

Manuel Antonio: Complete Visitors Guide with Weather, Transportation and More

The 30 Best Things to Do in Manuel Antonio Costa Rica

60 things to do in costa rica – for all budgets and interests, wildlife in costa rica – see all the most exotic animals, viator in costa rica: book excursions through the platform, playa biesanz in manuel antonio: secluded swimming beach, fishing in costa rica: charters, shore fishing, and more, the best ways to see sloths in costa rica, costa rica excursions – plan day tours.

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We are traveling to CR next week with two teens. We will be spending 4 days in MA after spending 3 days in Arenal. Would love any suggestions for active family with teens 13 and 15. We have a catamaran snorkeling tour planned but nothing else. We were thinking of visiting MA National Park on our own but am seeing how busy it is and an wondring if better to book a tour to secure our ticket? What do you think? If we gonit on our own, How early do you think we need to line up to get in? For first timers, do you suggest we hire a guide and donwe just do that at the park? If so, any tips on choosing one? I read your article with tips on visiting the Park and the trails and it was great!

Hi Tami! We have done it both ways. It can be pricey to do a tour for all 4 of you. However, it is definitely nice to be able to see the animals up close and personal. Also, the guides know exactly where to find the wildlife and so much info about all the animals. Your kids might love that. You could hire a guide ahead of time, but if you get to the park a bit before 7am (when it opens) you will have your pick of several local guides as well. This is usually a bit cheaper. The park has been crazy full lately from what I have heard. I would suggest getting there by 6:45am just to wait in line so you can beat the crowds a bit. Also, definitely visit Playa Biesanz in Manuel Antonio. It would probably be perfect for your family because you can rent kayaks and snorkel masks from locals for very reasonable prices. The water is very calm there and it’s the perfect place to spend half a day. Let us know if you have more questions!

Thank you so much for your reply. Yes we do want to do a guided tour but are having a hard time figuring out if we need to go with a tour company or we can purchase a guided tour through MA National Park website. On the website, it looks like you can purchase a guided tour for a specific day and time for $50 (less $5 I’d buy online). I am inclined to do this but tour companies are leading me to believe that if I do that we may get to the Park at our purchases time and may not get in because they are full. This doesn’t make sense to me as we would have paid for our tickets and guide so I would think they would have to honor that—but maybe they do it differently in CR! Do you have any experience with purchasing a guided tour through the National Park website? Any advice? I so appreciate your help.

That is weird. I have not purchased them through the Manuel Antonio National Park website. Ah! I just looked and figured out what you are talking about. So that site which I’m guessing you were on https://manuelantoniopark.com (is that the one?) is actually not an official national park site. The official site is http://www.sinac.go.cr/EN-US/ac/acopac/pnma/Pages/default.aspx I do not see any place to book guides there. Maybe I missed it though Anyway, last time I was there all the guided tours already had their tickets. In other words, if you book a guided tour ahead of time I think they pre-buy all the tickets for the people on their tour so they can guarantee you’ll get in. $50 is still a bit high (even though it includes the ticket). You can probably get it cheaper if you just show up to the park at 7am, however, because the park has been crazy busy lately the guides could possibly be charging more and you can’t guarantee that you’ll get a guide by just showing up. I guess I would book a tour ahead of time just to ensure you get one. Maybe just email the company before booking to ask how they can guarantee you get into the park.

Thanks so much!

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Las Baulas de Guanacaste National Marine Park, Costa Rica   Sven Bratschke and Rotney Piedra Chacón

à   see below

Case studies in Costa Rica: Cahuita and Manuel Antonio National Parks, where the oceans meet the forests

Steffen Reichle, Peter R. Hobson & Pierre L. Ibisch

General setting

Costa Rica has a long history of protected area management and almost a quarter of the country is designated under protected area status. Combined with the tourist industry, protected areas form a vital part of the nation’s economy. Protected areas management is administered through a sophisticated regional network of 11 national conservation areas under the jurisdiction of SINAC (Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación). Two of the regional areas are the Amistad Caribbean Conservation Area (of which Cahuita National Park is part of), and the Central Pacific Conservation Area (including the Manuel Antonio National Park). 

As part of a programme carried out by the International Climate Initiative, whose central objective is to increase the adaptive capacity of the coastal and marine ecosystems in Costa Rica to the adverse impacts of climate change, the two marine National Parks were assisted in designing their management plans [1] . In November 2011, a MARISCO exercise was carried out with park staff from the Manuel Antonio and Cahuita National Parks.

At the beginning of the process, a brief Ecosystem Diagnostics Analysis of both project areas was undertaken to establish at first hand potential threats and contributing factors to both reserves. This exercise was followed by a four-day workshop involving stakeholders made up of park staff from Manuel Antonio and Cahuita National Parks, regional protection agencies as well as national and international consultants. The project focused mainly on providing integral strategies and additional data for enriching the ongoing elaboration of management plans for both protected areas.

[1] The project was part of the SINAC/BIOMARCC programme. The project BIOMARCC of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, in cooperation with the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC in Spanish initials) in Costa Rica, is currently carried out under the International Climate Initiative (ICI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. Central objective of the project is to increase the adaptive capacity of the coastal and marine ecosystems in Costa Rica to the adverse impacts of climate change. One main aspect in order to achieve the objective is to assist coastal and marine protected areas in the design of management plans, which consider impacts of climate change and integrate adaptation strategies (BIOMARCC-SINAC-GIZ, 2013). See also http://www.biomarcc.org for more information.

Workshops and work flow

The results of the Ecosystem Diagnostics Analysis provided an environmental baseline of understanding that, later, proved to be an important source of information for the discussion with the protected area teams.

Directly after the field visit in November 2011 a two-day workshop was carried out with the participation of protected area staff, regional conservation agencies, as well as national and international consultants. In this first workshop, under the guidance of the consultant group a step-wise approach was used to produce a full-scale vulnerability analysis for both sites. 

Part of the on-going activities during the first part of the workshop involved the coaches team collating the material and information produced in the ‘field’ and constructing a graphical representation of the results. Once the conservation objects were identified, each team produced a list of ‘weighted’ threats and contributing factors using a simple scoring system. The results of this analysis were fed back to the participants for review and comments. The second workshop carried out in March of the following year represented the next set of steps in the MARISCO cycle, which was to evaluate the results of the situation analysis against the existing management prescriptions, and then formulate effective and realistic strategies for both parks. What followed was the writing of new prioritised strategies made up of smart objectives designed to target existing and future threats to biodiversity.

The workshop was deliberately structured to run as two separate groups each representing one of the parks. By running parallel sessions with frequent peer review meetings it was possible to share good practice and exchange ideas between the teams.

Box 1: Manuel Antonio National Park (after Salazar et al. 2005)

Manuel Antonio National Park is located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, in the Puntarenas Province, seven kilometres south-east of the town of Quepos, more or less about 150 km south of San Jose. It is part of the Pacific Central Conservation area and was created in 1972. Since it was first designated it has been enlarged twice and in its current state it covers an area of 1983 hectares of terrestrial land and 55.210 hectares of marine-scape. The altitude in the park varies between sea level and 160 m.a.s.l. at the highest point. In some cases, the land rises dramatically out of the shore line. The biodiversity protected by the site includes 352 species of birds, 109 mammals and 346 listed species of flora. Typical and common mammal species include white-faced capuchin monkeys ( Cebus capucinus ), white-nosed coatis ( Nasua narica ), crab eating raccoon ( Procyon lotor ), as well as the now almost endemic grey-crowned Central American squirrel monkey ( Saimiri oerstedii citrinellus ). This last species once had a wider distribution in the central part of the Pacific coast, but is now probably restricted to this region due to local extinctions within Manuel Antonio National Park and a few other localities close by.

The park includes several plant species endemic to Costa Rica, such as Pitcairnia halophila L. B. Sm. (Bromeliaceae). Tree species are also included in this category such as Licania operculipetala Standl & L. O. Williams (Chrysobalanaceae), Lophanthera hammeli W. R. Anderson (Malpighiaceae), Pseudima costaricensis L. O. Williams & P. H. Allen (Sapindaceae). Of the orchid family the following species are endemic: Epidendrum congestum Rolfe (Orchidaceae), Lockhartia pandurata Populin (Orchidaceae), Notylia pittieri Schltr. (Orchidaceae) y Oncidium stenobulbon Krzl. (Orchidaceae). A tree species Buchenavia costaricensis ( Combretaceae) and an orchid species Lockhartia pandurata Populín were described from collections at Manuel Antonio National Park.

The main portion of National Park is marine although there is little documentation of the biodiversity found within the park boundaries. There are 12 smaller islands (“islotes”) no more than 50 m.a.s.l., which provide breeding sites for coastal birds as well as nursery grounds for several species of fish. The two parks, Manuel Antonio and Quepos, are home to the bottlenose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus), the spinner dolphin ( Stenella longirostris centroamericana) and the false killer whale ( Pseudorca crassidens).

The main tourist attractions are the four beaches Espadilla Sur, Manuel Antonio, Escondido, and Playita. 

Box 2: Cahuita National Park

The Cahuita National Park is located in the Caribbean La Amistad Conservation Area of Costa Rica , part of the southern Caribbean coast in the Limón Province , and connected to the town of Cahuita . It covers 1.068 hectares of terrestrial areas, 600 hectares of coral reefs and 22.400 hectares of marine areas. A variety of important habitats and systems including coral reef, sea grass, traditional turtle-nesting beaches, coastal swamp and fringe forest are protected by the park. The beaches and coral reefs attract a large number of tourists each year. Much of the coral reef has been degraded by a combination of human-induced factors and warming of the near-shore coastal waters. Problems of coral bleaching and die-back related to excessive siltation were already known about at the beginning of the 1980s (Cortés & Risk 1984).

The sea grass beds are dominated by two species, Thalassia testudinum (Banks ex König 1805) and Syringodium filiforme (Kützing in Hohenacker 1852-1962) (see Fonseca et al. 2007). In the past, the sea grass system has provided important habitats for breeding fish and feeding sites for manatees ( Trichecus manatus ). However, recent changes to this ecosystem have degraded the quality of these habitats and resulted in the local extinction of the manatee population along with several of the fish species.

Cahuita is an important site within the region for Echinoderms of which 23 species have been recorded in the park (Bolaños et al. 2005).

The park provides protection for remnant humid tropical forests and also for swamp forests of „Yolillo“ (Aracaceae) and Sangrillo (Fabaceae). Typical inhabitants of the forested areas are white faced capucin monkeys ( Cebus capucinus ), and crab eating raccoons ( Procyon lotor ). The park is also home to the nocturnal kinkajous ( Potos flavus ).

Both sub-groups began the exercise by examining the ecological integrity of the site in the wider context of land use change and management. There was broad consensus amongst all participants from both parks that current boundaries delineating protected areas were too small to effectively meet the conservation objectives and that they should be extended to include watersheds, river basins and littoral as well as deeper zones out at sea. It was also clear from discussions amongst members of each group that most of the risks and impacts to biodiversity within the reserves came from outside the park boundaries. For example, the sedimentation and contamination that threatens marine life in both parks were the combined effects of degraded river systems and intensive agricultural production in the surrounding areas. In the case of Manuel Antonio National Park, the team members included in their strategy the need to manage the activities of land owners and industry operating in the wider landscape. For these reasons, both protected areas decided to increase the boundaries of their planning area with the specific intention of incorporating the headwaters of rivers as these were identified as the main source of sedimentation in the marine areas.

While both parks already had a strategy for regulating visitor numbers and other human activities it was clear from evidence of the Manuel Antonio National Park that effective policing of tourism remained a challenge. An adjustment to existing strategies for managing tourism was seen necessary in both parks.

Both groups adopted an ecosystem approach when it came to selecting biodiversity objects, although certain priority species were incorporated into the list. Direct reference was made to one or two species such as turtles. Staff at Manuel Antonio National Park raised concerns about the serious lack of information and knowledge of the marine biodiversity, which may have accounted for a poor representation of this biodiversity group in the initial list of conservation objects.

The final results of the situation analyses, in both cases, revealed several gaps in existing management strategies. For instance, climate change was identified as a major threat that would have a growing impact on almost all conservation targets in years to come and yet there was little reference to climate change in the original management documents. The Cahuita team identified the need for urgent fiscal aid to help resolve the complex problem of human disturbance and climate change impacts on beaches that were eroding and degrading existing turtle nesting grounds. The Manuel Antonio team proposed a climate change adaptation strategy that would have relevance to all conservation activities including the current tourist plan.

In rating existing and new strategies almost all proposals were awarded high values. The Cahuita team chose to abandon the existing strategy for dealing with invasive species as this problem was considered to be a lower priority to other concerns and because resources to tackle the issue were limited. All other existing strategies were considered to be either viable or in need of minor alterations to improve their success rate. 

Box 3: Complexly interacting threats in the marine and terrestrial environments in Manuel Antonio and Cahuita National Parks

Peter R. Hobson & Pierre L. Ibisch

As part of the Ecosystem Diagnostics Analysis during the brief visit to both Manuel Antonio and Cahuita National Park the key environmental problems observed were recorded and summarised as follows:

• Direct and indirect effects of natural resource management, specifically, rivers;
• Direct and indirect effects of land use with a focus on palm oil and banana plantations; and
• Interacting effects of directly human-induced threats and climate change (salt dilution effects of river plus sea temperature increase; pesticide and eutrophication plus temperature increase etc.).

Later during the vulnerability workshop these problems were confirmed.

Rivers and water quality

Both, Manuel Antonio and Cahuita, National Parks are situated in close proximity to medium sized rivers, and both parks receive substantial quantities of river sediment as a result of ocean current movements and long-shore drift. The cause of surplus sediment ‘outwash’ in both sites is a result of the impacts of river engineering, in-stream gravel mining, and the importation of excess flood plain run-off channelled through the numerous dykes and creeks featured throughout all the adjoining plantations. Physical modification that includes in-stream gravel extraction and the construction of flood banks can have a number of long-term effects on the whole catchment basin (Melton 2009). Gravel extraction for purposes of building construction or flood defences increases the transport of sediment, sediment suspension and gravel siltation (Rundquist 1980, OWWRI 1995). The alteration of the river channel and removal of natural armouring creates a large amount of fine sediment that is then moved through the system more rapidly. Increased velocity of water with higher sediment loads accelerates the further break down of the river bed with the loss of deep pools and the creation of more braiding (e.g., Melton 2009). Water quality is also affected as nutrients attach themselves to particles and accumulate over time. Excessive nutrient loads reduce water oxygen levels, promote algal growth and decrease the clarity and quality of the water. Where there are small village settlements along the river with poor sanitation infrastructure the problem is greatly exacerbated by the continual seepage of raw effluent that may persist to the point at which it exits into the marine environment. This was evident from observations made at both national park locations. Sedimentation in coastal marine habitats brought on by natural extreme events or human disturbance can have acute and chronic lasting effects on the biodiversity and function of ecosystems. In particular, the activities of human development can greatly increase sediment load and turbidity in coastal waters and this can have adverse effects on the abundance and diversity of fish (Amesbury 1982). The coupling effects of nutrient and sediment influx and increased turbidity reduces coral cover and species composition, reduces growth rates of many species, and causes death in many others (Weiss and Goddard 1977).

Levels of turbidity were noticeably high in both parks. Notwithstanding the natural seasonal changes in the clarity of in-shore waters, other indicators including widespread siltation on rock surfaces in both the literal and sub-literal zones and the marked absence of macro-algae, mollusc, crustacea and cnidarians species (all indicators of good water quality) reinforced concerns about the large-scale problems of sedimentation.

Large-scale management of palm oil and banana plantations

Maximum yields in palm oil and banana production are achieved by growing plantations in low lands and on well-drained flood plains. In Costa Rica, the high rainfall and prevalence of rivers and creeks necessitates the construction of elaborate ditch and dyke systems to take off surplus water and prevent water logging. Most of the palm oil plantations visited in the countryside around Manuel Antonio National Park were either mature, well established stands or were second rotation crop. There was little evidence of banana cultivation as most had been lost to the development of tourism (Honey et al. 2010). In contrast, banana crops are grown in extensive plantations across flood plains of the rivers north of Cahuita National Park, especially Río La Estrella. To avoid inundation during periods of flooding a sophisticated drainage system has been constructed that extends throughout the croplands, remaining flood plain and linking up with the main creeks and rivers. Field observations confirmed the existence of widespread drainage networks in all oil palm and banana plantations on both sides of the country. In the former case, large ditches, up to 1.5m in depth and 4m in width, were spaced in parallel formation at approximately 20m apart. These were fed by more numerous smaller channels cut out in ‘herring-bone’ design throughout the plantations. The larger channels were regularly ‘slobbed’ out and the channel sediment dumped in piles along each cutting. In some cases, the ditches were kept clear of vegetation by the use of herbicide. The team observed large flood banks abutting oil plantations that had recently been repaired but not before the plantation had suffered severe inundation. A number of the larger creeks running through the banana plantations on the Caribbean coast were managed using substantial sluice gates. Whilst these structures provided a quick response solution to problems of extreme flooding they also introduced erratic flood-pulse patterns into the system that could change the natural dynamics of rivers by promoting the build-up of sediment in ‘back-up’ water and then rapidly releasing this into the system between periods of flooding. Large discharging of water into river and estuarine systems can result in localised erosion along river banks and shore lines.

The palm oil trees are treated with a range of pesticides to reduce infestation, including rodenticides ( flocoumafen and brodifacoum ), insecticides ( rhynchophorol ), nematocides and fungicides (Vásquez et al. 2006). Evidence in the field indicated that each tree was spot-sprayed to remove vegetation from around the base of the tree possibly as a measure of reducing root competition from lianas, and to secure the site from dangers of insect and snake bites. In some cases vegetation undergrowth was kept down by cattle grazing.

Coupling effects of ‘conventional’ threats and climate change

Coastal and marine ecosystems are main areas of concern as evidence indicates a rapid warming of the seas and a change in ocean chemistry (e.g. Anthony et al. 2008) . The vulnerability of coral reefs off the Caribbean coastline has caused widespread concern amongst scientists. Increases in atmospheric CO 2 concentrations is changing the ocean chemistry, which is contributing to the alteration in the structure and functioning of the marine ecosystem. In particular, coral reefs are highly sensitive to even slight increases in temperature and are showing evidence of bleaching, followed by death. This is not the only cause of coral bleaching. Elevated levels of CO 2 in the atmosphere are also affecting the quantity of dissolved CO 2 in the seas and this is increasing acidification of sea water, leading to coral bleaching and death. The combination of warmer waters, acidification and chemical pollution from agricultural run-off is resulting in the transformation of reefs into algal-dominated communities with a much reduced biodiversity. Other changes include temperature-enhanced eutrophication that is promoting algal growth and an increase in water turbidity. This is restricting light levels around coral reefs and bringing about their demise. Warmer sea water is also interacting with the dilution effect from excess river water brought about by ‘over-active’ drainage systems in the plantations. The combined affects maintain the high levels of suspended solids in the water that drifts on inshore currents across the coral system, sea grass beds and biogenic reefs before depositing out in these ecosystems. It is unclear whether all these combined factors are the primary cause of altered beach dynamics and coastal erosion witnessed along the Caribbean coastline. However, it is safe to assume that the gross degradation of large biological structures such as sea grass beds, biogenic reefs and coral formations will only speed up the chronic effects of climate change.

Climate change-induced alterations to local weather patterns towards more unpredictable strong rainfall events are adding to the existing problems of river catchment dynamics. Future scenarios are likely to include elevated levels in river sedimentation and particulate suspension in coastal waters.  

Outcomes and Conclusions

The in-depth analysis was a novelty for most of the participants, even for those staff with previous experience in planning workshops. Some participants felt that the method was too complicated and time consuming although both teams agreed that the systematic approach provided an effective and realistic analysis of the situation. In particular, time commitment was recognised as a real issue and constraint by the teams of scientific and technical consultants employed to provide the necessary expertise and to produce the management plans. Often, they would “dive out” of the process to attend to other duties and work, thus disrupting their own understanding of the process. Furthermore, the strategies that emerged from carrying out this process were regarded as a true reflection of the problems faced by both parks.

It is worthwhile stressing that the findings emerging from the MARISCO workshop provided the science consultants with important information needed to produce the new management plans for both areas. The conceptualisation and situation analysis highlighted previously underestimated problems connected to climate change and also encouraged participants to analyse both protected areas within a much larger landscape setting.

Both areas have similar problems to do with the funding and staffing of the parks. In some cases, a pragmatic approach to resolving resource limitations is being adopted by collaborating with external partners such as universities or individual researchers. A similar approach will be needed for regional strategies that focus on land-use planning and the integral management of watersheds. The regional conservation areas in Costa Rica provide a useful starting-point to begin a process of large spatial planning.

The participants understood very well the problems of climate change and the synergies with more local human-induced problems. The methodology helped the participants to understand more clearly that most of the solutions to the threats and stresses identified in the park had to involve stakeholders and the wider community living outside the park boundaries.

The advantages of running a large workshop made up of staff from two separate national parks were clear: It provided opportunities for peer review to take place; the sharing of experiences and knowledge; as well as the demonstration of good practice. Collective decisions on common issues and problems could also be made. 

In a final evaluation of the effectiveness of the MARISCO workshop participants from both protected area working groups shared the opinion of one member who claimed: “The methodology was clear and is an excellent way of assessing threats, stresses and strategies. It is possible to reach clear conclusions on how to solve existing problems, the results of these workshops need to be included in the new management plan for our area”. An opinion shared by most of the park staff was a common sense of impotence concerning problems arising from outside the park. In particular where large corporation farming was involved. These landscape – related problems relate to other views voiced about the need for assistance at higher levels to address any one of the problems relating to regional scale threats. In the written feedback comment of one participant, it was stated: “There is the need for a workshop that is directed at the level of conservation areas, as many of our strategies need to be focused at regional level”.

Amesbury, S. S., 1982. Effects of turbidity on shallow-water reef fish assemblages in Truk, Eastern Caroline Islands. Manila. University of the Philippines.

Andam, K.S., Ferraro, P.J., Sims, K.R.E., Healy, A. and Holland, M.B., 2010. Protected areas reduced poverty in Costa Rica and Thailand. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, [online] Available at: http://www.pnas.org/content/107/22/9996.full.pdf+html [Accessed 19 September 2014].

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Las Baulas de Guanacaste National Marine Park, Costa Rica  

Sven Bratschke & Rotney Piedra Chacón 

The MARISCO methodology was applied as a central approach in the context of of a Master thesis whilst studying for a qualification in Global Change Management (M.Sc.) at the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development, Germany. The hypothesis of the Master thesis was that MARISCO is a valuable method for designing and integrating ecosystem-based adaptation strategies into nature conservation plans. Moreover, it was assumed that institutional aspects represent the key constraints for the effective implementation of Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) strategies in the case study area. The research was carried out in 2013 at the Las Baulas de Guanacaste National Marine Park ( Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas de Guanacaste ; hereafter PNMLB), Costa Rica in partnership with BIOMARCC (Marine and Coastal Biodiversity, Capacity Building and Climate Change Adaptation in Costa Rica) [1] and the consulting firm Sostenible por Naturaleza (SpN).

The MARISCO methodology was integrated by the project BIOMARCC as a central approach for the design of management plans (see also chapter B-V).

Box 1: Las Baulas de Guanacaste National Marine Park

Las Baulas de Guanacaste National Marine Park (PNMLB) is located in the north-western part of Costa Rica on the peninsula of Nicoya. It falls within the province of Guanacaste, the canton of Santa Cruz as well as to the districts of Cabo Velas and Tamarindo (Tiffer-Sotomayor et al. , 2004). PNMLB was established in 1991, although some of the current  boundaries were already declared as Wildlife Refuge in 1987 (Decreto Ejecutivo 17566, 1987; Decreto Ejecutivo 20518, 1991). The national parks in Costa Rica are managed by the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) which is further structured and divided into national, regional and local administrative units. PNMLB is part of the Tempisque Conservation Area and administered by a local management authority in Playa Grande (SINAC, 2013). 

The terrestrial part of the national park is 9 km 2 , whilst the marine area covers approximately 252 km 2 (SINAC, 2014, p.7) .  The land-side of the park is formed of sandy beaches, mangroves and the coastal vegetation along the beaches that collectively make up the coastal plain positioned between the sea and a backdrop of individual hills (Astorga Gättgens et al. , 2008). These isolated hills reach a maximum altitude of 215 meters (GEOCAD, 2009). The climate of the area is classified as tropical savanna climate with an annual average temperature of 26°C to 28°C and an average annual precipitation between 1,500mm and 1,750mm. The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) strongly influences the climatic conditions of the area (IMN and CRHH, 2008; IMN, 2005a and b). PNMLB belongs to the life zone of tropical dry forest in transition to humid (Tiffer-Sotomayor et al. , 2004).

About 40 years ago the area around PNMLB was mostly dominated by agricultural activities and characterised by a few local and family-based farms. Since the 1980s the area has undergone a drastic, mostly unplanned and environmentally inadequate, change with the development of touristic facilities, infrastructure and real estate (Camps  et al. , 2008; Morera and Matamoros, 2003; Tiffer-Sotomayor  et al. , 2004). Nowadays, the area is one of the main tourist destinations in the country and is further characterised by a high number of foreign residents as well as social disparity (INEC, 2011). 

PNMLB is considered to be the main nesting site for the critically endangered population of Eastern Pacific leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) in Central and Northern America. Illegal fishing , poaching, pollution and the inadequate coastal development are major threats that significantly endanger the flagship species of the National Park (Santidrián Tomillo et al., 2008; Spotila et al., 2000). The main reason for designating the area a national park was to protect the nesting beaches and the inter-nesting marine area, and to stop the uncontrolled development of the region. (Pritchard, 1991). Despite conservation efforts, nesting female numbers have declined dramatically from more than 1,500 to about 30 individuals per nesting season within the last 25 years (Piedra, 2011). Climate change does represent an additional threat to the survival of the population (Saba et al., 2012; Santidrián Tomillo et al., 2012; IUCN, 2009).

Besides the nesting beaches and the inter-nesting marine area, PNMLB does also protect areas of tropical dry forest and wetlands, such as the wetland of Tamarindo, which has been declared as a RAMSAR site in 1993 (Ramsar and Wetlands International, 2013). 

Workshops and workflow

Prior to the MARISCO workshops, a detailed literature review on the biodiversity objects of PNMLB as well as on climate change scenarios and the potential impacts on the defined objects was conducted. Due to resource constrain ts, not all MARISCO workshops included external stakeholders. Consequently, the multi-stakeholder and participatory workshops were supported by additional technical workshops, in order to finalise the vulnerability assessment as well as the identification and evaluation of strategies. 

The multi-stakeholder and participatory workshops were delivered on 24 July 2013, and later on the 16-17 August 2013 in the local administration office of PNMLB. Between 28 and 37 representatives from different governmental , public and private institutions (SINAC, BIOMARCC, Coast guards, Communitarian Development Associations, NGOs, Hotels, Community-based association of aqueducts and sewerage, municipalities) as well as individual community members and property owners took part in both workshops. Participants began the process by defining the scope, vision and the conservation objects for PNMLB. In a next step a systemic vulnerability and risk analysis was carried out by identifying stresses, threats and contributing factors to the different conservation objects. The tasks were performed in small groups due to the high number of participants present. Each group presented their results to all the participants and opened up the floor for discussion.  Results were then visualise d through the use of moderation cards and the creation of a conceptual model. In the final summation the results from both workshops were discussed and evaluated within the technical workshops.

[1]  The project BIOMARCC of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, in cooperation with the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC in Spanish initials) in Costa Rica, is currently carried out under the International Climate Initiative (ICI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. Central objective of the project is to increase the adaptive capacity of the coastal and marine ecosystems in Costa Rica to the adverse impacts of climate change. One main aspect in order to achieve the objective is to assist coastal and marine protected areas in the design of management plans which consider impacts of climate change and integrate adaptation strategies (BIOMARCC-SINAC-GIZ, 2013). See also http://www.biomarcc.org for more information.

In August 2013,  five technical workshops were organized  for  the completion of the final stages of MARISCO and also to confirm the results from the multi-stakeholder meetings. The number of participants varied from 7 to 11 and included representatives from the administration for PNMLB, the regional office of SINAC, BIOMARCC and SpN. In a first step, the conceptual model was revised, complemented and finalised based on the input from the multi-stakeholder workshops. Most of the steps and discussions were realised in plenary sessions. The assessment of elements within the conceptual model was however divided into two groups due to time constraints.

The completed conceptual model and the strategy matrix were shared between all the participants for discussion A SWOT-Analysis based on interviews with local employees as well as a detailed literature review on climate change conditions scenarios and impacts in the region were used as complementary methods.

Seven biodiversity objects from both marine and terrestrial ecosystems were identified in the exercise.  The initial scoping exercise confirmed in the minds of the participants that almost all the factors impacting negatively on the biodiversity within the national park were from outside the protected area. The solution was to extend the boundaries of analysis to include a much larger area of watershed However, park employees also acknowledged there were resource-related issues arising from within the management of the park that were contributing to critical threats to biodiversity. Of all the critical threats identified in the analysis climate change related problems were considered to be some of the most important. Of particular note was the reference made to the threat to marine turtles caused by the indirect effects of climate change on sea level rise and loss to coastal nesting sites Wider concerns to biodiversity loss from climate change impacts were not raised during the workshop Evidence for the impacts of climate change on local biodiversity was supplemented by the desktop study carried out in the lead-up to the workshops, which was then incorporated into the situation analysis.  Unregulated tourism and real estate development, together with a range of other human-induced problems such as pollution, over-fishing uncontrolled water abstraction were included as critical threat factors. Results for the vulnerability assessment indicated that the knowledge about the marine ecosystem was poor and that existing conservation efforts focused on the terrestrial landscape.  Most participants identified the lack of human and financial resources as principal constraints to the implementation of effective conservation measures. The SWOT-Analysis also acknowledged there were internal and external institutional challenges relating to collaboration, cooperation and communication, which further hindered effective management for conservation.  

The lack of financial and human resources identified in the analysis prompted the decision to reduce the number of proposed strategies from the former management plan and focus on the implementation of the most relevant strategic actions. Some of the existing strategies were supplemented with new devised objectives including measures taken to enhance adaptation to climate change as well as an Integrated Water Resource Management plan.  

Outcomes and conclusion

The feedback from participants about the value and usefulness of MARISCO indicated overall satisfaction with the process in meeting objectives of producing a new management plan for PNMLB. Specific positive aspects of the method mentioned were the step-wise procedure and visual format for the conceptual model. Participants also acknowledged the value of of full participation of stakeholders, the knowledge sharing within the workshops and the strong focus on all relevant ecosystems. The environment generated by working with MARISCO enabled participants to discuss their different point of views and also provided an appropriate platform for conflict resolution.

Some participants in the multi-stakeholder workshops had difficulties perceiving the site and potential future threats, and preferred to focus on current highly critical threats. This suggests there continues to be difficulties amongst practitioners in working with scenario-based deductive analysis that purposefully integrate uncertainties into nature conservation practices.  This was particularly true for the technical workshop, which was attended by few participants, all suffering from high workloads. With this in mind, the recommendation would be to reduce, simplify and adapt some of the steps to help resolve problems relating to shortages of time and money.

Logistical problems to do with large and diverse group sizes and the experience of facilitators to manage the method under such conditions affected the quality of the outcomes. To ensure consistency in quality of delivery and outcomes would require regular training and up-dating of skills amongst trainers working in the field under difficult conditions and across a diversity of cultures. Nonetheless, all proposed strategies by participants mainly target the elimination or mitigation of the most critical underlying drivers and contributing factors of human activities which negatively impact the ecosystems and their respective services. Thus, all strategies contribute towards ecosystem-based adaptation by reducing the vulnerability and increasing the adaptive capacity of ecosystems with regard to threats of climate change and human activities.

However, in order to enable an effective management for PNMLB and realise the proposed ambitious EbA measures, it will be of major importance to overcome current challenges. This especially refers to the lack of resources and the general weak collaboration with external stakeholders. The local nature conservation authority alone will not be able to eliminate all negative aspects affecting the ecosystems. Thus, it will be of central importance to harmonise the current development agenda of the region with the necessities of the natural environment. A holistic approach, which focuses especially on the interconnection of the terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems and which combines regional development planning with biodiversity conservation by fostering a more collaborative management approach is required, in order to effectively protect the ecosystems of PNMLB. MARISCO has revealed the need for a stronger focus on analyzing and managing ecosystems as integrated parts of a larger whole. It has also encouraged stakeholders to adopt a more future-oriented vision that incorporates risks, a stronger integration of and cooperation with external stakeholders, and the consideration of climate change aspects into long-term planning. It is assumed that these aspects require a paradigm shift in current nature conservation practices and development planning on the local and national level.

In conclusion, it can be shown that MARISCO represents a valuable approach in the design and integration of ecosystem-based adaptation strategies in the management planning for protected areas.. The SWOT-Analysis and the climate change vulnerability assessment provided   complementary information to the outcomes of the MARISCO workshop. The overall output of the exercise suggests both approaches work well when applied together in cases where institutional and climate change threats and stresses are not fully represented in the results of the workshops and a more in-depth analyses of these aspects are required. Based on the outcomes of the workshop the recommendation is to highlight the importance of climate change aspects throughout the facilitation of the MARISCO process. All generated results at PNMLB should be constantly reviewed by workshop participants and external experts on an annual basis, in order to validate and update the generated results. Moreover, the application of additional MARISCO steps such as the identification of key ecological attributes, the spatial analysis of threats and strategies as well as the definition of result webs will be beneficial, in order to revise and complement the situation analysis and strategies for PNMLB. 

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