Manuel Antonio

With its' stunning, picture-postcard backdrop, and miles of white sandy beaches it's easy to see why Manuel Antonio National Park is Costa Rica's most popular. Not to be missed is Manuel Antonio National Park, arguably the country's most beautiful and popular protected coastal area. The national park contains pristine white-sand beaches, hidden coves ideal for snorkeling, trails through tropical forests filled with wildlife and the landmark Punta Catedral, towering high above the deep blue Pacific Ocean.

Unforgettable Landscape

Panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean together with the aroma of the ocean, evergreen vegetation and an exquisite mix of comfort and adventure, this is what you will find on one of the most visited beaches of Costa Rica: Manuel Antonio.

It is located in the province of Puntarenas, on the pacific coast of Costa Rica, some 132 kms. from San Jose. Quepos, one of the largest coastal communities of the country is its neighbor and welcomes visitors before they start ascending to Manuel Antonio, 7 kms. away from downtown Quepos.

Manuel Antonio was designated as a National Park in 1972, preserving more than 1,700 acres of land and almost 136,000 of ocean; and a variety of 109 mammals and 187 different species of birds that inhabit its coasts and forests.

Manuel Antonio is a privileged place, offering visitors the opportunity of getting to know virgin and secondary forests, lagoons, mangroves, beach vegetation and islets, of this there are 12 around the area and although they keep little vegetation, they serve as nesting and lodging places for a large number of sea birds.

Manuel Antonio has two beaches, Espadilla Sur and the one that gives the place its name. Both have white sands and transparent waters bordering the vegetation, which offers shade to visitors wishing to rest from the warm sun that always shines on the beaches.

Punta Catedral and Serrucho are two cliffs from where you can watch the littoral and the ocean, providing a beautiful view together with the sea breeze. Another attraction in the area is the "blowing hole" of Puerto Escondido, where you will be able to observe the phenomenon when the tide is raising. Caves formed by the strength of the ocean, pools with mischievous multicolored fish and occasionally turtles will also play a part in your visit to this beach.

Marine fauna and flora are abundant and varied, offering lovers of water sports such as diving or fishing, an excellent place to satisfy their ecosystem exploration and learning desires. Also, some times of the year you can observe whales migrating and dolphins playing with the boats.

Services

It can be said that Manuel Antonio is a small city that, other than being one of the most beautiful places from the scenic and biodiversity points of view, is distinguished by the quality and variety of services offered to the tourist.

It has a paved road going all the way to the entrance of the National Park; also if you will be taking the bus, you will not face any problems since there is a bus service from Quepos to the park starting early in the morning. And if you are in San Jose, Capital of the country, there is a direct and comfortable service three times a day that will bring you to Manuel Antonio or back to the city.

If you wish to travel faster, Travelair offers several daily flights that will bring you to your destination in less than 30 minutes and for under US $50 per person for a one way ticket.

Night life is intense and varied. Manuel Antonio has numberless first class restaurants, casinos, bars, places for sightseeing and discotheques of all kinds that remain open late at night and on all days of the week. Also the mix between natives of the zone and foreign residents of all nationalities, give it a cultural hue hard to find in other parts of the country.

An incomparable place from all points of view. Beaches, sun, entertainment and diversity of environments in a place that offers visiting tourists an unforgettable landscape.

There are three banks in Quepos - Banco Nacional, Banco de Costa Rica and Banco Popular. The latter is where you'll find an automatic teller machine and if you have a visa card, you may be able to get cash there. It really depends on the system your card uses. Most commonly accepted is the "Plus" system. Check the back of your card for the symbol.

Nightlife

The discos. Nightlife in small towns like Quepos and Manuel Antonio usually revolves around bars and discos and maybe some billiards. In Manuel Antonio Mar y Sombra turns on the strobe lights at the beach and consistently fills up on weekend nights with young adults and teens. In Quepos two discos, Arco Iris and Maracas, get started a little later after midnight. Arco Iris is on the main road in to Quepos from San Jose before you reach the Boca Vieja Bridge. You'll hit Maracas if you follow the same road all the way down to the pier and turn left and drive until you reach the point. Latin dancing is very popular at the discos and the DJs usually mix in plenty of reggae and Costa Rican pop. "Mambo Number 9" never seems to get old.

For bars, Quepos offers several interesting choices. El Gran Escape recently opened a bar around the corner called "El Epicentro" after Costa Rica's frequent earthquake tremors. Epicentro's crowd is mainly college-age and slightly older. Personally, it reminds me a lot of being at a fraternity party. (Is that good or bad?). Directly across the street is El Banco Bar. 

Manuel Antonio Hotels

Hotel Casitas Eclipse Experience all the beauty of a true tropical paradise in distinctive Mediterranean-style villas with absolutely the most scenic location in the world. Single $86 - $112

Hotel La Mariposa Villa Suites and Deluxe rooms, each with its own private Jacuzzi overlooking the panorama of Manuel Antonio National Park. Standard $90 - $130

Villas Escaleras These spectacular breezy ocean-view properties are located 1200 feet above Costa Rica’s rugged and beautiful southern Pacific coast in the mountains of "Escaleras" Starting @  4 Pers. $200

Hotel Mirador del Pacifico The property has 14000 m² of exorbitant nature with primary forest. Single $30 - $40

Hotel Karahe Manuel Antonio's best and only hotel right on the beach, designed to offer visitors a wonderful experience with nature. Standard $80

Tulemar Bungalows Lounge in the warm sand under a shady palm while sipping a tropical cocktail at Tulemar's exclusive beach. Single $148 - $250

Hotel Kamuk The Kamuk hotel combines luxury, convenience, and the best location in Costa Rica for exploring, fishing and relaxing. Single $50 - $60

Lapalapa Resort The new golf resort very close to Quepos and Manuel Antonio with modern, well equipped, individual one bedroom 700 square foot cottages newly constructed. Single $70 - $90 with Breakfast

Costa Verde The Costa Verde's many amenities make it a perfect destination for those seeking adventure travel, ecotourism, sportsfishing or just the tranquillity of white sand beaches and magnificent ocean views. Single $60 - $79

Getting there:

Flying. Two domestic airlines, Sansa and Travel Air, serve the Manuel Antonio / Quepos area with daily 25-minute flights from Costa Rica's capital, San José. Reserve your flights as soon as possible, because during the high season, the airlines face sell-out situations. When you arrive in Quepos the airlines offer van services to nearby hotels for a small fee. The airport terminal building in Quepos (right) is just as you would imagine in beach town.