Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio National Park is located next to the little town of Quepos on the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. This park is a little piece of heaven with sumptuous white-sand beaches and amazing tropical landscapes including mangroves and rainforests, making it the perfect place to encounter a large variety of animals. White-faced monkeys, squirrel monkeys, sloths, toucans, scarlet macaws, coatimundis, raccoons, iguanas, and other fascinating creatures will be quite easy to spot here.

The trails are very well taken care of and accessible to anyone. This is the perfect family-friendly destination. Spaces are limited during high season, so don’t forget to plan your visit beforehand! Remember that the earlier you get there, the more wildlife you will be able to see.

The park is open from 7am to 4pm every day except Tuesdays. A guide is not necessarily required but can be a great help to spot shy animals such as sloths. The guide’s professional equipment (scope) will allow you to better observe the wildlife (whether you are looking at tiny frogs in the distance or tropical birds perched high in the trees), and you’ll learn a lot of interesting information about the animals’ behavior and their natural habitat.

If you choose to go for a guided tour, you have two options: a 2.5-3 hour guided visit for $30 per person, or a private guided tour for $65 per person (entrance fee not included).

Otherwise, the regular entry fee is about $18 per adult and $5.65 for children between 2 and 11 (The park offers special prices for nationals and residents).