Take a trip through the Manuel Antonio National Park with us...
Costa Rica'a first major ecotourist destination was Manuel Antonio, and it remains one of the country's most popular beach area destintations; composed of three long strands of magnificent white sand beach, bordered by rainforest on one side, and by the Pacific on the other. Overlooking these wide, pristine beaches are tall cliffs covered in thick jungle vegetation and the views from the hills overlooking Manuel Antonio are spectacular. In fact, Manuel Antonio National Park is one of the few locations in Costa Rica where the primary forest comes down to the waters edge in places, often allowing bathers to swim in the shade.
Pristine sandy beaches, cliffs, points, ravines, rainforests, diverse wildlife and an extremely hot climate are some of the features of Manuel Antonio Park. Manuel Antonio National Park is located just south of Jaco, along the pacific coastal highway, which makes it a highly accessible destination. One of the most popular parks in Costa Rica is also one the smallest. Although small, the parks 683 hectares boast some of the countrys most varied and breathtaking scenery with ecological treasures on every hiking trail. Enclosed by lush and very wet tropical forest, the parks trails offer sightings of white-faced monkeys, sloths, coatis, raccoons, iguanas, snakes and many bird species. The park is also home to the Costa Rican squirrel monkey, which is endemic to Manuel Antonio, but also endangered. Manuel Antonio is a must for any traveler with an eco-conscience agenda.
Manuel Antonio National Park came very close to becoming a resort in the early 70s, but was saved by various local eco-friendly interest groups. The park has become a popular destination for its picturesque beaches and diverse ecology and at one point started to become overcrowded. This problem was soon alleviated when park officials decided to enact a maximum number of visitors who would be allowed into the park each day.
Adventure opportunities are around every corner in Manuel Antonio. Surf shops offer rental boards for use on the local beaches, and provide lessons for beginning surfers. The sunset at Manuel Antonio is truly unbelievable and there are local guide outfits that provide sunset sailing tours for an extraordinary sunset experience. Local dive centers give lessons and guide their guests to some of the most inaccessible yet pristinely beautiful places on the globe. Other scenic sites in Manuel Antonio are: the tombolo at Cathedral Point, a long, sandy strip that connects what was Cathedral Island to the mainland; the cove at Escondido Harbour with blue-green waters bordered by underwater caves and cliffs pounded by the surf; and the magnificent beaches where sometimes olive ridley and green turtles come to lay their eggs.
Quepos is a great option for visitors traveling on a budget as Manuel Antonio is right around the corner.
Once a significant banana shipping port, Quepos is now something of an inexpensive dormitory town to its more popular neighbor Manuel Antonio. This small diverse fishing town is located on the pacific coast, just 4 miles north of Manuel Antonio National Park. Often utilized by backpackers or travelers on a budget, Quepos provides many economical options for food and lodging accommodations.
Quepos provides the traveler with places to party, with its many local bars, nightclubs, and discos that will cater to any nightlife interests.
For more helpful travel information on Costa Rica make sure you check out our website and our blog.
Our Travel Tip Website- http://www.TravelCostaRicaNow.com
michael alan's blog - http://www.DoingCostaRica.blogspot.com/
Our pictures from around Costa Rica - http://www.flickr.com/photos/travelcostaricanow_com/
Our Gay Travel Tip Webpage - http://travelcostaricanow.com/index.php/Gay
michael alan's gay blog - http://www.DoinGayCostaRica.blogspot.com
Lots more travel tips on video by us - http://www.youtube.com/user/iCostaRica24
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The video is nice, but the recommendations are not the best.
The tour guides are familiar with the area. They do not need to go a large group to find the animals, remember they have spotting scope and allows you to see the animals better.
The tour guides is an option, it is not required, but is the best option for enjoying the flora and fauna of the Park.
If your trip to the park is for the beach, my recommendation is on its own, but if you want to see animals get a tour guide
kykys2008 1 year ago
@kykys2008 you may be right,,,it's just when we've been there....if we wanted to tag a long with a group we could...they even let us take pics through their scopes....not saying to take advantage,,,but the chance to see a 'far off' sloth is a chance to see a 'far off' sloth.
iCostaRica24 1 year ago
@iCostaRica24 I understand what you say, but remember that many people see these comments and if you recommend not taking a tour guide you closing these job opportunities to a group of people who do a great job on this park, Greetings! !
kykys2008 1 year ago
@kykys2008 Well, at the risk of sounding really, REALLY bad, this Channel is set-up to offer INFO and tips to people traveling to Costa Rica, so they are our top priority.... luckily, people such as yourself offer another perspective, which we appreciate..... so thanx for the comments and feedback,,,,
iCostaRica24 1 year ago