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18 Manuel Antonio National Park trips. Compare tour itineraries from 12 tour companies. 516 reviews. 4.9/5 avg rating.
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Top Manuel Antonio National Park Attractions & Experiences
Top Manuel Antonio National Park Experiences
- Spotting slow-moving sloths high up in the trees
- Watching monkeys and their small babies race along the jungle paths and jump between trees
- Sunbathing on Playa Manuel Antonio, then taking a dip in the ocean to cool off
- Snorkeling the underwater volcanic rock formations and coral reefs
Manuel Antonio National Park Tours & Travel Guide
Manuel Antonio National Park Attractions & Landmarks Guide
Manuel Antonio National Park is one of Costa Rica’s most popular tourist destinations for a reason: it is a perfectly preserved natural zone, offering everything from astounding biodiversity, easy and rewarding hiking trails, to picturesque tropical beaches where the jungle juts right up to the sea.
Manuel Antonio Park FAQ
- How much does it cost? Admission to the park is a $16 entrance fee for any individual over 12 years old. If you have booked a guided tour, they will have done this for you and picked up your tickets!
- Can we swim on the beaches? Yes! There is swimming allowed on all of the beaches you can access in the park. There are also two main tidal pools in the park where the snorkeling is excellent.
- Is it safe? The park is well-monitored and very safe, although you should watch your belongings in crowded areas. There is occasionally petty theft of bags left alone on the crowded beaches.
- Where is Manuel Antonio Park? The park is located in the Puntarenas Province of Costa Rica, and is approximately 2 and a ½ hours from San Jose, the capital.
- Where can I eat around the park? You are allowed to bring food and picnic within the park, though you must be sure to pick up after yourself, and there are certain restrictions because the monkeys do steal food. For example, you cannot bring tin foil in any form, including chip bags or junk food bags that are lined with tin. However, there are also many “soda” (mom-and-pop style) restaurants around the park, so there are plenty of options.
- How many animals are in the park? There are 109 species of mammal and 180 species of bird within the park. You are very likely to see sloths, monkeys, and coatis at any time in the park.
- Are dogs allowed in the park? No pets are allowed in the park.
- Are there bathrooms in the park? Yes, there are bathrooms, showers, and water refill stations.
- Is the park handicap accessible? Yes, the trails are usually wheelchair accessible. You can always also request a permit to allow a taxi enter the park.
Wildlife Tours in Manuel Antonio
Manuel Antonio is one of the most biodiverse parks in Costa Rica, and in the world! It has 346 species of plant, 180 species of bird, and 109 species of mammals. These numbers exclude the various kinds of reptiles, amphibians, and aquatic animals one can also find within the park.
These numbers are also significant, in part because of the fact that Manuel Antonio extends far out into the Pacific, including several coral reefs and 12 different islands.
Going on a wildlife tour in Manuel Antonio National Park is highly reccommended, as your guides will be familiar with most of the animal's favorite haunts within the relatively small park, and be able to point out anything notable with their experienced eyes. One of the main wildlife attractions in the park is the red backed squirrel monkeys.
The park is one of the few places in the world where you can see the critically endangered squirrel monkey in the wild, as the squirrel monkey is only native to Costa Rica’s pacific coast.
Hiking Manuel Antonio National Park
Unlike many of the other national parks in Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio’s trails are clearly marked and very well groomed. While the main trails in the park tend to be crowded, if deviate from the path to the primary beach, you will soon find yourself alone.
Although Manuel Antonio is a small park, it has its share of popular hiking trails. Because of how flat the park is, most of these are physically easy walks, and very accessible.
One of these paths is to Cathedral Point, a small forest connected to the mainland by a very thin land bridge. Other popular trails include the Waterfall Trail (which leads to a small waterfall), the Sloth Trail (which has the best chances for seeing sloths), and the trail to Playa Gemelas (a gorgeous and isolated beach). Going on a hiking/walking tour of Costa Rica and Manuel Antonio will guarantee that you are able to get out on these trails.
Animals in Manuel Antonio National Park
There are tons of animals in Manuel Antonio National Park, so you are guaranteed to something on any visit. Some of the most commonly seen animals include white faced capuchin, spider, and mantled howler monkeys, which will be begging for handouts at the entrance to the park and the popular beaches.
Coatis, raccoons, and two and three-toed sloths are also among some of the most common mammals spotted. Iguanas, basilisk lizards, and the famous red-eyed tree frog are also commonly seen in the park.
Some common birds you are likely to see include brown pelicans, amazon parrots, toucans, and multiple kingfisher species.
Snorkeling & Scuba Diving in Manuel Antonio
Manuel Antonio National Park is one of the top snorkeling destinations in Costa Rica. Within the park some of the most popular spots include the southwest side of the beach, where there are rocks all along the bottom. This spot is extremely accessible (you basically walk right up to it!), and although there isn’t a lot of coral, there are still plenty of fish.
For the more ambitious snorkeler, you can swim a bit farther out in the Playa Manuel Antonio to seek out a fishing boat wreck, or turn your attention to the neighboring beach of Playa Espadrill Sur to explore a tide pool. Besides these three spots, however, you will need a guide with a boat to take you to Manuel Antonio’s coral reefs and islands, where you can see much larger fish and other underwater creatures, such as dolphins, manta rays, and sea turtles. If you are lucky, you may even see a migrating humpback or pilot whale.
Manuel Antonio National Park Reviews & Ratings
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An great adventure in Costa Rica
This was our second Exodus trip and again, we were not disappointed. An itinerary which covered many different ecosystems, plenty of wildlife, pleasant travel comp...
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Discover Costa Rica review
This was our first Exodus trip, which, to be honest I viewed with some trepidation, as I walk with crutches, and so wondered how it would be. I cannot praise Exod...
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Diversity at its best!
Cosa Rica has such diversity,you will experience rouged mountains,rolling hills,virgin forest ,tropical beaches and beautiful waterways to view the homes of the tu...
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A great adventure in Costa Rica
This was our second Exodus trip and again, we were not disappointed. An itinerary which covered many different ecosystems, plenty of wildlife, pleasant travel comp...
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Discover Costa Rica
I would highly recommend this trip. The trip is very wildlife oriented, so if that is not your main interest, it may not be for you. However, I wouldn’t say that i...
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