If you are thinking of traveling to Jaco Costa Rica and you are still not sure what to see in Costa Rica, we mention an unmatched destination in this Central American country. We are referring to Manuel Antonio National Park located on the Pacific coast. Now we will see the issues related to this destination.
How to get to Manuel Antonio
You’ll get to San Jose by plane. Once there, you’ll want to go to the park. You can go by car, bus or even taxi. It is best to rent a car to drive with your times and stay in it as long as you want. Another alternative is to pay for a guided tour, which will take you to the park and bring you back safe and sound.
You will be able to park your car in an official car park, which is located next to the park ticket office; it is called Coopealianza. You will have to pay 6 USD for parking. We emphasize that there is no free parking in the park, so that you do not fall into misadventures or scams. Entrance to the park costs 16 USD.
You can also set up a all-included tour to Manuel Antonio, so you don’t have to worry about, bus, tickets or parking.
What to bring to Manuel Antonio?
The first thing is water, an individual or shared bottle, and food that gives you energy, because it is possible that you spend most of the day there. In addition, it is good to mention that inside the park there are no food stalls, so the first point is of utmost importance. And remember that you should not feed the animals, because you can alter their routine and ecosystem.
Also, remember to take lotion to scare mosquitoes and sunscreens, as the sun tends to hit the coast very hard.
What to see in Manuel Antonio Park?
Manuel Antonio has an impressive geography made up of multiple coves with white sandy beaches and crystalline waters. It also has abundant vegetation, which makes its way between and over medium sized mountains. This vegetation, which represents a tropical rainforest, reaches the beaches granting a foyer that further protects the intimacy and virginity of the beaches.
As for the flora, it protects the primary forest and the secondary forest in the form of mangroves, beach vegetation, marine environments and a lagoon of more than 14 hectares. Among the most recognizable species of the park are the pylon, the red guĂĄcimo, the white and black guapinol, the cedro marĂa, the surĂĄ, the ceiba and the cenĂzaro.
Mangroves cover about 18 hectares of territory. They are made up of three types: white, black and coloured mangroves. Coconut, almond and savanna oak stand out on the beach.
As for the fauna, it has a richness rarely seen. You can find 352 species of birds, 109 species of mammals and an incomparable marine fauna.
Among the mammals you can find two species of raccoons, the Procyon lotor and the Procyon cancrivorus; the pizote, the gautuza, the white-tailed deer; two species of sloths, the two-toed Bradypus variegatus, and the three-toed Choloepus Hoffmanni; and three species of monkeys, the marmoset, the white face and the howler monkey.
In addition to the flora and fauna, you’ll find a few exploration points, tips and beaches, and the mouth of the Rio Naranjo. In detail, the places are:
- Playa Rey.
- The mouth of the Naranjo River.
- Mogote Island.
- Punta Serrucho.
- Escondido Port.
- Manuel Antonio Beach.
- Cathedral Point.
- Olocuitas, Twin and Green Islands.
- Espadilla Sur Beach.
- Espadilla Norte Beach.
- Yellow Bull Island.
- Punta Quepos.
Manuel Antonio Park Infrastructure
Due to the large influx of tourists, both domestic and foreign, the park has an infrastructure designed especially for its maintenance, which was designed by bioclimatic architects Rafael VĂquez and Ibo Bonilla. This structure was designed to be in harmony with nature, mimetized with the textures of the environment and with the minimum visual and auditory contamination, following a strict regulation of environmental care.
In this infrastructure we find the Visitors Center, Miradores, La Casa del Guardaparques and a Master Plan of Paths. The latter includes Punta Catedral, Espadilla Beach, Manuel Antonio Beach, Puerto Escondido, and the mangroves of the south. It also includes rest areas and scientific research.
In the surroundings of the park there are shops to give all the facilities to tourists, such as food stalls typical of the region and international. As well as lodging for all tastes and pockets.
And finally
You will be able to see all the possibilities making you advise by us, Asuaire Travel, travel agency that will inform you of all the benefits of traveling with us. You can enter our website here and discover the offers that await you.
Now that you are so close to discovering this beautiful country of Central America, you will have no excuses not to know what to see in Costa Rica, including the Manuel Antonio National Park located in the northern part of the province of Puntarenas.