Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio's location presents its visitors with not only the rainforest and beach but also coral reefs; perfect for snorkeling and checking out the underwater world. Manuel Antonio's jungle is home to sloths, iguanas, the endangered and delightful squirrel monkey, millions of little hermit crabs, each with their own unique shell, vibrantly colored frogs and songbirds. Trails in the nearby park will offer you a chance to experience the natural world as well as offer you extraordinary views along the way.

The Manuel Antonio National Park (voted in 2011 as one of the World's Most Beautiful National Parks by Forbes) gives you the opportunity to experience two different types of forests: the tropical wet and the tropical dry; giving the Park a remarkable variety of species. Because of this irregularity, the park also has a variety of different ecosystems, which include fresh water lagoons, pre-montane forest, mangroves, beaches, coral reefs, littoral islands, rocky cliffs, herbaceous swamps and many more. Endemic to the area is a species of primate, the red-backed squirrel monkey, which is only found on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.

Manuel Antonio Tours and Activities

There are an abundance of tours to experience during your stay at Arenas del Mar and our knowledgeable staff will be happy to help you choose the ones that will be the most memorable for you. We offer several "adventure" tours such as zip lining or white water rafting as well as more easygoing tours such as a sunset catamaran, whale and dolphin watching or horseback riding on the beach or into the rainforest.

Our night tour is one of the more popular activities at the hotel. It is on this tour that you will truly see the jungle come to life as many of the forest animals, amphibians and insects are nocturnal. Frogs, snakes, opossums and owls can be seen and on a rare occasion, we have had the opportunity to see a margay, one of Costa Rica's six big cats.

Bird watching and animal observation are plentiful at Arenas del Mar as well as on the hike to the secluded Biesanz Beach. Costa Rica's national treasure, Manuel Antonio National Park, offers visitors the opportunity to view dozens of different ecosystems along its trails and beaches.

Not to be missed is our free, "Easy Being Green" sustainability tour. On this tour, you will not only learn how Arenas del Mar is taking steps to continually improve our operations to protect and sustain our precious planet but also learn more about how you can make a positive difference in your own life and community as well.

Manuel Antonio Wildlife

Arenas del Mar's philosophy is one of sustainability and preservation and as such, we are fortunate to have an abundance of wildlife on and near our rainforest and beachfront reserve.

You will not only hear the exciting sounds of the jungle but also experience and see wildlife all around you. Our reserve is home to monkeys, sloths, iguanas, "Halloween" crabs, birds, deer, butterflies and frogs. Having the opportunity to see wildlife up close in its natural setting is just one of the many extraordinary experiences you will have during your stay with us.