Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica

With the establishment of Manuel Antonio National Park in 1972, the people of Costa Rica decided to preserve, for future generations, one of the most beautiful and bio-diverse areas in the world. Although it is the country's smallest national park it is prized and privileged for its stunning geography, the dramatic beauty and diversity of wildlife in its 683 hectares. The abundance of wildlife on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica has often been compared to that of the Amazon basin. The gorgeous emerald waters bays and lush vegetation have often been compared to the Garden of Eden.

Manuel Antonio contains a fascinating combination of rain forest, beaches and coral reefs. It hosts a combination of some of the most beautiful beaches, surrounded by little islands, lined with lush forest, and excellent snorkeling. The forest is home to sloth, iguanas, the rare and adorable squirrel monkey, millions of little hermit crabs, brilliant birds and colorful frogs. The trail that winds around Punta Catedral offers spectacular, unforgettable views. The park is easy to reach, south of the town of Quepos, and is conveniently located near a good selection of restaurants.

Manuel Antonio National Park is located in between two different types of forests, the tropical wet and the tropical dry, giving the park an unusual diversity of species.  In its irregular morphology, the park gathers dozens of different ecosystems, which include fresh water lagoons, pre-montane forest, mangroves, beaches, coral reefs, littoral islands, rocky cliffs, herbaceous swamps and many more. It also boasts a high level of endemism, including a species of primate, the red-backed squirrel monkey found only on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.

Visiting the park, one is treated to an abundant diversity of wildlife. Cathedral Point, with its forest topped cliffs, was once an island but is now connected to the coast by a thin strip of island. This land bridge now forms the spine separating the parks two most popular beaches, Playa Espadilla Sur and Playa Manuel Antonio.

The beauty of the wildlife sanctuary of Manuel Antonio National Park can be seen walking on trails that cover only about 10% of the total park area. On the park’s jungle paths, you can even enjoy a waterfall and receive its caress on your back. You can spend an afternoon on quiet white sand beaches surrounded by nothing but lush green forest, or even hike to stunning views from the top of high cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Up at the top, you will see many rocky islands and structures such as Catedral and Serrucho Points, which beautifully dot the Park’s shores, breaking the regularity of the coastline.

The southern facing beach, Playa Manuel Antonio, is a picturesque half mile long, white sand crescent bisecting deep green foliage to one side and a private, secluded cove to the other.

By visiting Manuel Antonio National Park you also are supporting the conservation of Costa Rica’s forests. Manual Antonio National Park is the second most visited protected area in all the country; therefore the profits the park makes from tourism are imperative for they sustain and support the much larger protected areas. Many of these are biological reserves restricted only to visits by biologists and naturalists and furthermore are incredible resources for tropical rainforest research. By visiting Manual Antonio National Park you are also helping the Costa Rican government to purchase lands that surround the park, enabling the protected area to grow substantially. Ultimately and ideally this purchased land would create biological corridors, thereby connecting all the preserved and protected land of the Central Pacific Conservation Area. This would allow for our friend the Squirrel Monkey, or Titi Monkey, to jump from national park to national park, thus expanding their range throughout the region, and, with a bit of luck, reversing their presence in the red list of endangered species.

Arenas Del Mar is actually part of the “contention areas” that surround the Manuel Antonio National Park. Including the protected coastline, the reserve of the hotel is part of the biological corridors of the region and is also an area where the animals may roam free without being threatened by people.  Respect and compromise to the conservation of the local wildlife are part of the philosophy of Arenas Del Mar.  At our hotel one can experience the wildlife confidently and comfortably while traveling through our gardens, trails and forests.

Experience Manuel Antonio National Park at its best by walking through its incredible beauty with our experienced resident guide whose trained eye and vast knowledge will make your visit to one of Costa Rica’s most precious locations a unique and unforgettable one.

"The ultimate challenge of a resort is to carve out unforgettable memories in the heart of people. This is what Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio and Arenas Del Mar have created in our family. Your resort location and view are astonishing. We could enjoy the beauty and wilderness of Nature while staying in a comfortable and nice resort. We were very surprised to see in your people the pride they have in their resort, their environmental values and their country. We absolutely felt like staying in our Costa Rican home." Carlos M. Rodríguez

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