Manuel Antonio National Park

Manuel Antonio

One of the most scenic drives we enjoyed in Costa Rica was traveling south inland and then down the coast from our ocean-view condo in Playas del Coco to stunningly beautiful Manuel Antonio National Park.

The first thing we notice along the way was the increasing heat and humidity as we left the relative comfort of the northern climate in Guanacaste. It's perfect that the drive allowed us to climatized as we went. And don't be fooled, the 365-km journey took us a good day to drive. Read: Driving and Car Rentals in Costa Rica. 

Gaia Hotel & Reserve

When we visited Manuel Antonio, we were lucky enough to stay at the chic, boutique Gaia Hotel & Reserve, an amazing eco-friendly 5-star boutique hotel experience. This gorgeous terraced property offers gourmet dining and 24/7 room service, as well as a spa, a gym and an inviting outdoor pool, which we had to ourselves every evening. Heavenly! And since award-winning Gaia is located on a private nature reserve, we also took the complimentary guided tour to explore the properties trails while viewing orchids and wildlife.

Gaia Hotel & Reserve Studio 

We left the resort and followed our GPS map of Costa Rica while driving to the Manuel Antonio National Park entrance. Here we were bombarded by ticos (locals) yelling at us to 'Park here! Park here!', and as it was a little confusing as to where the road did actually end, we parked in one of theses lots with the yellers. In the end it was safe and secure, which is all that really mattered to us.

Although Manuel Antonio National Park is the country's smallest national park, it packs a big punch into a small space of 1,983 hectares (7.66 square miles). It's rugged natural beauty and 4 beaches tucked beneath the lush green mangroves is as about at pristine and gorgeous as it gets. The only thing that really got to me was the incredible heat after having been in the north and then in an air-conditioned vehicle for hours on end. There were families having picnics, hikers everywhere and just a few people actually enjoying the ocean waters including a handful of surfers. 

Manuel Antonio National Park

Surrounded by tropical rainforest, Manuel Antonio National Park is home to 4 species of monkeys, 109 species of mammals and 184 bird species. It's important to note that the park is open from 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., and is closed on Mondays. The admission fee is USD $16 per adult, while children 11 and under are free. The park offers swimming areas, lookout points and washrooms/showers. Local guides are available for tours at a cost of $51 per adult and $35 per child. Oh, and once you've left the park, you're ticket becomes invalid. So in other words, don't leave the park to have lunch and expect to get back in without paying another entrance fee. Read: Wildlife Viewing in Costa Rica.

Quepos is a bustling, former banana-driven town that's a seaside neighbor to Manuel Antonio. It's streets are full of restaurants, including popular sodas, along with shops and casinos. There's also a new marina full of huge to-die-for yachts. The only tricky part we experienced was consistently finding the turn off road to get to our hotel on the hillside, which took more than a few attempts on one occasion but of course, was more than worth our temporary confusion.

For more information or to make your reservation at Gaia, visit Gaia Hotel & Reserve and Manuel Antonio National Park. 

And remember, you can Rent Our Costa Rica Condo for as low as USD $25 per night in the Green season (April through October)!!

Pura vida!
Ed & Connie

     

SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave