Summary:  Overall rating was 3.6 stars.  We absolutely loved Manuel Antonio National Park. This is a must do stop for anyone visiting Costa Rica. Now our rating is slightly skewed because we went with a group and did not have the luxury of exploring the park at our leisure. For example, we did the self-guided tour instead of selecting one of the many tour guides available at the entrance. In order to see the amazing wildlife it is imperative to have a guide to scout out the areas and provide a scope to actually see them – sloths, monkeys, reptiles and an abundance of birds.

There are lots of things to do in the park like hiking, swimming, birding, etc. The trails are very well marked and range from easy to moderately strenuous. It’s amazing to see the rain forest spill right into the Pacific Ocean. We are definitely going back during the off season.

History Lesson – Manuel Antonio National Park is named for a Conquistador who is buried there. The park was established in 1972 and expanded in 1980. It’s approximately 1,685 acres (682 hectares) twice the size of Central Park in NYC and is located 160 feet (50 meters) above sea level.

Attractions:  Manuel Antonio National Park

Location: Manuel Antonio, CR

(Ratings based on the 5 Star System)

• Appeal (i.e. natural beauty, wildlife, historical, etc) – 4/5
• Tours (i.e. guided, self -guided, etc) – 4/5
• Activities (i.e. hiking, biking, kayaking, etc) – 4/5
• Comfort Services (i.e. bathrooms, gift shops, food courts, etc) – 3/5
• Pricing (i.e. admission, parking, food, etc) – 3/5

We visited the park by way of Jaco. Included some pictures of the Jaco shoreline at the end.

NOTES: No monkeying around with the monkeys, they will jack you up.