Manuel Antonio National Park
Imagine calm waters and a long semi-private beach within a National Park teeming with wildlife; no, I was not dreaming, but this is the experience we just had when visiting Manuel Antonio, the smallest National Park in Costa Rica.
This popular place, among locals and tourists, has incredible biodiversity, which makes it very attractive when one is a nature lover. The set of three beaches along its long coastline makes it even more attractive to the eyes of the traveler.
The Park side of Manuel Antonio was our morning destination, and the visit was very rewarding. Two- and three-toed sloths, fire-billed Aracari, woodpeckers, thorny tail lizards, basilisk (known too as the “Jesus Christ lizard”) and two kind of monkeys, howlers and white face capuchins, were among the wildlife that we encountered along our walks this morning. Once done with our walks, the rest of the morning was enjoyed at the beach, contemplating the scenery while reading a book or exploring the nearby forest on your own.
There were some guests who even went to the town of Manuel Antonio to buy their little souvenir of the week. One cannot come back from a place like this without buying something from the local vendors, who are selling the typical necklaces and bracelets made out of local shells, stones, and even wood that would bring your memories back every time you looked at them.
We did not leave this magical place until late in the afternoon, when the view of Manuel Antonio became a memory and the dolphins arrived…but that is a different history!
Imagine calm waters and a long semi-private beach within a National Park teeming with wildlife; no, I was not dreaming, but this is the experience we just had when visiting Manuel Antonio, the smallest National Park in Costa Rica.
This popular place, among locals and tourists, has incredible biodiversity, which makes it very attractive when one is a nature lover. The set of three beaches along its long coastline makes it even more attractive to the eyes of the traveler.
The Park side of Manuel Antonio was our morning destination, and the visit was very rewarding. Two- and three-toed sloths, fire-billed Aracari, woodpeckers, thorny tail lizards, basilisk (known too as the “Jesus Christ lizard”) and two kind of monkeys, howlers and white face capuchins, were among the wildlife that we encountered along our walks this morning. Once done with our walks, the rest of the morning was enjoyed at the beach, contemplating the scenery while reading a book or exploring the nearby forest on your own.
There were some guests who even went to the town of Manuel Antonio to buy their little souvenir of the week. One cannot come back from a place like this without buying something from the local vendors, who are selling the typical necklaces and bracelets made out of local shells, stones, and even wood that would bring your memories back every time you looked at them.
We did not leave this magical place until late in the afternoon, when the view of Manuel Antonio became a memory and the dolphins arrived…but that is a different history!
