Manuel Antonio National Park: beaches and wildlife
Area | 4,014 acres |
Location | Puntarenas, Costa Rica |
Date of Creation | October 23, 1972 |
Manuel Antonio National Park is perhaps the most visited park in Costa Rica. The picturesque Punta Catedral was once an island off the coast. Over the years, sedimentation filled in a bar of sand, connecting it to the mainland. The locals call this stretch of white sand Tombolo beach.
The volcanic-sedimentary cliffs rise steeply from the shoreline, providing scenic vistas and hiking trails. The forested hillsides are home to many of the animals, plants and flowers that are Costa Rica's unique attractions: Monkeys, sloths, iguanas, toucans and scarlet macaws. The islands and islets of Manuel Antonio provide an important refuge for a variety of sea birds. Olocuita and Mogote Islands are mating and nesting sites for brown pelicans, frigate birds and ahingas.
The three primary beaches of the park are Playa Espadilla Sur, Manuel Antonio and Puerto Escondido Costa Rica. The mouth of the Rio Naranjo forms the southern border of the park.
An extensive trail system winds through the Manuel Antonio National Park, and among these, the Sendero Serrucho offers a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean.
