Within a relatively small corner of Costa Rica, tourists can find the excitement and adventure of a vacation in the tropical forest, surrounded by one of the country?s most beautiful natural environments, without sacrificing life?s modern conveniences. There?s a magic to Manuel Antonio that is hard to explain. One thing, however, is absolutely certain: once you?ve been here you?ll want to come back again. Sportfishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, surfing, sea kayaking, river rafting, mountain biking, horseback riding to pristine waterfalls, relaxing on white-sand beaches...

If that's not enough to keep you a busy in the Quepos and Manuel Antonio area, then how about hiking through the jungle, bird watching, photographing monkeys, sloths and other wildlife, swimming and exploring mangrove forests and rocky islands?
Boredom is simply not a word in the Quepos dictionary. The question here may not be what to do, but what to leave out. After all, there's only 24 hours in a day...

Not to be missed is Manuel Antonio National Park, arguably the country's most beautiful and popular protected coastal area. The national park contains pristine white-sand beaches, hidden coves ideal for snorkeling, trails through tropical forest filled with wildlife and the landmark Punta Catedral, towering high above the deep blue Pacific Ocean.

One of the most visited tourist destinations of all Costa Rica National Park and Reserve System.

The Manuel Antonio National Park is a small biological peninsula found within an area devoted to different productive activities, such as agriculture, cattle and high tourism development. It is one of the country’s most scenic and beautiful national parks. The mean annual temperature is 27°C, with a minimum temperature of 20°C.

Our park habitat consist of primary and secondary forest, the most characteristic species of flora in the primary forest are guácimo colorado (luehea seemannii), pilón (hieromyna alchomeoides), cedro maría (calophyllum longifolium), guapinol blanco (hymeneae courbaril), surá (terminalia oblonga), guapinol negro or stinkingtoe (cynometra hemitomophyla), lechoso (cow tree/brosimum utile), cenízaro (pithecelobium saman)and ceiba (silk cotton tree).

Of its most important fauna we find the raccoon, coatamundi, agouti, two-toed sloth, the white-faced and squirrel monkey.

You can also enjoy the beauty of beaches like Espadilla Sur, Puerto Escondido and Manuel Antonio.

Manuel Antonio offer the uniquely breathtaking fusion of scenic mountain beauty and an active lifestyle. From championship surf tournaments, hiking, rafting/kayaking, canopying, bird watching or sport fishing.

Because this national park has a series of small beaches and bays surrounded by luscious rainforest: North Espadilla Beach, South Espadilla Beach, Manuel Antonio Beach, Puerto Escondido Beach & Playitas Beach, all of them safe for swimming and great for diving and exploring coral reefs or surfing.

The Manuel Antonio National Park entrance fee is US$6 per person. Children under 12 free. Hours: 7am. to 4pm. Closed on Monday.

Quepos/Manuel Antonio, the little slice of paradise for all interests and pocket-books.

Manuel Antonio, with its 1700 acres of land mass and 135,906 acres of marine reserve, is the smallest of the 20 national parks Costa Rica has put aside for total protection. Even so, it is the country?s second most visited conservation area, after the Poas Volcano.

Last year alone, 143,520 tourists visited the park. Conservation officials have fixed the park?s carrying capacity at 600 people per day from Tuesdays to Fridays, and 800 on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. On Mondays the park is closed to the public. ?If there are already 600 visitors at 10 a.m., we close it right then?, said Javier Herrera, in charge of environmental education at the park, which is usually open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Located 100 miles south of San Jose the Pacific Coast (a pleasant three-hour drive, or a short 20 minutes by plane), Manuel Antonio, which was declared a national park in 1972, is the natural habitat of species such as the endangered squirrel monkey (endemic to the area), white faced capuchin monkey, raccoons, three and two-toed sloths, white-nosed coaties, brown pelicans, black-collared hawks and green kingfishers. They share the space with primary and secondary forests, bursting with cedars, bully trees, locust ?sur?, black locusts and silk cotton trees. A mangrove swamp covers about 44.5 acres, adding to the biodiversity of the region. Three different species: red mangrove, buttonwood mangrove and white mangrove - around.

Quepos

Puerto Quepos drapes itself across a tropical inlet surrounded by primary rainforest. The village center is a delightful six-block square of restaurants, bars, hotels, bakeries, art galleries and gift shops, all fronted by the main beach and sportfishing fleet. Quepos is growing quickly yet maintains many of its sleepy and humble beginnings.

Quepeños are great celebrators of life and seem to make dancing in the streets a local pastime. The high season runs through the drier months of December to April and explodes during the Festival del Mar, a month long party held each February that features concerts, sporting events, parades and a street carnival with dancers from across the country. Quepos fills to the brim with families, surfers, backpackers, ecotourists, blissed-out scientists and gay jet-setters, all as colorful and intriguing as the flora and fauna surrounding the village. The ever-friendly locals take it all in stride, going out of their way to make sure everyone has a good time.

Tourism is now the area's leading employer as Quepos evolves from its banana growing roots into a premier holiday destination. After the demise of the Quepoa Indians in the late 1800's, vast banana plantations were developed throughout the region. Bananas were shipped to world markets across the docks that now service the sportfishing fleet. In the 1980's bananas lost out to heartier African palms and their high quality palm oil. As Quepos diminished in importance as a banana port, it renewed itself as an ecotourism and sportfishing destination. World travelers are discovering the area, with many visitors purchasing homes and returning each year to enjoy the relaxing village lifestyle and natural beauty of nearby Manuel Antonio National Park and Manuel Antonio beaches.

Give us a call for more information on this One Day Tour to San Jose Costa Rica