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Manuel
Antonio National Park :
Travel
to Costa Rica
With a mere 682 ha. of land area, Manuel
Antonio is one of the smallest of Costa Rica's national
parks. However, with its idyllic beaches, excellent
wildlife viewing opportunities, relative ease of access,
and good surrounding infrastructure, this is one of
the country's most visited parks.
Part of the park's scenic beauty is
provided by Cathedral Point, a 72 meter-high point of
land that is covered by rain forest. The point was formerly
an island just off the mainland, but ocean currents
caused the deposition of sand between the two until
eventually they were connected, forming a geological
feature known as a tombolo. The park's two most frequented
beaches, Manuel Antonio and Espadilla Sur, are the sandy
arcs on either side of the narrow strip of land that
joins Cathedral Point with the mainland.
Due to the diminutive size of the park
and the quantity of visitors it receives, much of the
wildlife that can still be found here is quite accustomed
to human presence and will allow close approach, particularly
the White-throated Capuchin Monkeys, Central American
Squirrel Monkeys, Brown-throated Three-toed Sloths,
White-nosed Coatis, Central American Agoutis and Ctenosaur
Lizards. [Note: These are still wild animals and should
be respected and treated as such, enjoy the opportunity
for a close look, but do not attempt to touch or feed
them!]
This is one of the best places in Costa
Rica to see Brown-throated Three-toed Sloths. These
fascinating, but slow-moving animals feed exclusively
on plant material -- the low-energy diet results in
their slow metabolism -- and though they are known to
eat the leaves of more than 100 species of trees and
vines, they are most easily seen when feeding (or resting)
in Cecropia trees.
Cecropias are common pioneer trees with
large palmate leaves and ringed trunks that make them
easy to recognize. The abundance of cecropias and other
second growth species in the park is probably in part
responsible for the high sloth population.
This is also one of only two areas in
the country where the endangered Central American Squirrel
Monkey is found. These are the smallest of the four
monkey species in Costa Rica, and the only ones without
a prehensile tail. They forage actively for insects
and fruit in large groups of 30 or more individuals.
Butterflies, birds, and large colorful
land crabs are more of the plentiful inhabitants that
provide interest during a trail walk through the park.
And, if the waters are clear enough, a variety of marine
life can be seen by snorkeling around the rocky ends
of either beach.
Getting there: Manuel Antonio
is approximately four hours from San José by
car, taking the PanAmerican Highway west to the Atenas
exit, and following the old highway through the mountains
to the town of Orotina where you rejoin a more modern
highway. Take the Jacó turnoff and follow this
coastal highway south to the town of Quepos. From here
it's 7 km. to Manuel Antonio. There is regular public
bus service to/from San José, but tickets should
be purchased in advance, especially during peak tourism
periods (from December through March and on weekends).
Flying on the local commercial airlines
is another alternative. The flight takes about 18 minutes
and the airstrip is about 20 minutes from Manuel Antonio.
The park itself is entered by crossing
a small estuary near where it empties into the ocean.
At low tide, this rivulet is usually no more than ankle-deep,
but at extreme high tides it can be as much as a meter
and a half deep! Either time your coming and going accordingly,
or be prepared to get wet.
Fishing: The Quepos area is the
center for sportfishing in the Central Pacific region
of Costa Rica with several charter services operating
here. Most anglers are going for billfish which provide
plenty of action throughout the year, but especially
from December through April. Tuna, dorado, and roosterfish
are other reliable alternatives when not seeking sailfish
and marlin.
Climate: Though hot and humid
throughout the year, the shade produced by the evergreen
vegetation and the gentle sea breezes help to ameliorate
the heat. The dry season extends from December to April,
nearly 4 meters of rainfall is the average accumulation
during the remaining months of the year.
History: The creation of Manuel
Antonio National Park was another victory for conservation.
Although the area had been in private hands for some
time, the public had always been allowed to use the
beaches. However, when the property was bought by a
North American in 1968, things changed. Padlocked gates
and fences were put up to keep people out, leading to
great discontent among the local inhabitants, who reacted
with acts of vandalism.
The local municipal government decreed
that access to the beach could not be restricted (this
is actually a nationwide law), and the American ended
up selling the land to a Frenchman. This new owner apparently
had plans to develop the site into a tourism facility,
but before he could do so, the land was expropriated
by the government and in November of 1972, Manuel Antonio
National Park was officially declared, even though the
funds to pay for the land acquisition were not completely
obtained until 1975.
Ironically, since the mid-1980's, the
park service has maintained a locked gate policy on
the service road entrance to the park. This one-lane
wide gravel road, known as the Perezoso Trail for its
abundance of Three-toed Sloths, is a wonderful place
for nature observation without having to cross through
the estuary by the main entrance -- if only you were
allowed to go in this way.
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