Manuel Antonio

With one of the most stunning, picture-postcard backdrops in the country, this is one of the lushes’ places in Costa Rica, with spectacular white-grey sand beaches fringed by thickly forested green hills. There is a huge variety of things to do - walking the Park's easy trails, whitewater rafting, ocean cruising, horseback riding, fishing, kayaking, snorkelling, to name but a few.
 
Manuel Antonio National Park
Regarded as one of the country's most spectacular national parks, Manuel Antonio, established in 1972, contains a charming combination of rain forest, beaches and coral reefs. The beaches are the most beautiful in the country, lined with lush forest, and the snorkeling is excellent too. The forest is home for sloths, iguanas, the rare and adorable squirrel monkeys and millions of colorful little crabs. And the trail that winds around Punta Catedral affords some spectacular views of the park and Pacific coast. Although it is the country's smallest national park, the stunning beauty and diversity of wildlife in its 683 hectares is unequalled

Cathedral Point, with its forest topped cliffs was once an island, but is now connected to the coast by a thin strip of island. Almost completely surrounded by the Pacific, this extremely rare land formation offers some of the most impressive view of the Pacific coast. The land bridge now forms the spine separating the parks two most popular beaches, Playa Espadilla Sur and Playa Manuel Antonio

The southern facing beach, Playa Manuel Antonio, is a picturesque half mile long, white sand crescent bisecting deep green foliage to one side and a private, secluded cove to the other. Standing with your feet dug into the sand and watching the wave crash against the rocks on either side of the lagoon, it is easy to believe that you are a thousand miles from anywhere.

The entrance fee to the park is $6 will 600 being allowed in during each weekday and 800 at weekends. More info on the park and trails.