Manuel Antonio Beach in Quepos Costa Rica
Table of Contents
- The National Park
- Shana Hotel
- The Beach
- Q&A
Top 12 in Forbes
One of the twelve most beautiful parks according to Forbes magazine, Manuel Antonio National Park in Costa Rica has a merited reputation that you can see for yourself.
Just Another Beautiful Sunset!
A Smaller National Park
Near to the city of Quepos, Costa Rica, you can catch a flight from Juan Santamaria Interantional Airport or Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport with Sansa or Nature Air and be at Manuel Antonio National Park in no time at all. Once in Manuel Antonio, you’ll be immersed in a verdant biological fanfare that covers 1,983 hectares (4,900 acres). Although Manuel Antonio is on the smaller side, it is teeming with life, and more than 150,000 people come to take in its grandeur.
Fauna at the Park
There are 109 different animals living in the area of Manuel Antonio, and there are 184 species of avifauna. These species of birds in Manuel Antonio include the tucancillo, the pelican, the guaco, the gavilan pescador (in English the sparrow hawk fisher), the martin pescador verde and the chirin coca. Some species of mammals on the park grounds consist of raccoons, coatis, guatusas, two and three-toed sloths, white-faced monkeys, large felids and squirrel and spider monkeys. There are also nesting sea turtles such as the Ridley Sea Turtle and the Green Sea Turtle that head to the shore of Manuel Antonio to lay eggs year round (Green) and from the beginning of November for the Olive Ridley.
Vegetation
The park is not only swarming with fauna, but vegetation is also at a surplus in Manuel Antonio National Park. Some of the plant species found in Manuel Antonio include the guapinol negro (an endangered species), the guacimo colorado, the ceiba, the balsa, the guacimo, the pilon, the cedro maria, the guapinol blanco, the sura, the lechoso, the cenizaro and the manglillo. The diversity of the park becomes clearer as you trek from the more inland areas to the beach or vice versa. There are over three hundred and fifty species of plants in the park, and the topography contributes to a varied ecosystem, as well.
Near Manuel Antonio
There are a number of beach towns and cities that encircle Manuel Antonio National Park in Costa Rica. The aforementioned Quepos, Costa Rica, is the nearest for the domestic airlines. Other towns, beaches and cities in the vicinity of Manuel Antonio include Playa Espadilla, Damas and Playa Biesanz. When planning your trip to Manuel Antonio it is recommended that you bring hiking boots and gear, a swim suit, sunscreen, binoculars, a camera and plenty of water.
Location: Manuel Antonio National Park
Items to bring: hiking boots and gear, a swim suit, sunscreen, binoculars, a camera
Species of fauna: the tucancillo, the pelican, the guaco, the gavilan pescador (in English the sparrow hawk fisher), the martin pescador verde, the chirin coca, raccoons, coatis, guatusas, two and three-toed sloths, white-faced monkeys, large felids, squirrel and spider monkeys, Ridley Sea Turtles, Green Sea Turtles
Species of flora: include the guapinol negro (an endangered species), the guacimo colorado, the ceiba, the balsa, the guacimo, the pilon, the cedro maria, the guapinol blanco, the sura, the lechoso, the cenizaro, the manglillo
Cities nearby: Quepos, Damas
Ways to get here: plane, rental car, private shuttle, tour bus, taxi
*See Manuel Antonio when you take the Jewels Tour or the Coast to Coast Tour
Shana Hotel & Residence in Manuel Antonio
The boutique Shana Hotel and Residence in Manuel Antonio takes luxury combined with relaxation to a new level with incredible views of the beach and forest.
Plush & Modern!
Rooms at Shana
Shana Hotel and Residence offers up 27 rooms rated as superior, deluxe, junior and presidential. The presidential suite comes with 3 bedrooms including a master bed and bathroom with an infinity pool adjacent to a spacious deck. The rooms are outfitted with flat screen TVs, safe deposit boxes, hair dryers, air conditioning, mini bars and much more.
The Spa & Spa Treatements
The Shana Spa is your opportunity to lay back and relax while a professionally trained masseuse helps you to iron out any kinks that might be gnawing at you. The spa at Shana Hotel and Residence offers body wraps, body scrubs, manicures, pedicures and other massage and cosmetic treatments. It’s the perfect way to treat yourself right.
Heading to the National Park
The Manuel Antonio area has been named as one of the most beautiful beaches by Newsweek, and it has made the top 12 most beautiful national parks list with Forbes. If you want to get a better idea of just how much natural splendor there is in Manuel Antonio, you can ask the tour desk about some of the many tours that are available. Tours and adventure activities such as whitewater rafting, waterfall rappelling, canopy zip-lining, mountain biking, horseback riding, surfing, sea kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, dolphin and whale tours, and hiking in the Manuel Antonio National Park can all be arranged through the hotel.
The Airport in Quepos
The Shana Hotel and Residence is located in Quepos, Costa Rica, in the Province of Puntarenas. It is an hour and forty minutes from the capital city of San Jose, and four hours and thirty minutes from the Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport in Liberia, Costa Rica. It can be reached by tour bus, rental car, taxi or plane via the Quepos airport and the domestic airlines of Nature Air and Sansa Air.
Hotel: Shana Hotel & Residence
Location: Quepos, Costa Rica
Rooms & Suites: 27
Amenities & Services: Spa, Restaurant, Outdoor Swimming Pool, Garden, Terrace, Room Service, Currency Exchange, Tour Desk, Laundry Service, Air Conditioning, Safe Deposit Box
Driving time from San Jose: 1 hr 40 min
Driving time from Liberia: 4 hr 30 min
Ways to get there: tour bus, rental car, taxi, plane
Contact Information: +506 2272 7036, +506 2777 6747, website
Manuel Antonio Beach in Quepos Costa Rica
Manuel Antonio Beach in Costa Rica is in a secluded spot opposite Playa Espadilla Sur to the north, and it’s on the west coast in the province of Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica holds a particular and exquisite place in the litany of Costa Rica beaches.
Fishing at Manuel Antonio
Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, is on the Pacific Ocean. The beach lies to the west of Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, or Manuel Antonio National Park, and is a hot spot for various ecotourism activities. Manuel Antonio is also a good area for fishing, and anglers can find Billfish upwards of a 100 pounds in the season from November to April. These waters for sport fishermen are catch and release only.
What to Bring
This is a tropical beach with a rainforest just behind it, so bringing some sturdy gear for your custom vacation or escorted tour is a must. You should consider along with sandals and beach wear, hiking boots, insect repellant, a water bottle, sun block and possibly a small picnic. There are tours and many people frequent this area, but you may want to make sure that you are well prepared for any unforeseen developments while trekking through the national park.
The Smallest National Park in Costa Rica
Manuel Antonio National Park is the smallest national park in Costa Rica, but, in contrast to its size, it is the second largest in terms of visitors through-out the year. Near to the beach you’ll find Shana Hotel & Residence, Hotel La Mariposa, Gaia Hotel & Reserve, Hotel Costa Verde and Hotel San Bada to name a few. A number of hotels are located in the nearby city of Quepos. It won’t be too difficult to find accommodations, and especially for travel agents looking to please their clients.
Birds at Manuel Antonio
Other activities of interest at the beach and park are surfing, swimming and birding. Birding or bird watching may be a layman’s term for ornithology, but in Manuel Antonio National Park you could feel like a second year PhD candidate as you spy the variety of aves. There are one hundred and eighty four species of birds in the park to choose from. Be sure to bring your binoculars, and possibly a 200mm or 90mm lens depending on your preferred area of photojournalism.
Getting to Manuel Antonio
Reaching Manuel Antonio from San Jose or Liberia can be undertaken in a variety of fashions being; rental car, tour bus, mini bus, taxi or plane. Flights from Juan Santamaria International Airport in Alajuela take around twenty minutes, whereas driving may take two and a half hours from the airport and two hours and fifty minutes from San Jose city. If coming from Daniel Oduber Quiros Intenational Airport in Liberia, Costa Rica, a car or bus will reach the area in around four and a half hours. A flight will connect through San Jose airport, and therefore, take around three hours and thirty minutes as a standard.
Beach: Manuel Antonio Beach
Location: Quepos, Manuel Antonio Beach Address
Distance from San Jose: 2 hrs 50 mins
Distance from Liberia: 4 hrs 30 mins
Items to bring: swimsuit, surfboard, camera, binoculars, water bottle, shorts, sandals, sun block, fishing pole.
Hotels nearby: Shana Hotel & Residence, Hotel La Mariposa, Gaia Hotel & Reserve, Hotel Costa Verde, Hotel San Bada.
Ways to get here: plane, rental car, taxi, tour bus.
Questions & Answers
Is there a fee for entering the National Park?
Yes, adults are required to pay $16 and children under 12 are $5, but all fees are covered by the cost of the guided tours provided by Costa Rica Monkey Tours.
What are the park hours?
The park is closed on Mondays, but from Tuesday to Sunday it is open from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm.
How many people can enter the park each day?
From Tuesday to Friday, the park only allows 600 people to enter at a time, but 800 people may enter on the weekends.
