Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica - Most beautiful and the most popular parks in the country

Listed various times among the most beautiful national parks in the whole world, Manuel Antonio is bewitching to behold. With its pristine beaches, verdant rainforest and perfect blue waters, visitors will instantly fall in love with all that the park has to offer. Its stunning scenery will soothe your soul and bathing in the crystal clear waters while looking at the mesmerising beauty of the shoreline will ensure you never want to leave this haven of tranquillity. The unbelievable landscapes on show are equally delightful to explore and various trails and paths weave their way through the dense undergrowth. Such is its splendor; Manuel Antonio is the most visited national park in the country. Ridiculously scenic, this is the best of what Costa Rica has to offer.

Despite its small size and great popularity, Manuel Antonio has managed to remain one of the premiere nature spots in the country. The rain forest and mountains literally meet the sea here and the ecosystem is teeming with land, sea and air species. If there is one place to visit in this country and be assured of seeing animals in the wild, this is it. Just a couple of hours walking the park's trails are likely to present various colorful and majestic birds, white-faced monkeys, two and three-toed sloth, coatis, pacas, brilliantly colored land crabs, a variety of multihued butterflies, and interesting insects. The endangered squirrel monkey and a subspecies of the squirrel monkey endemic to Costa Rica are also frequently seen. In all, over 100 species of animals and nearly 200 species of birds have been identified in this park.

The area between Quepos & Manuel Antonio National Park has dozens of hotels and restaurants offering the visitor a wide variety of accommodations and dining choices.
Near Manuel Antonio is Jardin Gaia. Named three years ago as Costa Rica's first official Wildlife Rescue Center, it receives injured and confiscated animals and attempts to rehabilitate them for return to the wild.