This wildlife area is located in the pacific coast of Costa Rica, in the province of Puntarenas. Located at 157 km south of San José by road and 7 km south of Quepos City. Created by means of the Law No. 5100, of November 15,1972. Has an extension of 682.7 hectares in the land part and 55.000 hectares in the sea part.
The Manuel Antonio National Park is a little biological island inside an area used in different activities like the agriculture, the cattle and a high tourist development. Part of the forest is in process of regeneration because in the past as object of a selective trees extraction.
Is one of the most beautiful national's parks of the country. Is the wild area that receives the mayor amount of national and international tourists. Another important attractive is the humid tropical forests where flora and wildlife species endanger of extinct like the mono titi lives.
A geomorphic characteristic is the Punta Catedral. In the past was an island and because of the sediment accumulation, joined to the continental mass, forming a sandy band called Tombolo.
The park is located in a region of great precipitation and high heights. The annual precipitation average is of 3.875 mm. The summer months are January, February and March; and the winter months are August, September and October.
The Manuel Antonio National Park is in life zone of the very humid tropical forest. Protect drums of primary forest, secondary forest, manglar, and beach vegetation and sea environments.
The flora species most common in the forest are the guácimo colorado, the pilón, the cedro maría,the guapinol, the guapinol negro, the árbol maderable endanger extinct, the lechoso, the madrono, the cenizaro and the ceiba. In the secondary, you can found the balsa, the peine de mico, the guarumo, the guácimo, the capulín blanco and the garocho. The manglar covers approximate 18 hectares, is constituted by three species: mangle colorado, botoncillo and mariquita.
In the beach vegetation you can notice the manzanillo, tree that has milk sustain and poisonous fruits, the almendro, the roble sabana and the coco.
The wildlife is variety, you can distinguish 109 species of mammals and 184 of birds. Between the most importance are the raccoon, porcupine, the guatusa, the sloth of two fingres, the sloth of three fingers, the whiteface monkey, the congo monkey and the mono tití specie of endanger because of the destruction of their habitats and the pet used.
In the area is frequently to observe birds species like the tucanillo, the pelicano o buchon, the guaco, the gavilán pescador, the martín pescador verde, and the water rooster. It is possible to observe lizards, snakes and infinity of insects.
The principal environment problem of the park is the deficient organization of the tourist development that provokes a massive affluence of visitors in the area and sea contamination. In other way, the monocultures in big scale produce damage in the ground and sedimentation in the sea. The garbage and the food visitors gave to the wild animals are problems of the area.
Exists three programs for manage the park. The Environment Education Program, which objective is to contribute with the development of an environment conscious between the population of the neighbor communities.
The Protection Program, which pretend to maintain the minimum level of physical and biological alterations of human origin, bring protection to the visitor and personnel and watch for the fulfillment of the conservation laws.
Finally, the Administration Program, which participate to the local communities, private and public organisms about the development of the area.
Park Facilities and Hours
Near Quepos Costa Rica, the Manuel Antonio Ranger Station is open for visitor attention from 8am to 4 pm, and has drinking water and restrooms.
An extensive trail system winds through the Manuel Antonio Park, see the trail map above. The Sendero Serrucho offers a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean.
