It is easy to spot the monkeys at the smallest of Costa Rica’s national parks as these are used to people and seem to enjoy the trees along the trails and the beach. Howler, squirrel and white-faced capuchin monkeys play overhead with mothers carrying their babies – often weighing no more than a few ounces – on their backs.
Sloths are harder to pick out amongst the trees but they can be spotted with the help of a trained guide or, if you are very lucky, when they are on the ground – something that occurs only to cross a road that doesn’t have a tree-branch bridge or once a week to defecate.
The beaches in the park are beautiful, white sand covered with shallow water that’s fairly warm. Palm trees sway in the background, birds glide overhead and monkeys chatter in the trees. All very lovely.
The official entrance to the national park is just off the main street of the town (Manuel Antonio) – you don’t need to cross the little estuary by boat as some travel guides indicate.
The town of Manuel Antonio has many hotels but these tend to be higher priced than those in nearby Quepos. The advantage of staying here is that you can walk to the park or the beach and return to your hotel for a mid-day siesta with little effort.
If you are looking for better-priced accommodations and restaurants, stay in Quepos, a small town 15 to 20 minutes away by local bus.
The bus from San Jose stops at Quepos first and then goes on to Manuel Antonio. The bus ride from the capital takes about 4.5 hours – on an un-air-conditioned bus – and stops about half-way there for a bio break and snack.
More Info
The park is open 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It is cleared of people at 4:00 p.m. as incoming tide cuts off access to the mainland. The park is closed on Mondays. Admission fees: $7 + $3 for parking; guides are available for hire for $20 pp for a two-hour tour.
Manuel Antonio National Park site
Costa Rica Bureau – Manual Antonio
Wikipedia
Volunteer Opportunties
Save the Titi (squirrel) Monkey: only about 1,500 survive after their environment was overdeveloped to accommodate tourists. Maybe you want to contribute to turning back the tide of extinction by volunteering with Rainforest Alliance and Titi Conservation Alliance (formerly Asociación para la Conservacion del Mono Titi, Association for the Conservation of the Titi Monkey). More information is available at: The Titi Conservation Alliance.