There is no more fascinating or beautiful jewel on the Pacific Coast the Manuel Antonio National Park. Costa Rica’s living treasure is comprised of 682 hectares of topical jungle, rainforest and white sand beaches and 5,500 hectares of water and 12 islands.
Manuel Antonio National Park
The most famous and smallest of the national parks was created over thousands of years by a natural phenomenon known as “tombolo”. A bridge of sand created by land shifts, and sediment deposits connected the mainland to the island.
Eventually the vegetation became so abundant that the land bridge was secured forming a peninsula. Today the park is teaming with an astonishing variety of vegetation. Paths run through the entire park and are well marked. Many have been terraced from steps. Getting off the beaten path has its rewards as there are countless hidden waterfalls and cascading pools.
Most of the trails are accessible by anyone in reasonable good health. Other points of interest include the blow hole at Escondido Harbor, Serrucho Point, sea caves and the pre-Colombian underwater turtle trap on the western tip of Manuel Antonio Beach.
Pods and dolphins can be viewed from Puta Catedral, the highest viewpoint along the park’s maintrail. During migratory season, whales make their way to the park’s chain of islands. Although visible form the point, the best way to get a closeup view is to take a local whale watching tour. The islands also serve as bird sanctuaries whose rookeries are world famous among birders for their neo-tropical varieties, including some very rare species.
Manuel Antonio National Park
The park also includes 44 acres of mangrove swamp consisting of three types of mangrove trees. Beach vegetation is made up primarily of palms, mazanillo, almond and mayflower trees.
Strangler figs are perhaps among the strangest forest dwellers, planting themselves in the crook of existing trees then reaching their roots down to the ground and forming a network of branches that surround the host eventually starving it to death. Even tough these odd parasites seem destructive they are a crucial and abundant food source for many of the animals that live in the tropics.
Protected Areas 
