At the Playa Espadilla in Manuel Antonio, touts rent chaise lounges and umbrellas.
Manuel Antonio National Park is supposed to be a must-see in Costa Rica. It’s not. The small park is crammed with tourists. While we had the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve mostly to ourselves thanks to bad weather, Manuel Antonio was literally crawling with people. If you’re looking for a national park in Costa Rica, don’t bother with this one.
The town of Manuel Antonio was also a tourist haven, with not much to see other than beaches and restaurants. We did go to a neat butterfly garden and reptile preserve, but you can see these practically anywhere.
For me, the best part of Manuel Antonio was the small town of Quepos, reached through a short bus ride from the beach.
Click on a thumbnail below to see more photos of Manuel Antonio.