Compared to some of Costa Rica's larger rain forests and protected areas, Manuel Antonio National Park is small in size - but immense in beauty. Manuel Antonio is one of the most popular parks in Costa Rica, and often is referred to as the "Jewel of the National Park System." The 1600-acre park offers some splendid swimming beaches: Playa Manuel Antonio, with its clear inviting waters and myriad tidal pools with colorful marine life, Espadilla Sur (also called the Second Beach), Escondido (hidden beach) and Playita (little beach). The snorkeling is great - the crystal blue waters offer ample opportunity to see a wide variety of marine life.

The surf is generally gentler during the dry season, perfect for body surfing, boogie boarding and swimming. The park entrance leads through thick jungle to open clearings where gigantic palms and almond trees line the beaches and provide shelter for numerous species of wildlife. Small footpaths cut through the jungle vegetation, sometimes revealing surprises like a slow moving, three-toed sloth or squirrel monkeys. Visitors might see banded anteaters, raccoons, porcupines and hundreds of different species of birds and butterflies. The white-faced monkeys that play in groups among the trees lining the beaches are quite friendly and adventuresome, sometimes snatching things from visitors' hands or helping themselves to any food left lying around. Awesome ocean views abound on the many hiking trails that lead throughout the park. The heights of Punta Catedral (Cathedral Point) offer a magnificent view of the Pacific Ocean, where miles of sandy-white beaches stretch along the shoreline. Other hiking trails lead through dense tropical vegetation teeming with exotic birds and wildlife.

Visitors can rent horses near the park entrance and have fun splashing through the surf. The clear blue ocean stretches out infinitely as the horse travels along nearly deserted beaches, with the sun, sand, sea mist and refreshing sea breeze combining to create an unforgettable experience.

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