{"id":6219,"date":"2016-11-29T13:48:21","date_gmt":"2016-11-29T20:48:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/?p=6219"},"modified":"2016-11-29T17:02:55","modified_gmt":"2016-11-30T00:02:55","slug":"costa-rica-national-parks-beaches-cahuita-manuel-antonio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/11\/29\/costa-rica-national-parks-beaches-cahuita-manuel-antonio\/","title":{"rendered":"Costa Rica National Parks with Beaches: Cahuita or Manuel Antonio?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/costa-rica\/\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"6221\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/11\/29\/costa-rica-national-parks-beaches-cahuita-manuel-antonio\/awr-manuelantonio1-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/AWR-ManuelAntonio1.jpg?fit=300%2C186&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"300,186\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Manuel Antonio\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Cahuita and Manuel Antonio are amazing for accessible wildlife!&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/AWR-ManuelAntonio1.jpg?fit=300%2C186&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-6221 \" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/AWR-ManuelAntonio1.jpg?resize=505%2C313\" alt=\"Cahuita and Manuel Antonio are amazing for accessible wildlife!\" width=\"505\" height=\"313\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Costa Rica<\/strong>\u00a0richly deserves its name &#8220;<strong>Rich Coast<\/strong>&#8221;\u00a0since it&#8217;s bounded on two sides by broad expanses of water: on the western side, the <strong>Pacific Ocean<\/strong>, and on the eastern side, the <strong>Caribbean Sea<\/strong>. \u00a0Travelers to Costa Rica will discover loads of beach destinations, but two of our favorites include more than simply fine sand, they offer the nature enthusiast fantastic opportunities for breath-taking <strong>wildlife encounters<\/strong> and <strong>nature photography<\/strong>.\u00a0 These two areas are<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Cahuita National Park<\/strong>, on the eastern Caribbean coast<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Manuel Antonio National Park<\/strong>, on the western Pacific coast<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">While they are both equally excellent parks worth visiting, your needs or preferences may point to one or the other as being better for you on your next trip to Costa Rica.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>The Parks &#8211; An Overview<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Both national parks share striking similarities in many respects. \u00a0Both are small nature reserves, approximately 2,000 acres in size. \u00a0Both feature beautiful beaches fringed by lush, humid tropical rainforest. \u00a0Wildlife is abundant and approachable in both parks, and similar in terms of diversity and species, with one difference being Manuel Antonio&#8217;s fun resident troops of squirrel monkeys and occasional flocks of noisy scarlet macaws streaming through the canopy. \u00a0Both parks are easy to enter and navigate on your own, but we like to book a guided tour on the first morning in the area to help our travelers identify the wildlife and get a lay of the park for future visits.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Cahuita National Park<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_6248\" style=\"width: 210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6248\" data-attachment-id=\"6248\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/11\/29\/costa-rica-national-parks-beaches-cahuita-manuel-antonio\/ana-sloth02\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Ana-Sloth02.jpg?fit=965%2C1040&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"965,1040\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"ana-sloth02\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Sloth in Cahuita&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Ana-Sloth02.jpg?fit=640%2C690&amp;ssl=1\" class=\" wp-image-6248\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Ana-Sloth02.jpg?resize=200%2C200\" alt=\"Sloth in Cahuita\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Ana-Sloth02.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Ana-Sloth02.jpg?zoom=2&amp;resize=200%2C200 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Ana-Sloth02.jpg?zoom=3&amp;resize=200%2C200 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-6248\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sloth in Cahuita<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Situated about 4 hours east of San Jose, this park is easily accessible from the seaside town of <strong>Puerto Viejo<\/strong>. \u00a0Here the <strong>cultural vibe<\/strong> is distinctly Caribbean, making a unique departure from the more typical Costa Rican culture you&#8217;ll find everywhere else. \u00a0<strong>Snorkeling<\/strong> and <strong>diving<\/strong> &#8211; since Cahuita is on the Caribbean side &#8211; can be outstanding. \u00a0 The park has a number of easy nature trails for <strong>wildlife viewing<\/strong>, where one can see monkeys, sloths, squirrels, white-nosed coati, plus phenomenal birds and insects, and a dizzying array of plant life.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_6247\" style=\"width: 211px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6247\" data-attachment-id=\"6247\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/11\/29\/costa-rica-national-parks-beaches-cahuita-manuel-antonio\/olympus-digital-camera-11\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/PUERTO-VIEJO-006.jpg?fit=2288%2C1712&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2288,1712\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5.6&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;C4100Z,C4000Z&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;-62169984000&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.8&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00125&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/PUERTO-VIEJO-006.jpg?fit=640%2C479&amp;ssl=1\" class=\" wp-image-6247\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/PUERTO-VIEJO-006.jpg?resize=201%2C201\" alt=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" width=\"201\" height=\"201\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/PUERTO-VIEJO-006.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/PUERTO-VIEJO-006.jpg?zoom=2&amp;resize=201%2C201 402w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/PUERTO-VIEJO-006.jpg?zoom=3&amp;resize=201%2C201 603w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-6247\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cahuita<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Long beaches<\/strong>, like the black sand <strong>Playa Negra<\/strong> in Puerto Viejo, are found here in the Puerto Viejo\u2013Cahuita\u2013Manzanilo area. \u00a0There are bright sand beaches too, like <strong>Playa Blanca<\/strong>, which is inside Cahuita National Park and reaches almost two miles in length. \u00a0While the beach is scenic, not all of it is recommended for swimming \u2013 for the best <strong>swimming<\/strong>, head toward the center of the Suarez River estuary. \u00a0Near the river mouth, there is a huge lagoon, and at the tip, the sand is fine, water is clear during much of the year, and the coral reef is very close, making it good for snorkeling or diving. \u00a0From here, there are beach strolling options all the way to nearby Puerto Vargas. \u00a0Beaches at Punta Uva, Playa Chiquita, Playa Cocles (where <strong>surfing<\/strong> can be popular, and lifeguards are on staff) and Manzanillo are worth checking out. \u00a0Just a little further down the road from Manzanillo (itself, about 8 miles from Puerto Viejo) is <strong>Gandoca<\/strong>, a park that offers seasonal opportunities for observing <strong>sea turtle nesting<\/strong>. \u00a0In town, check out the wonderful<strong> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jaguarrescue.foundation\/\" target=\"_blank\">Jaguar Rescue Center<\/a><\/strong>. \u00a0Regular bus services and affordable taxis connect travelers and locals throughout the area.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Best times to go to Cahuita<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_6251\" style=\"width: 210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6251\" data-attachment-id=\"6251\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/11\/29\/costa-rica-national-parks-beaches-cahuita-manuel-antonio\/olympus-digital-camera-12\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Cahuita-Snorkeling-Tour-1.jpg?fit=3648%2C2736&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"3648,2736\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5.6&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;u1030SW,S1030SW&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1237451300&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;18.2&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;80&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.003125&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Cahuita\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Calm seas in Cahuita can deliver great snorkeling&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Cahuita-Snorkeling-Tour-1.jpg?fit=640%2C480&amp;ssl=1\" class=\" wp-image-6251\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Cahuita-Snorkeling-Tour-1.jpg?resize=200%2C200\" alt=\"Calm seas in Cahuita can deliver great snorkeling\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Cahuita-Snorkeling-Tour-1.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Cahuita-Snorkeling-Tour-1.jpg?zoom=2&amp;resize=200%2C200 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Cahuita-Snorkeling-Tour-1.jpg?zoom=3&amp;resize=200%2C200 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-6251\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Calm seas in Cahuita can deliver great snorkeling<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Overall, climatically, the best times are <strong>February through May<\/strong>, and again <strong>August through October<\/strong>. June, July, November, and December are arguably months to avoid due to rains plus November and December can see seasonal closures of some businesses. \u00a0The best time of year for snorkeling in Cahuita (clearest water, calmest seas) is September and October, while May can be good for swimming.\u00a0 The best time for sea turtles (a night-time tour) in nearby Gandoca is between April and August.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>How to visit Puerto Viejo and Cahuita<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">We arrange comfortable van transfers from San Jose and other points in Costa Rica to Puerto Viejo. \u00a0As for hotels, we particularly like the more modest 3-star and intimate boutique hotels, though we&#8217;re always happy to match a traveler&#8217;s preferred style of travel. Also nearby are two other highly interesting places to visit &#8211; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.adventureswithinreach.com\/costa-rica\/overview.php?trip=8-day-Family-Costa-Rica-Adventure-(Best-Deal)\">Tortuguero<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.selvabananito.com\/home\/\">Selva Bananito Lodge<\/a> &#8211; if you have more time available (like an extra 2 or 3 nights) for the region.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Manuel Antonio National Park<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_6222\" style=\"width: 210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6222\" data-attachment-id=\"6222\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/11\/29\/costa-rica-national-parks-beaches-cahuita-manuel-antonio\/awr-manuelantonio-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/AWR-ManuelAntonio.jpg?fit=300%2C186&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"300,186\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"awr-manuelantonio\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Manuel Antonio vista&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/AWR-ManuelAntonio.jpg?fit=300%2C186&amp;ssl=1\" class=\" wp-image-6222\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/AWR-ManuelAntonio.jpg?resize=200%2C200\" alt=\"Manuel Antonio vista\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-6222\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Manuel Antonio vista<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Manuel Antonio is one of Costa Rica&#8217;s premier tourist hot spots so it contrasts with the less-developed atmosphere in Puerto Viejo and Cahuita. \u00a0The park is located south of San Jose, about a three-hour drive, on Costa Rica&#8217;s western Pacific coast. \u00a0However, especially for travelers looking for just a taste of the beach or who are short on time (for example, travelers with just 2 nights to spare for the coast), then this area in particular sparkles as a fantastic option.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>The Park<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_6245\" style=\"width: 210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6245\" data-attachment-id=\"6245\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/11\/29\/costa-rica-national-parks-beaches-cahuita-manuel-antonio\/squirrel-monkey\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Squirrel-Monkey.jpg?fit=3872%2C2592&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"3872,2592\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.2&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1223631144&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;70&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.008&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"squirrel-monkey\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Squirrel monkey &amp;#8211; Manuel Antonio&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Squirrel-Monkey.jpg?fit=640%2C428&amp;ssl=1\" class=\" wp-image-6245\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Squirrel-Monkey.jpg?resize=200%2C200\" alt=\"Squirrel monkey - Manuel Antonio\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Squirrel-Monkey.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Squirrel-Monkey.jpg?zoom=2&amp;resize=200%2C200 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Squirrel-Monkey.jpg?zoom=3&amp;resize=200%2C200 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-6245\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Squirrel monkey &#8211; Manuel Antonio<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Home to what National Geographic once labeled as a <strong>top 20 beach in the world<\/strong>, the more alluring draw is probably the <strong>wildlife viewing<\/strong>. \u00a0Here animals are habituated to people so the animals are often unafraid and approachable. \u00a0Travelers can see white-faced monkeys, sloths, coatis, raccoons, iguanas and many bird species, as well as the Costa Rican squirrel monkey, which is endemic to Manuel Antonio and very hard to find anywhere else.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_6243\" style=\"width: 210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6243\" data-attachment-id=\"6243\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/11\/29\/costa-rica-national-parks-beaches-cahuita-manuel-antonio\/manuel-antonio-national-park-5\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Manuel-Antonio-National-Park-5.jpg?fit=3008%2C2000&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"3008,2000\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;11&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D70&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1269337505&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;150&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.008&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"manuel-antonio-national-park-5\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Manuel Antonio beach&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Manuel-Antonio-National-Park-5.jpg?fit=640%2C426&amp;ssl=1\" class=\" wp-image-6243\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Manuel-Antonio-National-Park-5.jpg?resize=200%2C200\" alt=\"Manuel Antonio beach\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Manuel-Antonio-National-Park-5.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Manuel-Antonio-National-Park-5.jpg?zoom=2&amp;resize=200%2C200 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Manuel-Antonio-National-Park-5.jpg?zoom=3&amp;resize=200%2C200 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-6243\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Manuel Antonio beach<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Several <strong>stunning beaches<\/strong> are found in the park (primarily Espadilla Sur, Manuel Antonio, and Puerto Escondido), plus a small lagoon and a mangrove forest. \u00a0Connecting Manuel Antonio and Espadilla Sur beaches, Punta Catedral offers an attractive ocean vista and is a nice side-hike off the main trail.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em>Special notes &#8211; The park is closed on Mondays. Most hotels are situated on a scenic ridge overlooking the ocean and not on the beach &#8211; this is to promote beach conservation in the area.<br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>What to do in Manuel Antonio<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_6242\" style=\"width: 210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6242\" data-attachment-id=\"6242\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/11\/29\/costa-rica-national-parks-beaches-cahuita-manuel-antonio\/villa-vanilla_photos-by-fs-11\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Villa-Vanilla_photos-by-FS-11.jpg?fit=2448%2C3264&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2448,3264\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.2&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;DSC-F828&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1290267049&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;7.1&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;64&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.02&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"villa-vanilla_photos-by-fs-11\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Villa Vanilla &amp;#8211; near Manuel Antonio&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Villa-Vanilla_photos-by-FS-11.jpg?fit=640%2C853&amp;ssl=1\" class=\" wp-image-6242\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Villa-Vanilla_photos-by-FS-11.jpg?resize=200%2C200\" alt=\"Villa Vanilla - near Manuel Antonio\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Villa-Vanilla_photos-by-FS-11.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Villa-Vanilla_photos-by-FS-11.jpg?zoom=2&amp;resize=200%2C200 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Villa-Vanilla_photos-by-FS-11.jpg?zoom=3&amp;resize=200%2C200 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-6242\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Villa Vanilla &#8211; near Manuel Antonio<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">There are loads of excellent activities in the area, ranging from strolling the long public beach outside the park to horse riding on the beach to surfing to nature walks. \u00a0We outlined a number of our favorites in a previous post, the <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2015\/03\/06\/top-8-things-to-do-in-manuel-antonio-costa-rica\/\">Top 8 Things to do in Manuel Antonio.<\/a>\u00a0 <\/strong>If you have specific interests, please let us know and we can advise options.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>When to visit Manuel Antonio<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">The best time to go is <strong>December through April,<\/strong> though rainy season months like May often see afternoon or evening showers, meaning mornings are often clear. \u00a0The worst rain is usually in September or October.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>How to Visit<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_6303\" style=\"width: 210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6303\" data-attachment-id=\"6303\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/11\/29\/costa-rica-national-parks-beaches-cahuita-manuel-antonio\/cr_manuel_antonio_coffan\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/CR_Manuel_Antonio_Coffan.jpg?fit=640%2C480&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"640,480\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.2&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 5s&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1478517305&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;4.15&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;32&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00029197080292&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"AWR Clients Riding Horses at Manual Antonio\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/CR_Manuel_Antonio_Coffan.jpg?fit=640%2C480&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-6303 \" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/CR_Manuel_Antonio_Coffan.jpg?resize=200%2C200\" alt=\"AWR Clients Riding Horses at Manual Antonio\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/CR_Manuel_Antonio_Coffan.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/CR_Manuel_Antonio_Coffan.jpg?zoom=2&amp;resize=200%2C200 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/CR_Manuel_Antonio_Coffan.jpg?zoom=3&amp;resize=200%2C200 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-6303\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">AWR Clients Riding Horses at Manuel Antonio<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">The drive between Manuel Antonio and San Jose International Airport is only about 3 hours now that the new highway is in place. \u00a0We organize private van transfers in such a way that if your departure flight on your final day is at 1:30pm or later, we can get you to the airport in time for your departure. \u00a0Getting to Manuel Antonio is just as easy and travelers have the choice of departing from your present location (like Arenal Volcano or the Monteverde Cloud Forest) to Manuel Antonio either in the morning &#8211; allowing for a free afternoon on the beach &#8211; or in the afternoon, allowing a free morning wherever you are before visiting Manuel Antonio.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Summary<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">In a perfect world, you&#8217;d visit both parks (and both coasts, by extension) on an 11-13 day grand &#8220;Coast to Coast&#8221; custom adventure. \u00a0But most of our travelers only have between 7-9 days, and in that case, it&#8217;s better to pick one coast and save the other for next time. \u00a0If you&#8217;ve never been to Costa Rica before, then you&#8217;ll probably want to include Arenal Volcano in your itinerary and Manuel Antonio makes a convenient second or third destination (for example, after a stop in Monteverde).<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">If you prefer getting a little more off-the-beaten-path, then head to rustic and wooly Puerto Viejo and Cahuita. \u00a0From here, it&#8217;s easy to get away from the crowds on one of the area&#8217;s many beaches and the area as a whole is far less visited than Manuel Antonio.\u00a0 Seasonally, the area offers some of the best snorkeling in the country too. \u00a0Tortuguero, with its &#8220;Amazon-in-miniature&#8221; feel, is close by, so an 8-day trip combining the Caribbean coast&#8217;s Tortuguero and Cahuita would be fabulous for easy-going nature lovers looking for wildlife and beach.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Contact us and we&#8217;ll help design the ultimate Costa Rica itinerary for you based on your needs, interests, and budget. \u00a0We hope you&#8217;re able to experience why Costa Rica lives up to its Rich Coast name!<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"border-radius: 2px; text-indent: 20px; width: auto; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; font: bold 11px\/20px 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; color: #ffffff; background: #bd081c no-repeat scroll 3px 50% \/ 14px 14px; position: absolute; opacity: 1; z-index: 8675309; display: none; cursor: pointer; top: 36px; left: 30px;\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Costa Rica\u00a0richly deserves its name &#8220;Rich Coast&#8221;\u00a0since it&#8217;s bounded on two sides by broad expanses of water: on the western side, the Pacific Ocean, and on the eastern side, the Caribbean Sea. \u00a0Travelers to Costa Rica will discover loads of &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/2016\/11\/29\/costa-rica-national-parks-beaches-cahuita-manuel-antonio\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Costa Rica National Parks with Beaches: Cahuita or Manuel Antonio?","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6219","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-costa-rica"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2Xxsg-1Cj","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6219","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6219"}],"version-history":[{"count":38,"href":"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6219\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6305,"href":"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6219\/revisions\/6305"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6219"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6219"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventureswithinreach.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6219"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}