Manuel Antonio National Park - Nature turned into a commercialized experience

I debated whether to choose this title or not. But it is what stuck with me the most about Manuel Antonio. Unfortunately. I had heard a lot, including some criticism, but I still decided to visit Manuel Antonio National Park to see for myself. I found it difficult to find a nice accommodation. On one hand, nothing really appealed to me, and on the other hand, there were hardly any affordable and yet attractive accommodations. While it is possible to stay in Quepos, the nearest bigger town, at a reasonable price, it is quite far from the national park and does not offer nice beaches. And I wasn't interested in the town either. From Quepos, a road winds through the hilly landscape to the south to the national park. About halfway, there is the small town of Manuel Antonio, directly on both sides of the road. For me, it was a good compromise between Quepos and the very expensive accommodations or resorts right at the park. However, I had also booked a rather expensive accommodation because the selection was not very large. My hotel called 'Mango Moon Villa' was really nice, with a pool and a view of the sea, but in the end, it was just a slightly more upscale and bigger room than usual. And breakfast was included. Also, I felt a bit out of place when I arrived there with my backpack with a dirty rain cover and flip flops. And I only went in the pool once briefly. Because it was already there.

I hadn't planned anything for the day after arrival, as I wanted to relax first. I thought I would lie by the pool and write a blog. But somehow, I didn't feel like it, and the pool area was in full sun from the morning and not as cozy as I had expected. So, I decided to walk to one of the beaches. That was also one of the reasons why I chose this location - the beaches were not far away. However, it was uphill and downhill in the blazing sun. When I reached the bottom, the small forest path to the beach was not hard to find because there were several cars parked on the road to the beach access, and I simply followed a few people who went through the gap in the fence. When I arrived at the beach, I was somewhat shocked by the number of people there. Actually, it wasn't surprising, but I found it rather unpleasant when I was approached immediately if I wanted something to eat, drink a cocktail, or rent a beach chair. That was too much for me somehow, but I discovered a path that led away from the beach into a wooded area. Actually, this was probably the way to a resort up on the hill, but from that path, there were also small paths leading towards the sea. There, I also spotted a capuchin monkey and two motmots. I explored the paths and then descended one of them to a small secluded bay with a rocky beach, from where I could see the overcrowded main beach. But I was alone.

I sat there for a while and enjoyed the peace until I decided to take a look at the other beach again. There, I watched girls posing in their bikinis, completely absorbed in themselves, and taking photos of themselves, maybe for Instagram or something. So, I took care of a few things on my phone, like looking for another hotel because I had only booked 2 nights in the expensive one.

Since I didn't feel like walking back along the long, hilly road, I took a taxi and went to have something to eat. Before that, I had tried to book a ticket for the national park for the next day, but everything was already fully booked. Apparently, only a limited number of people are allowed into the park every day. But I was lucky that there were still spots available for the next day, Saturday. So, I still had Friday to do something else. However, there is not much to see in the area, so I decided to go to the main beach below the national park. There are public buses that run approximately every 30 minutes from Quepos to the national park, where the road also ends. There are several bus stops along the way, one of them right next to my new hotel, where I had moved in the morning. Again, with a pool and breakfast.

At the bus stop, I met 2 German girls who asked me if this was the bus stop. I have to say that the bus stops are sometimes hard to recognize, as there are often no waiting shelters or signs, and the bus stop is simply located on the street in front of a shop or something similar. Then you have to ask around or just stand where other people are already standing. Shortly before, I had also asked a woman, so I knew that I was in the right place. The two girls had arrived in Costa Rica just a few days ago and were interested in where I had already been and what I can recommend in Costa Rica. They also wanted to go to the beach, and since we got along well and I found them really likeable, we spent the day at the beach together. Since I hadn't really met other people in Manuel Antonio, it was nice to talk and exchange with someone again. It was also practical not to be alone on the beach because I could also go into the water and didn't have to worry about my things since the girls watched over them. And when the two of them went into the sea, I watched over the things. We found a beautiful spot at a small pool where I could also observe some birds. In between, I chatted with an American guy who had caught my attention earlier. He was a bit excited and told me that he had been climbing naked in the rocks at the end of the beach earlier. That's why he came to the pool because he had somewhat burned his feet and wanted to cool them down there. He also told me that he had recently been hit by a car in his home country and had therefore given himself the Costa Rica trip for his 'second birthday'. That was also the reason why he was so excited, he had simply realized how lucky he had been. He was a funny guy, whom I met again the next day in the national park. The day at the beach was really nice and did me a lot of good.

Back at the hotel, I paddled a few laps in the pool again and then had a cozy evening. I noticed that when you stay in slightly larger hotels, you somehow meet fewer people because it is more anonymous and less family-like than in smaller accommodations. In any case, I prefer the family-like atmosphere.

The next morning, it was finally time to go to the national park again, by bus. When I arrived at the bottom, I still had to walk a short distance, past several souvenir stands and people trying to sell you something. On the way there, I spotted a great bird that I had already seen 2 days before but couldn't photograph well.

At the entrance, bags were checked because you were not allowed to bring food into the park. Somehow strange, since, for example, in Cahuita National Park, you were allowed to bring food but not plastic packaging. Apparently, plastic is not a problem in Manuel Antonio. Most visitors had a guide with them, but I consciously decided against it again. Often, it is insisted at the national parks that you won't see any animals without a guide. But most people just don't have an eye for it. Basically, it's like in the zoo when people walk past an enclosure and after 2 seconds say that there are no animals to be seen. No wonder if you don't take the time to look carefully. But of course, the guides know where to find the animals and they also have good binoculars with them. But it also costs a lot of money to hire a guide, and you can never go at your own pace. So, I plunged into the crowds without a guide. And literally, at least at the beginning. Because there were people everywhere, but after a while, they dispersed quite well. I first walked on a trail towards the sea, where I arrived at a really beautiful beach. There were some brown pelicans perched on the rocks, and on the beach, there were many small crabs that quickly scurried into their holes as soon as you got closer.

I walked the trail for a while and came to an observation tower from which you could observe some birds in the tree canopy. There were beaches on both sides, as there was access to a peninsula where there should be a hiking trail. However, this trail was unfortunately closed. As I later found out, many trails were closed. However, I discovered a white-nosed coati there. So, I took another trail, past beautiful beaches, but they were teeming with people, and accordingly, it was quite noisy. You rather had the impression of being on a tourist beach in Mallorca than on a beach in a national park. Past the public toilets, I came to the restaurant, which was located in the accessible part of the national park. Here, I have to mention that the national parks in Costa Rica are only partially open to the public. The majority or the core zones of the protected areas are closed to visitors, and only scientists and people with special permits for scientific purposes are allowed into these zones. This is absolutely good and important to protect the flora and fauna. However, the visitors concentrate on a sometimes tiny part of the protected areas, and as a result, it feels very crowded, even if the number of visitors per day is often limited.

At the restaurant, I was once again quite shocked by the crowds of people standing everywhere or indulging in burgers and cola at the beer garden-like tables. It had an absolute zoo character, and I found it really inappropriate considering that you are in the middle of a national park. But what shocked me the most was a scene I observed shortly afterwards. At the restaurant, a few capuchin monkeys had gathered, sitting in the trees and on the roof of the restaurant. No wonder when you consider that capuchin monkeys are less shy of humans and hope to find some food there. There were crowds of people around the monkeys, and some tried to touch the animals or take selfies with them. The latter is prohibited in Costa Rica, as far as I know, so that photos with animals cannot be marketed, as is widespread, for example, in Indonesia. I watched two young people who were jumping around the monkeys on the roof, making monkey noises and movements, and obviously thinking they could communicate with the animals that way. But actually, the monkey was just threatening them, without them noticing it. This can also be dangerous. The two behaved absolutely primitive, and I was ashamed of them. After that, one of the monkeys jumped onto a table. However, fortunately, people kept their distance. I consciously decided not to buy anything at the restaurant. Presumably, the prices were also overpriced. Besides, I had brought some snacks with me, illegally. So, I took another trail, away from the restaurant. However, I only found it after some searching and getting lost because it was hidden behind the restaurant and its garbage and rather looked like the way to the toilets. Unfortunately, there was no signpost.

On the hiking trail, I again saw crowded beaches and ended up at a closed access to the beach, where the steps down were partially broken. At least the hiking trails were almost empty because everyone was lying at the beaches. Occasionally, you could hear loud engine noises from the boats and planes that were taking their rounds at the nearby beach outside the park.

On the last hiking trail that I took, which was a bit quieter and really nice, I discovered a few great animals. Especially the group of white-faced capuchin monkeys was my highlight because I hadn't seen them before, as they apparently only occur in a few areas in Costa Rica. So now I had seen all 4 monkey species in Costa Rica and was really happy about it.

On the way to the bus stop, I passed several souvenir stands and huge restaurants with loud music coming from them. It was super loud and stuffy on the street at the bus stop, and cars and quads were droning by. Next to me, a taxi driver spread his cocaine on the hood of his car and asked me if I needed a taxi. The view of the beach, which was right on the road, didn't really improve the situation either because it was crowded with cars, stands, and umbrellas, and there were people everywhere. This was the first time in Costa Rica that I found a place really terrible and was relieved when I sat in the completely crowded bus towards the hotel, which, by the way, was almost only tourists.

All in all, I was somewhat disappointed with Manuel Antonio National Park, although the national park itself is really beautiful. And the park is not to blame, basically. But what has been made of it, I find absolutely not good and really a pity. However, I have to be fair and say that I was there in high season and also on a Saturday. I have heard from other people that it is not so crowded in the low season and during the week. And maybe I am also always a bit too critical, but that is simply what I experienced and felt there. In the end, everyone has to make their own impression.

In the evening, from the restaurant where I was eating, I could watch a couple of scarlet macaws again. The other people in the restaurant were more interested in the sunset. I watched the two of them for a while and saw how they flew back to their tree hollow again and again. Another nice experience to end the day.

The next day, I continued to Uvita, a coastal town about an hour southeast of Manuel Antonio. There, I had a really nice accommodation, many pleasant encounters, and felt really comfortable.

Until then. ¡hasta luego!