Manuel Antonio

National Park

Manuel Antonio

Where rainforest meets the sea in Costa Rica's most beloved national park — a day trip that resets your sense of what wild really means.

1 hour 15 minutes from Macaw Crest 75 km away

The Place

Manuel Antonio National Park is the jewel of Costa Rica's protected coast — a sliver of rainforest that tumbles directly onto white-sand coves, where monkeys move through the canopy above the tide line and trails end at hidden beaches. It is the country's most visited park, and the experience lives up to the reputation.

Just over an hour south of Macaw Crest, Manuel Antonio makes an unforgettable day trip. Hike the forest trails in the cool morning, swim in the protected coves at midday, and watch the sunset from the cliffs above Playa Espadilla. The park shelters three of the country's four monkey species, sloths, toucans, and scarlet macaws — the same wildlife that finds its way up the mountain to Bijagual.

For Macaw Crest owners, Manuel Antonio is the southern anchor of your Pacific territory: a place to bring guests, to escape for a long weekend, and to remember that the wilderness you live above is part of a single, unbroken corridor of forest and shore.

What You'll Experience

Signature moments near Manuel Antonio

Rainforest trails ending at pristine white-sand coves

Three monkey species, sloths, and scarlet macaws

Guided naturalist hikes and wildlife photography

Sunset viewpoints above Playa Espadilla

Protected swimming beaches with lifeguards

Luxury eco-lodges and clifftop dining nearby

Stories from Manuel Antonio

The area, through the Macaw Crest lens

2026-09-16 · Journal

Manuel Antonio: The Crown Jewel of the Costa Rican Coast

Experience where the rainforest meets the sea in Manuel Antonio, the perfect day trip from your private mountain sanctuary at Macaw Crest Estates.

Latest from Manuel Antonio

New Canopy Trail Enhances Wildlife Access Near Manuel Antonio

Local conservation efforts have unveiled a new elevated observation loop, providing unprecedented access to the diverse wildlife corridor connecting the coast to the highlands.

Your Basecamp

Live above it all at Macaw Crest Estates

Twenty-six homesites rise 1,500 feet above the Pacific, minutes from Manuel Antonio yet worlds apart in serenity. Claim your ridge — and let the coast, the canopy, and the waterfall be your everyday.

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