PlanetEye

February 13th, 2008

Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica - Back Door Monkeys

Brendan

The Global Nomad

Manuel Antonio is Costa Rica’s second most popular park (the first is a volcano).

Right on the coast, it boasts some of the area’s best beaches, protected offshore islands home to thousands of birds, and so many monkeys and sloth you’re virtually guaranteed to run into them. All of which has made the park so popular that a few years ago authorities decided to upgrade facilities, moving the entrance to a more central spot.

To get in, you ford a small estuary (rivulet at low tide), and although numbers are restricted, the place can be jammed on weekends in the high season (Nov-March). At peak times you actually have to wait in line unless you arrive first thing in the morning. The park is closed Mondays, closes fairly early (4 pm at writing), and costs 10 bucks a person.

But there is a back door of sorts to Manuel Antonio—which is good to know for several reasons. For one, if you happen to arrive at 3pm and just want to zip in and have a swim or look for monkeys, 10 dollars can be a bit steep. I am in no way condoning this, but in case you were wondering, the back gate is rarely monitored and you can easily walk around it.

Personally, I use the old entrance (which is what it was—the original entrance, now a service road) for two things: a more interesting way to leave the park than a long backtrack, and the best place to spot monkeys and other wildlife away from the crowds.

When we were last there I dragged my girlfriend this way and found ourselves quickly surrounded by Titi (Squirrel) monkeys, possibly the cutest animals alive; the only other people that came to join us were brought by local park guides.

To get to the old entrance from outside the park, take the last left turn before the park as you come into Manuel Antonio (at Marlin restaurant) and follow the road inland, staying right at the fork. There is a path around the right side of the gate.

If you come in the main entrance and just want some monkey action, walk to the far end of the popular protected beach and follow the service road up the hill for five minutes. At the crossroads, go straight to follow a trail to a great lookout or turn left and follow the road which eventually brings you to the old gate.

Tags: Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio, Titi Monkey

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