Hiking in the Park

Location:
Manuel Antonio National Park, Quepos, Costa Rica

Hiking Types:
National park, Hike, Day trip

By Dallas

The best time of day to hike is typically early morning. It’s not as hot, generally less crowded, you can avoid afternoon rain and often have a better chance of spotting wildlife. If you want to hike in the park without a guide, ask for a free map at the entrance. However check to make sure it is totally accurate because around early 2008, the park entrance was changed. People used to have to cross a (usually shallow) river, sometimes in boats, but for safety reasons that way is avoided now. The current map indicates the Sendero La Catarata, or Waterfall Trail, as being 9 km long, but actually you can cover it in 2 km. The trail to the viewpoint, Sendero Mirador, is marked as 1.3 km, but it’s closer to 800m and there’s a shortcut to the view point from the northern end of Escondido beach. Guides can tell you about the current conditions of trails and level of fitness needed, as some paths are steeper then others. Once you’re in the park, some cool things to check out include the blowhole at Escondido beach, at it’s best when the tide’s coming in, and the pre-Columbian turtle traps on the western end of Manuel Antonio beach. Wherever you go, bring good walking shoes or sandals, insect repellant, sunscreen, a hat and sunnies, drinking water, lunch or snacks.

Travel Skills: None