A squirrel monkey eyes a bag to grab in Manuel Antonio National Park

A beachside national park swinging with squirrel monkeys elevates Manuel Antonio above the ranks of just another Pacific beach town.

This is one of the most visited destinations in Costa Rica. And while the town itself is something of a wallet-sapping tourist trap, inside Manuel Antonio National Park you´ll find well-maintained walking trails, secluded coves and some of the prettiest palm-fringed beaches in the country. A couple of the beaches within the national park are free of rip tides and are ideal for swimming. Snorkelling is excellent in the dry season (December-April) when the water is transparent. If you do decide to take a dip though, don´t leave your valuables unattended on the sand – the park is notorious for theft, not the least from sticky-fingered monkeys.

On a good day in the rainy season (May to November), when the stream of visitors is at a minimum, the park´s wildlife may show its furry face. Visitors have a good chance of spotting sunbathing iguanas, two-and-three-toed sloths, coatimundis, racoons as well as howler, squirrel and white-faced monkeys.

The Manuel Antonio area offers plenty of distractions beyond its park.  Whatever you desire from a tropical beach vacation, you´ll find it here: surfing lessons, scuba diving courses, sunset cruises, sports fishing, ATV rides, horseback trips, zip-line canopy adventures, boat tours to the Damas Island mangrove swamps, white-water rafting on the Savegre River and visits to butterfly gardens.

Many people on a budget choose to stay 7km away from Manuel Antonio in the charmless little seaside town of Quepos. While Quepos offers good restaurants, pumping nightlife and cheap(er) accommodation, it´s rife with dirt, drugs and prostitutes. Chances are you´ll have a far more pleasant experience staying either in Manuel Antonio itself or on the long road towards the village. Here, accommodation ranges from boutique hotels with swim-up bars and private movie theatres to budget hostels and cabinas.