Manuel Antonio National Park is a natural conservation area located on the central Pacific coast of Costa Rica, in the canton of Quepos, Puntarenas province. The park is located about 157 km south of the city of San José, capital of Costa Rica and 7 km south of the city of Quepos, between Damas and Matapalo. It was established on November 15, 1972 with an area of 1,983 ha in the terrestrial part and 55,000 ha in the marine part, dedicated to conservation, research and ecotourism oriented towards environmental education.
Manuel Antonio was selected by Forbes Magazine in 2011 among the list of the 12 most beautiful parks in the world.
History
The region where Manuel Antonio National Park is located was populated by the indigenous community Quepoa, a name that gave rise to the town of Quepos. With the arrival of settlers, the land became a cultivated area that was later acquired by the United Fruit Company, until in 1972, under pressure from the Costa Rican people, it was acquired by the State, placed under its protection, and the national park was created under Law 5100. It is currently administered by the Central Pacific Conservation Area (ACOPAC) of the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) of the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Telecommunications (MINAET).
Official Website: https://manuelantoniopark.com/
