Voted as one of the world's most beautiful national parks, Manuel Antonio National Park (Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio) is a small slice of paradise, with jungle-covered mountains rolling down to powder-white beaches and secluded coves, lapped by crystal-clear waters that cover colorful reefs. Covering only 680 hectares, it is the country's smallest national park but offers an unparalleled combination of exquisite beaches, glorious hiking trails, and a plethora of diverse fauna and flora. Manuel Antonio National Park was created in 1972 to preserve the richness of not only its beautiful beaches, but more importantly, its forests, which are home to many of Costa Rica's endangered species, including three-toed sloths, purple-and-orange crabs, the rare and adorable squirrel monkeys and hundreds of other species of birds, mammals, and plants.

Puntarenas Province, Quepos, Costa Rica

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Arenal National Park (Parque Nacional Volcan Arenal) Atenas Cartago Catarata del Toro Escazu Grecia Irazu Volcano Jaco La Paz Waterfall Gardens Manuel Antonio National Park (Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio) Rio Pacuare Sarchi The Balsa River Tortuga Island (Isla Tortuga) Tortuguero National Park Toucan Rescue Ranch Turrialba Volcano National Park (Parque Nacional Volcan Turrialba) Zarcero

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