COSTA RICA

PALM IN MANUEL ANTONIO NATIONAL PARK

(683 ha), (1972). The smallest but the most visited national park of Costa Rica. It`s situated on the middle pacific coast and used to be an ancient territory of Quepoa Indians. There is a tombolo, that was formed by two coastal currents that at one time run parallel to the shore and then converged, accumulating deposits of sand that later joined the mainland to Catedral Island.

It`s inhabited by raccons and white-faced monkeys. Typical species of forests balsa, Santa Maria and spiny cedars. The coast is fringed by coconut palms. It consists on four beaches: Manuel Antonio, Espadilla Sur, Escondido, Playita. In the last one at a low tide can be seen a stone ancient pens served by Indians for traping the sea turtles). This park includes 12 coastal islands that provide refuge for seabirds and a nesting site for the brown booby (one of them is Isla Mogote where used to lived shamans of Quepoe Indians). Dolphins abound in the surrounding sea and sometimes whales can be seen on their migratory routes.

NATIONAL PARKS