Park geography

Technical analysis of coastal forest landscapes, water features, and regional coordinates.

Manuel Antonio National Park: geography

Location: Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica. Recorded area: 275.87 km².

An illustration in a flat, stylized art style depicting a tropical cove with sandy beaches, turquoise water, rocky outcrops, and lush vegetation including palm trees under a sunset sky.

Costa Rica's most visited national park where tropical forests meet white-sand beaches on the Pacific coast

Manuel Antonio National Park

Manuel Antonio National Park is a compact but ecologically rich protected area located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica in Puntarenas Province, approximately 157 kilometers from the capital city of San José. The park sits just south of the coastal town of Quepos and encompasses a dramatic landscape where lush tropical forests descend directly onto a series of pristine white-sand beaches and rocky coastal islands. Established in 1972, the park covers 1,983 hectares of terrestrial land and protects an additional 25,634 hectares of surrounding marine waters, creating a cohesive coastal and terrestrial ecosystem. Despite being one of Costa Rica's smaller national parks by land area, Manuel Antonio has become the country's most visited protected area, drawing over four million visitors between 2012 and 2022. The park's exceptional popularity stems from its remarkable concentration of biodiversity, accessibility, and the striking visual contrast between its forested mountains and beach-lined coastline.

Location: Costa Rica
Park type: National park
Established: 1972
Area: 275.9 km²

Manuel Antonio National Park Atlas

Location overview

Mapped regional placement and coastal status in Puntarenas Province

Geographic Setting of Manuel Antonio National Park in Costa Rica

Manuel Antonio National Park is situated within the Puntarenas Province of Costa Rica. As a designated coastal park, the protected area represents a key regional division within the national conservation system.

Countries: Costa Rica
Regions: Puntarenas Province
Primary location: Puntarenas Province
Geographic setting: Coastal

Boundary and coordinates

Interactive boundary geometry and calculated spatial measurements

Manuel Antonio National Park Boundary Map and Spatial Extent

Mapped park outlines provide precise spatial context for the protected area limits and surrounding marine zones. Recorded area measurements and coordinate spans accompany the visual boundary geometry to detail total geographic extent.

Boundary area: 274.3 km²
Boundary perimeter: 195.1 km
Northernmost point: 9.4042° N
Southernmost point: 8.7657° N
Easternmost point: 83.9952° W
Westernmost point: 84.3593° W
Geographic centre: 9.0963° N, 84.2289° W
North–south span: 70.6 km
East–west span: 40 km

Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio

Terrain and natural features

Mixed relief classifications and recorded coastal and river features

Manuel Antonio National Park Terrain and Named Natural Features

Stored terrain records document mixed relief classifications across beaches, rivers, and viewpoints located within the protected boundary. Linked feature cards provide recorded types, names, and spatial relationships for each mapped natural feature.

Selected named natural features

Beaches

Playa Espadilla

Rivers

Río Portalón

Streams

Quebrada Barbudal

Beaches

Playa Gemelas

Viewpoints

Isla Olocuita

Beaches

Playa Puerto Escondido

Manuel Antonio National Park Natural Features

Environmental setting

Tropical forest, coastal marine habitats, and mixed relief zones

Manuel Antonio National Park Environmental Classification and Physical Setting

Recorded habitat types, climate zones, and relief classifications form complementary ways to read the protected physical setting. Linked categories connect stored environmental attributes to relevant atlas destinations where available.

Relief: Mixed relief
Climate: Tropical
Water: Water-dominated
Forest cover: Mostly forested
Seasonality: Seasonal

Landscape features

Beach · Coast · Forest

Habitat types

Tropical forest · Coastal habitat · Marine habitat

Park atlas

Browse the diverse protected landscapes and coastal geography surrounding Manuel Antonio, tracing the regional spread of conservation.

Explore Other National Parks and Protected Areas Near Manuel Antonio National Park

After exploring Manuel Antonio National Park's unique coastal forests and beaches, delve into nearby national parks and protected areas to compare diverse conservation landscapes across the region. This geographic exploration allows for a deeper understanding of Costa Rica's protected-area network, tracing how different ecosystems are safeguarded.

National parkCosta Rica

27 km away#1 closest

Northeast

Los Quetzales National Park: Costa Rica National Park Landscape and Mapped Geography

Explore protected area boundaries and regional terrain context.

Los Quetzales National Park, a designated national park within Costa Rica, offers a focused entry point for exploring protected landscapes. This page provides detailed insight into the park's geographic setting, emphasizing its mapped boundaries and its role within the national atlas. Users can discover the specific landscape characteristics and regional terrain that define Los Quetzales National Park, enriching their understanding of Costa Rican protected areas.

Area: 50 km²
Established: 2006
IUCN: II
Relief: Mountain

Los Quetzales National Park Atlas

A flat vector-style illustration of a tropical coastline with green mountains in the background, a sandy beach with palm trees in the foreground, and sailboats on the calm ocean.

Marine protected areaCosta Rica

About 33 km away#2 closest

Southeast

Ballena National Marine Park: Mapping a Protected Marine Area's Geographic Identity in Costa Rica

Explore coastal landscape and protected marine boundaries.

Ballena National Marine Park stands as a significant marine protected area along Costa Rica's Pacific coast. This page provides an atlas-focused exploration of its unique geographic identity, detailing its mapped marine boundaries and the distinctive coastal landscapes it encompasses. Understand how this protected area fits into the broader regional geography of Costa Rica, offering a valuable resource for anyone seeking structured information on conservation landscapes and natural terrain.

Area: 53.31 km²
Established: 1992
IUCN: II
Relief: Lowland

Ballena National Marine Park Protected Area

A stylized illustration of a tropical rainforest scene, featuring a river flowing over smooth rocks towards a distant waterfall nestled between misty mountains, all surrounded by dense jungle vegetation.

National parkCosta Rica

35 km away#3 closest

Northeast

Tapantí National Park: Costa Rica National Park Atlas and Mapped Landscape Exploration

Explore protected boundaries and natural terrain within its geographic setting.

Tapantí National Park is a designated national park in Costa Rica, offering specific insights into the country's protected natural landscapes. This page provides an atlas-style view of its geographic placement, the extent of its protected area, and the character of its natural terrain. Users can investigate the park's mapped context and understand its significance within the broader geography of Costa Rica, facilitating focused exploration of protected lands and regional landscape features.

Area: 583.2 km²
Established: 1982
IUCN: II
Relief: Mountain

Tapantí National Park Protected Landscape

A digital illustration of a river winding through a lush tropical forest with mountains in the background, featuring stylized trees, ferns, and rocky terrain.

National parkSan José Province

40 km away#4 closest

Northwest

La Cangreja National Park: Costa Rican National Park with Distinct Protected Landscape Identity

Explore its mapped boundaries and regional geographic context in San José Province.

La Cangreja National Park serves as a key protected area within the geography of San José Province, Costa Rica. This page facilitates a deeper understanding of its specific landscape character and mapped terrain, crucial for users interested in the structured discovery of national parks and their geographic significance. Examine the park's identity as a protected national park and its placement within the broader atlas of natural landscapes.

Area: 19 km²
Established: 1987
IUCN: II
Relief: Mountain

La Cangreja National Park Protected Area

An illustrative mountain landscape showing a lake in a valley surrounded by grassy slopes and rocky peaks at sunrise.

National parkCartago Province

44 km away#5 closest

East

Chirripó National Park: A Protected Landscape within Cartago Province's Geography

Explore its mapped boundaries and natural terrain.

This page provides detailed geographic context for Chirripó National Park, a designated national park located in the Cartago Province of Costa Rica. It focuses on the park's protected landscape identity, its position within the regional geography, and its distinct mapped boundaries. Understanding Chirripó National Park through its geographic and atlas-centric attributes offers a foundational insight into its natural significance.

Area: 508.49 km²
Established: 1975
IUCN: II
Climate: Alpine

Chirripó National Park Protected Landscape

National parkCosta Rica

About 65 km away#6 closest

Northwest

Carara National Park: Protected Landscape Geography in Costa Rica

Explore the mapped terrain and park boundaries.

Carara National Park offers a focused exploration of protected landscape geography within Costa Rica. As a National Park, its mapped boundaries are integral to understanding its role in the country's natural atlas. This detail page provides specific geographic context and details relevant to atlas-based discovery, highlighting the park's unique position and protected-area identity for users interested in detailed mapping and regional natural context.

Area: 52 km²
Established: 1978
IUCN: II
Relief: Mixed relief

Carara National Park Protected Area

A stylized illustration of the Irazú Volcano crater featuring a bright green lake at the base, surrounded by rugged volcanic slopes and lush tropical vegetation in the foreground.

National parkCartago Province

66 km away#7 closest

Northeast

Irazú Volcano National Park: National Park Protected Area Atlas

Mapped Boundaries and Volcanic Terrain

Irazú Volcano National Park stands as a distinct protected area within the landscape of Cartago Province, Costa Rica. This page provides an atlas-centric view, detailing the park's mapped boundaries and its identity as a national park. Explore the volcanic geography and regional context, understanding its contribution to the protected lands of Central America.

Area: 20 km²
Established: 1955
IUCN: II
Relief: Mountain