Quepos & Manuel Antonio

Introducing Quepos & Manuel Antonio

The sleepy, provincial town of Quepos never had ambitions of being anything more than a community of fisherman, merchants and plantation workers. But, when tourists clad from head to toe in designer khaki started inquiring about squirrel monkey colonies in nearby Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, people caught on. As the closest town to the national park, Quepos suddenly found itself with an opportunity to cash in on something even more lucrative then fish and palm oil: tourism.

Located only 7km from Manuel Antonio, Quepos serves as a convenient base for exploring the park as it has all the goods and services common to a small town. Manuel Antonio is famous for its pristine beaches that are fronted by tropical rain forest, though nearby overdevelopment is starting to pose a considerable threat. Some people prefer to stay outside of Quepos as it’s closer to the beaches and the national park, though accommodation is generally more expensive.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009