A noisy campground is near the disco, for budget Travelers, as well as several inexpensive cabinas. However, several impressive hotels dot the hillsides, including perennial favorites the Hotel La Mariposa (777-0355) and Hotel California (777-1234).

Surfing is decent just outside of the park, and several shops cater to surfers’ needs. Several local companies have whitewater rafting tours, running popular tours on the Savegre and Naranjo rivers. Canopy tours are available from different perspectives and outfitters. Quepos is a very popular billfishing area, and anglers flock from around the world to enjoy excellent sportfishing. Inshore, one can explore several rare mangroves and check out the wildlife. Offshore, dolphin watching and snorkeling are popular options. Contact Adventure Manuel Antonio (777-3181) to put together an unforgettable trip. Hotel Si Como No operates a beautiful butterfly tour. Other activities include hiking, horseback riding, waterfall exploring, ATV tours, birdwatching hikes, and sunset sailboat cruises, among others. Contact your tour provider for more information, or just wander around Quepos once you get there, window shopping for a great locally based tour.

Five minutes in the park and you’ll think that you’ve just walked into a postcard. Great beaches (check out the third one for swimming and colorful snorkeling) abound, and you’re almost guaranteed to see some white-faced monkeys, sloths, iguanas and other native species. Watch the monkeys: if you leave your bags unattended, they might root around, looking for food. To enter the park you may want to wait for low tide, as you have to cross a shallow river estuary. At high tide it’s about chest high; there is a boat to take people over for about 100 colones. The park entrance fee is six dollars. If you are entering the park, go early in the morning and during the week, if possible, as the number of visitors is limited to 600 during the week and 800 on the weekends so as not to overtax the park’s delicate habitat. The park is closed on Mondays.

You’ve just entered a fine food connoisseur’s dream. A short list of Costa Rica’s best restaurants would include several from Quepos/Manuel Antonio, including El Gran Escape (bar and grill), Dos Locos (Mexican), Pizzería New York on the road to Manuel Antonio and Café Milagro (freshly roasted coffee), among many others. For late-night action, there are plenty of bars that feature live music. The younger crowd might like the disco down near the park at Restaurant Mar y Sombra, and in Quepos there are several other options.

Quepos is a full service town, with several banks, gas stations, a small airport, internet cafes, grocery stores, a hospital, car rentals and numerous tour agencies.

Getting to this utopian garden is easy. Nature Air has daily flights from San José. Directs buses, taking three and one-half hours, are available several times daily. In car, you take the highway towards Jacó, continuing past for another 40 kilometers. Buses leave Quepos for the beach every half hour from the terminal in Quepos, from 5am to 10pm.

Direct buses leave from San Jose every day at 6am, noon, 6pm (called Expreso). Slower, colectivo buses leave throughout the day. All buses leave from La Coca Cola bus terminal in San Jose. It’s best to purchase tickets in advance, to guarantee a spot. Call 223-5567 (Spanish only).

Gray Line (777-0371 or 800 326-8279) and Interbus (777-1096 or 800 283-7655) both have comfortable daily shuttles leaving at 8:30am and 1:30pm.

Nature Air has daily flights, taking around 25 minutes from San Jose (www.natureair.com).