Manuel Antonio packs an unusual amount of variety into a small area — its national park is one of the smallest in Costa Rica, but the trail network winds through genuine rainforest before opening onto some of the country's most beautiful beaches, meaning you can go from spotting sloths in the canopy to swimming in the Pacific within the same short walk. The wider town has grown into a proper tourism hub with a wide range of accommodation, making it one of the most accessible combinations of rainforest wildlife and beach time anywhere in Central America.