Unveiling the History of Manuel Antonio
                     Unveiling the       
          History of  
 
Manuel Antonio
Pura Vida” is the term that defines Costa 
Rica which directly translates in English to 
“pure life”. And truly, Costa Ricans relish a 
pure life with a relaxed and simple way of 
living. This outlook on life attracts people 
from all over the world to Costa Rica for 
vacations. People come here to live a life 
free from the city life hassles and worries. 
That is why; Costa Rica is placed first in 
the Happy Planet Index rankings. Also the 
country scores high in overall well being and 
life expectancy.
If you wish to experience the “pura vida” 
life then begin your vacation in Manuel 
Antonio. Have a look at the history of Manuel 
Antonio, to find out more about this 
mesmerizing place:
The Natives
While numerous American history versions 
reference European names as “discoverers” of the 
different regions, there were natives there 
first. The natives of Manuel Antonio were known 
as the Quepo. The Quepo group traveled to Costa 
Rica from Colombia’s Amazon River region 
somewhere in between 900 and 950 AD. The women 
of this group were believed to be as strong as 
the men and were ace archers. The Quepo 
constructed circular homes from cane and thatch 
and created their village. Archaeologists have 
discovered much more that include settlements 
entirely different from that of the Quepo group. 
It might be the group that lived there before 
the Quepo.
The Age of Discovery
The period of “The Age of Discovery” also 
known as the Age of Exploration marks an 
important time in history where the 
European sailors sailed the seas to 
discover new land for empire expansion. 
Some of the most ambitious explorers were 
the Spanish conquistadors which is quite 
evident in the widespread of the Spanish 
language. The Spanish explorers were 
believed to be extremely brutal in their 
colonial pursuits and Costa Rica fell 
victim to their violence in the past. And 
here Manuel Antonio came into existence.
The First Discovery
After finding out that the region is 
highly profitable, the conquistadors 
decided to settle there and get anything 
of value from the land. In the year 
1519, Hernan Ponce de Leon had eyes on 
this land and tried to claim it for the 
expansion of Spanish empire. However, 
before him a thousand of Quepo were 
waiting for them who chased the Spanish 
conquistadors away. Ponce de Leon 
avoided the fight and chose to keep 
sailing.
The Second Discovery
In 1523, another Spanish explorer, 
Gil Gonzalez Davila came all the way 
on foot to Manuel Antonio and faced 
the natives bravely. He was then 
allowed to stay. After surveying the 
area he notified the Spanish crown 
that the region was filled with gold.
The Third Discovery
Even when the Spanish crown knew that Manuel Antonio 
is filled with riches they took slow steps to act. In 
1563, they sent a strong conquistador, Juan Vzquez de 
Coronado, for conquering the land. He with his 70 
soldiers fought for the land but the struggle was too 
great that they arranged an alliance with the native 
Quepo. Coronado even shared that Quepo were ” the 
cleanest and most intelligent people” he came across 
in Costa Rica. Even Coronado and his soldiers fought 
for the Quepo against another native group, the 
Couto, to intimidate them. After a strong fight, 
finally the Couto released the hostages from the 
Quepo group.
Later “Discoveries”
The Spanish however dashed before the beginning 
of the 17th century as the native groups proved 
to be way too dangerous for the European settlers 
who left eventually. In the late 1600s the 
British pirates occupied Manuel Antonio to dig 
out the rumoured great treasure buried somewhere 
in the lush ecosystem of the place.
Found the discoveries interesting? There are many 
such stories and facts that make exploring Manuel 
Antonio a must. But to do that one needs to make 
a stay for at least three to four days. And as 
far as a stay is concerned Vacation Rentals in 
Manuel Antonio are your best bet. There are 
numerous Manuel Antonio vacation rentals that 
provide a luxurious stay while offering 
opportunities to explore the best of the place in 
the most convenient way.
Contact Us
Address:
50 meters west of Mono Azul 
Hotel
City: Manuel Antonio,
 
Zip: 60601
Country: Costa Rica
Email: 
info@manuelantonioluxuryrentals
.com
Phone: +506 7173 9192
Website : 
https://www.manuelantonioluxur
yrentals.com/