Manuel Antonio Growth – Where Will It Go?

Having seen significant changes over the years, people are questioning just how far growth in Manuel Antonio will go. After all, the road leading out of Quepos to the national park has been as densely developed as it can be considering the Pacific Ocean is located to the west. Other land is either not developable or inaccessible.

However, the small town of Quepos provides an opportunity for expansion. In fact, the new Pez Vela Marina and Pez Vela Resort, ranked as one of the most lavish of all resorts in Costa Rica, have certainly helped boost the economy of this area. As for future development, the only available options for Manuel Antonio and Quepos include the area to the east and the Costanera that have very little going on.

When looking to the east of the Costanera, popular tico barrios, including Lourdes and Lomas del Cruce, are located behind Aeropuerto La Managua (Quepos airport) and the hospital. One question in particular that keeps coming up is whether those barrios will be transformed into gringo enclaves, just as tico barrios in the mountain regions of Uvita, Dominical, and Ojochal were. According to people with knowledge on the subject, this is a definite possibility.

Potential Growth Opportunity

Something that everyone agrees on is that this area provides a growth opportunity. This opportunity, coupled with quick and easy flights out of San Jose and the beautiful marina, means there will likely be a growing number of expats that show interest in the area. In exchange, there is a good chance that developers will be paying close attention to finding good, affordable, and developable land.

Many people believe that developers will focus on the tico barrios located to the east of the Costanera. In particular, developers will prefer high ground so they can provide people with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and jungle; easy airport access; and a close proximity to Quepos, the beautiful national park, and the beaches of Manuel Antonio.

As stated by a bartender from the early 2000s who went on to become a manager of the La Mansion Inn, the views of the bay while sitting around the pool area are as good as it gets. This same individual now works as the marketing manager for Hotel Kamuk, one of the biggest and oldest hotels in the town of Quepos.

As a long-time resident and someone with a clear perspective, this man strongly believes that growth will head to the tico barrios, as mentioned. When visiting the area, it becomes evident that there is so much density leading to the Manuel Antonio National Park that development could easily accommodate growth without compromising the biodiversity and tropical ambiance of the land.