My girlfriend and I are backpacking around Central America. We are flying to San Jose, Costa Rica, and would prefer to start off gently, as this is our first big trip together. Manuel Antonio National Park looks about the closest wildlife spotting and beach-chilling place. Would you recommend it, or is it overrun? Dale Cardew, Leicestershire

Sunday Times travel expert Richard Green responds: Well it certainly gets busy, especially in season, from December to April, but it's a lot of fun too and I'd say go for it.

It's about a 3.5 hour bus ride from San Jose (that's only 80 miles, but the road twists and turns) and while the hotels and bars lap right up to the edge of the park entrance, it's a good introduction to laid back beach living, with spectacularly beautiful scenery and wildlife on the doorstep, and a great pool of other travellers.

At less than three square miles, it's the smallest park in the country, but it packs a lot in, and is about the easiest place there is to see a sloth ­ two or three toed. Just walk down any of the park trails and keep your eyes peeled for what looks like an old rain soaked carpet chucked into a tree.

The park is made up of tropical and mangrove forest, where you can see monkeys, iguanas, Green Turtles, dolphins, and terrifically colourful birdlife.

But it's probably the four pristine beaches inside the park that are as big a draw. Note that the park shuts at 4pm, and on Mondays, to give the animals a rest.

There are dozens of hotels, restaurants and bars along the road from Quepos to Manuel Antonio village, and the nightlife is great. You should book at least a month or two in advance during the high season though. That said, rock up unannounced, and you'll always find somewhere.

It's about a 3.5-hour bus ride from San Jose to Quepos, from where you get another bus the three miles to the park (every 30 minutes and 25p).

For more information, see www.costarica-nationalparks.com, www.manuelantoniopark.com, and www.visitcostarica.com

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