The Valdivia, Chorea and Manteña Cultures also inhabited this land of a template climate and extraordinary landscapes, where arqueological remains are still found within the park, and can be admired in situ especially at Agua Blanca.

Fifty two families conform the Agua Blanca Community. The small village is located 7.5 miles to the north of Puerto Lopez and 3 miles off the main highway. The people of this community live in a very similar way to their ancestors', which were the Manteña Culture that inhabited this land from 800 to 1532 DC.

There is a small museum where you will find some pre-Columbian ceramics and pictures of some of the current inhabitants with the same facial features as those found on the ceramics. The guides are locals who proudly tell how the community survives without land divisions among them, and how their environment has been practically unchanged for years.


From the museum, the guide takes you on a walk for over about a mile . You will encounter birds such as the hornero with its unique nests, the beautiful motmot, iguanas on tree branches, a lovely clean river valley, arqueological areas, a small lagoon with high levels of sulfur in the mud, which has been used for medicinal and  cosmetic purposes, and a breathtaking view point. You will see the funeral urns in situ with human bones and skeletons exactly as they were found.

The Manteña Culture buried their dead in urns dressed with their ceremonial clothes and adorned with earrings, necklaces, etc. In the arqueological area you can also admire in situ remains of the ceremonial temples, houses and squares. In the temples you can see pieces of the famed stone seats (small stone thrones) used by the shamans or spiritual leaders of the community.