San Antonio
San Antonio is a small coastal comuna of Manglaralto parish between Libertador Bolívar and Cadeate. It sits a little off the main road, so few visitors find it. Until the early 1900s it was called Dos Bocas, after the two river mouths beside it; it later took the name of the saint its people venerate.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Parish | Manglaralto, Santa Elena canton |
| Beach | About 0.6 km by the canton's count, between two estuaries |
| Crafts | Toquilla straw, cabuya, bejuco, sapán and tagua; wood carving |
| Water | Junta Regional de Manglaralto |
Food and crafts
San Antonio has its own take on the coast's cazuela: the cazuela de orgía, a stew with a mix of seafood, now celebrated with its own festival. Local artisans work toquilla straw, cabuya, bejuco, sapán and tagua, and the village is known for wood carving.
The palms
Until the 1970s more than three kilometres of coconut palms lined the shore, until a disease, residents believe, killed most of them. The community is replanting.
See also
Sources: Extra; PDOT cantón Santa Elena 2023–2027 (p. 220).