Manuel Antonio & Quepos Travel Guide
Where the rainforest meets the Pacific. Monkeys in the treetops, white-sand coves, lazy sloths and one of Costa Rica’s most-loved national parks: everything you need to plan your days in Manuel Antonio and Quepos, from the people who live here.
Manuel Antonio in brief
| Quick answer | |
|---|---|
| Where | Central Pacific coast of Costa Rica, canton of Quepos, province of Puntarenas |
| What it is | A forested hillside and beach area between the town of Quepos and Manuel Antonio National Park, about 7 km apart |
| Getting here | Roughly 3–4 hours by road from San José’s international airport (SJO), or a short domestic flight to Quepos. Getting here |
| The park | Open Wednesday to Monday, 7:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.; closed Tuesdays; tickets online only (SINAC). Park guide |
| How long to stay | Three nights covers a park morning, a day on the water and a slow day; five or more adds waterfalls and mangroves. Itineraries |
| Best for | Wildlife, sheltered beaches, ocean outings, adventure, spa days and honeymoons |
| Money | US dollars widely accepted; carry some colones in small bills for buses, sodas and tips |
| Where to stay | ECOTICA Boutique Hotel & Spa, on a 10-acre private rainforest reserve a few minutes from the park. Check dates and rates |
Who this guide is for
This guide is written by the team at ECOTICA Boutique Hotel & Spa in Manuel Antonio. We live and work here, and we answer the same planning questions every week at the front desk. So we wrote the answers down: what’s where, how the park works, how to get here, what’s worth your time, and a bit of the area’s history.
It’s meant for:
- First-time visitors working out how many nights to stay and what to book in advance.
- Families who want easy wildlife walks, calm beach time and realistic days with kids.
- Couples planning a honeymoon or anniversary around the park, the ocean and slow mornings.
- Nature and photography travelers who want to know where and when animals are active, and how to watch them responsibly.
- Travelers without a car who need to know how buses, taxis, shuttles and domestic flights work here.
Where details change often (park hours, ticket prices, bus times), we link to the official source and say when we last checked. We don’t accept payment to include anything in this guide. When something is a service ECOTICA offers, we say so plainly and mark it “Book through ECOTICA”. Everything else is simply local information.
Every page in this guide
Twenty-three pages, one place to start. Pick the question you have right now and jump straight in. Each page cites its sources and links back here.
| Topic | Page | What you’ll find |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | Manuel Antonio National Park | Hours, online tickets, prices, trails, beaches, rules and guides, checked against SINAC |
| Plan | Itineraries: 1, 3 and 5+ days | Ready-made plans built around park mornings, ocean days and the Tuesday closing |
| Plan | Getting here and around | Flights, driving from San José, buses, shuttles, taxis and reaching the park entrance |
| Plan | Quepos and Manuel Antonio: what’s where | How the town, the hill road, the beach and the marina fit together |
| Plan | Food and before-you-go tips (new) | Costa Rican dishes to try, sodas, and practical tips for packing, money and weather |
| Plan | Health and safety (new) | Emergency numbers, hospitals and clinics, snake and ocean know-how |
| Wildlife | Wildlife rescue (new) | Found an injured or orphaned animal? What to do and who to call |
| Do | Things to do | Park, ocean, adventure, culture, food and wellness, with what ECOTICA can book |
| Do | Waterfalls and day trips (new) | Waterfalls and full-day outings beyond Manuel Antonio, and how to plan them |
| Understand | History and culture | The Quepo people, the banana and palm years, the 1972 fight for the park, and local life today |
| Understand | Plants and rainforest | Forest types, mangroves, notable trees and the manzanillo to avoid |
| Wildlife | Wildlife overview | What lives here, where, when, and how to watch it responsibly |
| Wildlife | Monkeys | Squirrel monkey (mono tití), white-faced capuchin and howler: how to tell them apart |
| Wildlife | Sloths | Two-toed and three-toed sloths, and how to spot one in the canopy |
| Wildlife | Birds | Toucans, scarlet macaws, seabirds and the species visitors ask about most |
| Wildlife | Coatis and raccoons | Two clever cousins, and why they must never be fed |
| Wildlife | Reptiles and iguanas | Green and spiny-tailed iguanas, basilisks, snakes and how to watch them safely |
| Wildlife | Ocean and marine life (new) | What lives in the sea and around the islands, and how to see it by boat or snorkel |
| Wildlife | Frogs, butterflies and the night (new) | Tree frogs, butterflies and the creatures that come out after dark |
| Plan | National park tickets and hours (new) | How to buy tickets online, prices, opening days and what you can bring |
| Plan | Weather, month by month (new) | Rain and temperature for every month, and what each season feels like |
| Plan | Map of Manuel Antonio (new) | The park, the beaches, Quepos and ECOTICA on one map, with distances |
| Plan | Manuel Antonio vs Tamarindo (new) | A fair side-by-side to choose the right beach town for your trip |
| Do | Playa Biesanz (new) | How to reach the sheltered cove, what to bring and when to go |
| Do | Restaurants (new) | Where to eat in Manuel Antonio and Quepos, from sunset views to local sodas |
Prefer to hand it over? Tell us your dates and interests and our concierge will plan the days for you.
Start here
Quepos and Manuel Antonio: what's where
How the town, the marina, the hill road, Manuel Antonio village and the park entrance fit together, and what you'll find in each.
Manuel Antonio National Park
Tickets, opening days, what you can bring, guides, trails, beaches and viewpoints, with links to SINAC for anything that changes.
Things to do
Park and nature, ocean and boat trips, adventure, culture, food and wellness, clearly split into what ECOTICA books and what to explore on your own.
Wildlife in Manuel Antonio
Monkeys, sloths, birds, coatis, raccoons and reptiles: what lives here, when animals are active and how to watch them without disturbing them.
Plants and rainforest
The forest, mangrove and beach plants that hold this coast together, including the manzanillo tree you should never touch.
Getting here and getting around
Airports, domestic flights, the drive from San José, buses, shuttles, taxis, parking and how to reach the park entrance.
History and local culture
The Quepo people, the banana and oil palm years, the town that fought for its beaches and the park it won in 1972.
Sample itineraries
One day, three days and five or more, with realistic pacing, Tuesday park closures planned around, and rainy-day ideas.
Animal by animal
Sloths
Two-fingered and three-fingered sloths: how to tell them apart and how to spot one in the canopy.
Monkeys
Squirrel monkeys, white-faced capuchins and howler monkeys, and why you should never feed them.
Coatis and raccoons
Two clever foragers you may meet near beaches and trails, and how to keep your bag closed.
Reptiles and iguanas
Iguanas, lizards and other cold-blooded neighbors warming up in the sun.
Manuel Antonio in numbers
Manuel Antonio is one of Costa Rica’s smaller national parks, and yet it packs rainforest, mangrove, white-sand coves, islands and open ocean into a morning’s walk. These are the figures behind that, each from an official source.
| Number | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Year Manuel Antonio was protected, by Law 5100, after a local campaign for beach access | SINAC |
| No. 1 | Costa Rica’s most visited protected area, for national and international visitors | SINAC |
| 1,953 ha + 25,634 ha | Land and sea protected by the national park | Visit Costa Rica (ICT) |
| 12 | Islands offshore, refuges for seabirds | Visit Costa Rica (ICT) |
| About 352 | Bird species recorded in the park | SINAC |
| About 109 | Mammal species recorded in the park | SINAC |
| 93 | Reptile species in the park’s management plan | SINAC |
| About 346 | Plant species recorded in the park | SINAC |
| 3 | Monkey species: squirrel monkey (mono tití), white-faced capuchin, mantled howler | SINAC |
| About 18 ha | Mangrove inside the park, beside a 14-hectare lagoon | SINAC |
| About 160 m | Height of the park’s highest viewpoints above the sea | SINAC |
| About 7 km | From Quepos to the park entrance along Route 618 | SINAC |
| 3–4 hours | Typical drive from San José’s airport, depending on traffic | ECOTICA travel guide |
| 6 days a week | Park open Wednesday to Monday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. | SINAC |
Numbers only tell half of it. On a quiet morning you can hear howler monkeys calling across the valley, watch a sloth shift its grip in a cecropia and see scarlet macaws fly over the ridge. Many of those moments happen right on ECOTICA’s own 10-acre reserve, where all three monkey species, both sloths, coatis, agoutis, deer, toucans, butterflies and a nesting pair of scarlet macaws visit most days. Start with the wildlife guide to learn who is who.
Ten experiences that define Manuel Antonio
Ask ten people who live here what makes Manuel Antonio special and you will hear these, again and again. Together they make a near-perfect first trip.
- A guided morning in the national park. Arrive at 7:00, follow a naturalist’s spotting scope to sloths and monkeys, then swim at a beach inside the park. Park guide · Book a guided walk
- A swim in a sheltered cove. Playa Manuel Antonio inside the park, or Playa Espadilla, free and open every day at the end of the road. Compare the beaches
- Breakfast with wildlife. Howler monkeys at dawn, toucans in the fruiting trees, capuchins crossing the palms. At ECOTICA this is part of most mornings. Wildlife where you stay
- A boat trip on the Pacific. The islands, the coastline from the water, and snorkeling in clear seasons. Marine life guide · Ocean and boat tours
- The Damas Island mangroves. A calm boat or kayak trip through mangrove channels north of Quepos, timed to the tide. Things to do
- A waterfall day. Head inland for swimming holes and big falls, ideally on a Tuesday when the park is closed. Waterfalls and day trips
- A night walk. Tree frogs, sleeping birds, insects and the forest’s night shift. Frogs, butterflies and the night
- A shot of adventure. Zip lines, river rafting, ATV trails or a surf lesson at Playa Espadilla. Adventure tours · Surfing
- Quepos, the real town. The Friday and Saturday feria, the malecón at sunset and dinner at Marina Pez Vela. What’s where · Its story
- A slow afternoon. A massage at Jungle Spa, then sunset drinks by the pool at La POZA during happy hour (3–6 p.m.). Reserve Jungle Spa
Planning several of these? Send your wish list through our tours request form and we will fit them around the weather and the park’s schedule. For more options, see our 10 Manuel Antonio tours worth booking.
Plan your visit in eight steps
- Pick your season. The dry months and holiday weeks are busiest. SINAC notes that September and October bring fewer visitors because they fall in the rainy season, so go to the park early and pack a rain layer then. Our season-by-season guide goes month by month.
- Decide how many nights. Three nights is enough for a park morning, a day on the water and a slow day. With five or more you can add a mangrove trip, a waterfall day or just more time doing very little. See our sample itineraries.
- Choose how you’ll get here. Drive or take a shuttle from San José (roughly 3–4 hours, depending on traffic), take the public bus, or fly to the small Quepos airport. Details on getting here and getting around.
- Book park tickets online, and remember Tuesdays. The park is closed every Tuesday, and SINAC sells tickets only online. Bring the passport or ID you used to book. Current rules are on our national park guide.
- Decide on a guide. You can walk the park on your own, but a naturalist guide with a spotting scope will find animals you would walk past. Book a guided walk through ECOTICA or contact the official guides’ association listed by SINAC.
- Reserve the busy things early. In high season, book boat tours, transfers and popular tours a few days ahead. Our concierge can help if you’re staying with us.
- Pack for heat, rain and trails. Closed shoes for the forest (SINAC advises against sandals on trails), a reusable water bottle, swimwear, sun protection, insect repellent and a light rain jacket.
- Learn the wildlife rules before you go. Don’t feed or touch animals, keep your distance and keep food out of sight. Our wildlife guide explains why it matters so much here.
Money and food
- Money. US dollars are accepted in most tourist places, and cards work in most hotels and restaurants. Carry some colones in small bills for the local bus, sodas, small shops and tips.
- Food. Try a casado at a soda, a small local diner: rice, beans, salad, sweet plantain and a main of fish, chicken or meat. Fresh fish and ceviche are easy to find.
Choosing your season
Manuel Antonio is warm all year, and there is something to love in every month. The real choice is between two seasons, and between busy and quiet weeks.
- The dry season, roughly December to April. Sunny days, calm seas and blue skies over the islands. This is high season, so book rooms, tours and park tickets early, especially around Christmas, New Year and Easter Week (Semana Santa).
- The green season, roughly May to November. Mornings are often bright, with rain more likely in the afternoon. The forest is lush, waterfalls run full, and the area feels more relaxed. SINAC notes that September and October are the quietest months in the park, falling in the rainiest part of the year, so arrive at opening and pack a light rain layer.
- Any time of year, the hour matters most. Animals are most active early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Plan the park for 7:00 a.m. and keep the midday heat for the pool or the spa.
For a month-by-month look, read our seasonal guide to the best time to visit Manuel Antonio, and for the daily rhythm of the forest, Manuel Antonio wildlife hour by hour. Whatever month you choose, the toucans, sloths and monkeys around ECOTICA keep their own easygoing schedule all year.
Your Manuel Antonio planning checklist
The eight steps above explain the why. This is the short version to keep on your phone, with a link for each task.
| When | What to do | Where |
|---|---|---|
| As soon as you have dates | Reserve your room and decide how you’ll arrive: road, shuttle, bus or a domestic flight to Quepos | Check dates and rates · Getting here |
| As soon as you have dates | Book a private transfer from San José: US$195 each way for up to 5 people | Airport transportation |
| Before you fly | Buy park tickets online from SINAC and note the Tuesday closing | SINAC online services · Park guide |
| Before you fly | Book a guided park walk, boat trips and popular tours, especially in high season | Book your tours |
| Before you fly | Reserve spa treatments and any celebration (anniversary dinner, flowers, a cake) | Reserve Jungle Spa · Concierge requests |
| Packing | Closed walking shoes, light rain jacket, swimwear, sun protection, insect repellent, a reusable bottle, binoculars | Before-you-go tips |
| Packing | The passport or ID you used to book park tickets; some colones in small bills | Money tips |
| On arrival | Plan a Tuesday away from the park: ocean, waterfalls, Quepos or the spa | Itineraries · Day trips |
| Every day | Watch wildlife from a respectful distance and keep food out of sight | Responsible wildlife watching |
Staying with us? Our concierge can take most of this list off your hands. Send us a request and we will confirm everything before you land.
Check the official sources before you go
Park hours, closed days, ticket prices and rules are set by SINAC, Costa Rica’s national system of conservation areas, and they do change. Always check:
- SINAC: Manuel Antonio National Park (official page)
- SINAC online services: park ticket booking
- Visit Costa Rica (ICT): Manuel Antonio National Park
Last reviewed: September 2026. Park fees, opening days and the Quepos market schedule can shift, so confirm with SINAC and the official sources below before you set out.
Useful reading from the ECOTICA blog
Our blog covers single topics in more depth. A few that pair well with this guide:
- Manuel Antonio beaches: where to swim
- Birdwatching in Manuel Antonio
- Snorkeling in Manuel Antonio
- Where to stay in Manuel Antonio
- Seeing wildlife where you stay
Real stories from our team, about the animals and people we share this hillside with, are on the ECOTICA blog.
A base in the rainforest
If you’d like somewhere quiet to come back to after the park or the boat, ECOTICA is a boutique hotel on about 10 acres of rainforest a few minutes from the park (not inside it and not on the beach). Have a look at our bungalows and suites or ask our concierge for help planning.
Why travelers make ECOTICA their base
This guide is written by the team at ECOTICA Boutique Hotel & Spa, and the hotel is where much of what you have read comes to life. ECOTICA sits on the main road in the heart of Manuel Antonio, on its own 10-acre private rainforest reserve, a few minutes from the national park and the beaches. The property was formerly the Byblos Hotel and reopened as ECOTICA in 2023. It is a Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice winner.
- Wildlife at your door. Howler monkeys, white-faced capuchins and squirrel monkeys, sloths, coatis, agoutis, deer, toucans, butterflies and a pair of scarlet macaws that nests in the royal palms. You may well see them from your bungalow porch, without a ticket or a timetable. Read the macaws’ story.
- 17 rooms, all different views. 10 suites (Double Queen, Deluxe King and a Master Suite with a 270° view, half rainforest, half ocean) and 7 private bungalows. Breakfast is included. Children aged 6 and up are welcome, and the hotel is pet-free. See the rooms.
- Jungle Spa, open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., also for visitors. Jungle Spa.
- La POZA poolside restaurant and bar, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., with happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m., and YOLO Social, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., with live music every night and sports on big screens. Both are open to everyone. La POZA · YOLO Social.
- A pool, a gym (6 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and a yoga deck in the trees.
- A concierge who books it all: national park walks, night walks, boat trips, zip line, rafting, ATV, kayak, chocolate, coffee and vanilla tours, and sport fishing, plus a private airport transfer from San José at US$195 each way for up to 5 people.
Ready when you are: check dates and rates, book your tours or arrange your transfer. Planning a honeymoon? Our honeymoon guide has ideas for every day.
Manuel Antonio travel guide: questions and answers
Is a weekend enough for Manuel Antonio?
Enough for a taste: the park one morning and a sunset on the beach. Most visitors are happier with three nights or more, and our itineraries show how to fill them.
What is the best time to visit Manuel Antonio?
The dry season, roughly December to April, brings the most sunshine and the most visitors. The green season, roughly May to November, is lush and quieter, with September and October the calmest months in the park (SINAC). Our seasonal guide goes month by month.
How do I get from San José to Manuel Antonio?
By road it takes roughly 3–4 hours by car, shuttle or public bus, or you can take a short domestic flight to Quepos. ECOTICA offers a private transfer at US$195 each way for up to 5 people: book it here.
What are the national park’s opening hours?
It opens Wednesday to Monday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and closes every Tuesday. Tickets are sold only online through SINAC. Details in our park guide.
Do I need a guide in the national park?
A guide is optional, since the trails are signed. A naturalist with a spotting scope, though, finds well-camouflaged animals most visitors would walk past. Book a guided walk through ECOTICA.
Will I see animals at my hotel?
In Manuel Antonio, very likely. The hillsides between the park and Quepos are forested, and on ECOTICA's 10-acre reserve guests regularly see all three monkey species, sloths, coatis, agoutis, toucans and scarlet macaws.
Is Manuel Antonio good for families?
Very. The park’s wide Perezoso trail suits young legs, kids love looking through a guide’s scope, and the beaches inside the park are sheltered. ECOTICA welcomes children aged 6 and up.
What should I pack for Manuel Antonio?
Closed walking shoes, a light rain jacket, swimwear, sun protection, insect repellent, a reusable water bottle and the passport you used to book park tickets. More in our before-you-go tips.
Can I book tours before I arrive?
Yes. Every activity in this guide can be arranged through ECOTICA’s concierge: park walks, night walks, boat trips, zip line, rafting, ATV, kayak, chocolate, coffee and vanilla tours and sport fishing. Use our tours form.
Where should I stay in Manuel Antonio?
Staying on the hill between Quepos and the park keeps you close to everything. ECOTICA is a boutique hotel on a 10-acre private rainforest reserve a few minutes from the park, with Jungle Spa, La POZA and YOLO Social. Compare areas in where to stay in Manuel Antonio.
Keep exploring
Not sure where to begin? Most first-time visitors start with the national park guide, then pick a plan from our itineraries and fill the gaps with things to do and waterfalls and day trips. Meet the locals in the wildlife guide, read the history of Quepos, and when you are ready, check dates and rates at ECOTICA.
Arrive with everything ready
Share your travel dates and we will shape your first days between Quepos and the park before you even pack:
- Book your tours: begin with the national park beside a naturalist guide, then add boat trips, zip lines, rafting or a paddle through the mangroves
- Reserve Jungle Spa: unwind after a day of exploring with massages, couples treatments, facials or body rituals
- Airport transportation: arrive without a single map to read, with a private transfer from San José, US$195 each way for up to 5 people
- Concierge requests: dinners in town, birthdays, anniversaries and every special wish for your stay
- Stay at ECOTICA: see which bungalows and suites are open for your travel dates
Sources behind our Manuel Antonio and Quepos guide
- SINAC – Manuel Antonio National Park (official English page: the park at a glance for first-time visitors)
- SINAC – Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio (official Spanish page: opening days, entrance fees and visitor rules)
- SINAC – Servicios en línea (where park tickets are bought in advance)
- Visit Costa Rica (ICT) – Manuel Antonio National Park, as presented by the national tourism board
- Pura Vida Traveling – how the Quepos farmers market (feria) works
Photos: Jake Marsee, Gundula Vogel, Bert Mulder, Veronika Andrews / Pexels.
