MANUEL ANTONIO & QUEPOS

Quepos and Manuel Antonio: What's Where

Quepos is the working coastal town; Manuel Antonio is the forested hillside and beach area that runs from the edge of Quepos to the national park. One road, Route 618, climbs out of town, crosses the ridge and drops down to Playa Espadilla and the park entrance, about 7 km from Quepos. Nearly every hotel, restaurant and viewpoint in Manuel Antonio sits along that road.

THE BIG PICTURE

How the area fits together

Quepos is both a town and a canton (county) in Puntarenas province. The canton was called Aguirre from 1948 until 2015, when it was renamed Quepos in honor of the Quepo people who lived here before the Spanish arrived. You’ll still see “Aguirre” on some older signs and documents. There’s more on this in our history and culture guide.

Manuel Antonio isn’t a separate town with a center. It’s the name people use for the hills, hotels and beaches between Quepos and the park, and for the small cluster of shops and restaurants near the beach at the end of the road. Route 618 is only about 6.3 km long, running from the edge of Quepos to the park entrance, so distances are short. Traffic on the one road is what sets your travel time, especially in high season.

A simple way to picture it, from north to south:

Quepos airport (La Managua), a small domestic airstrip outside town.
Quepos town and the malecón, the waterfront, bus terminal, banks and the farmers market.
Marina Pez Vela, on the Quepos waterfront, where many boats leave from.
Route 618 up the hill, hotels, restaurants and viewpoints on the climb and along the ridge.
Manuel Antonio village and Playa Espadilla, the public beach where the road reaches the sea.
The national park entrance, at the end of the road.

QUEPOS

Quepos town: the practical side

Quepos grew up as a banana company town in the 1930s and later lived from oil palm and fishing. Today it’s where people from the whole area do their errands. If you need a bank, a pharmacy, a supermarket or a bus, you’ll probably end up here.

What you’ll find

The bus terminal, for TRACOPA buses to and from San José and the local bus up to Manuel Antonio.
The malecón, the seafront promenade, good for an evening walk.
The farmers market (feria), held next to the malecón on Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings, with fruit, vegetables, cheese, fish, prepared food and crafts. Go early on Saturday for the best produce.
Everyday restaurants and sodas (small local diners) that cost less than the hill.

Good to know

Quepos is a real town, not a resort. It’s flat and walkable in the center, busy in the mornings, and quiet on Sundays. It’s also a good place for a rainy afternoon.

ON THE WATER

Marina Pez Vela and the waterfront

Marina Pez Vela is a full-service marina on the Quepos waterfront. Along with the boat slips there’s a plaza with restaurants, shops and tour offices. Many sport fishing charters, catamaran trips and sunset sails start or finish here, so if you’ve booked a boat outing, check whether your pickup is at your hotel or at the marina.

You don’t need a boat to enjoy it. It’s an easy place for lunch with a view of the water, or a walk at sunset. For booked ocean outings, see ocean and boat tours with ECOTICA, and for fishing, our guide to sport fishing out of Quepos.

THE HILL ROAD

Route 618: the road up to Manuel Antonio

From Quepos, Route 618 climbs steeply, winds along the ridge and then drops toward the beach. This is where most of Manuel Antonio’s hotels, restaurants and bars are, many with views over the forest to the Pacific. Some places sit right on the road; others, including ECOTICA, are set back among the trees.

Getting along it

Local bus. A public bus runs between the Quepos terminal and the park end of the road throughout the day, stopping along the way. Pay the driver in colones, in cash.
Taxi. Licensed taxis are red with a yellow triangle on the door.
On foot. Fine for short stretches in daylight, but the road is narrow, steep and busy. Wear something visible after dark and take care on the bends.

SINAC warns that in high season the one road between Quepos and Manuel Antonio gets very busy, so allow extra time, especially on the way to the park in the morning. More on buses, taxis and parking in getting here and getting around.

THE BEACH END

Manuel Antonio village and Playa Espadilla

Where Route 618 reaches the sea, you’re in the small beach area most people simply call “Manuel Antonio”. There are restaurants, souvenir stalls, surf schools, tour vendors and chair and umbrella rentals facing Playa Espadilla, the long public beach just outside the park.

Playa Espadilla is free and open every day, which makes it the natural beach for Tuesdays when the park is closed. It’s one of the nicest beaches around, with great surf, and it’s where many beginners take surf lessons. Our concierge can arrange a class for you. The waves and currents here can be strong. Swim only where it’s calm, pay attention to flags and lifeguards where they’re on duty, and ask locally about conditions that day.

The beaches inside the park (Playa Manuel Antonio, Espadilla Sur and others) need a park ticket. Our beach guide compares them all.

THE PARK GATE

The national park entrance area

The main entrance to Manuel Antonio National Park is at the end of the road, about 7 km from Quepos according to SINAC. A few things surprise first-time visitors:

There’s no park parking. SINAC states the park has no parking for vehicles. Private lots along the approach charge a fee, which is why many people come by bus, taxi or shuttle.
Tickets are online only. SINAC sells entry through its online booking system, not at the gate. Book before you go, and bring the passport or ID you booked with.
People will offer you guides and tours. Some are excellent, some less so. Inside the park, SINAC lists one guiding concession: Manuel Antonio Official Tour Guides, run by the Quepos certified guides’ association. You can also book a guided walk ahead through ECOTICA.
Tuesday is closing day. The park opens Wednesday to Monday.

Everything else you need for the day is in our national park visitor guide.

A LITTLE FURTHER

Beyond the main road

A few places visitors ask about sit outside the Quepos–park corridor:

Damas Island estuary. A mangrove area northwest of Quepos, visited by boat or kayak. Tour times depend on the tide, so operators often confirm the exact start only a day or two ahead.
Kids Saving the Rainforest. A non-profit wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center in the Quepos area that offers guided visits. Check their website for current tours.
Nauyaca Waterfalls. A pair of waterfalls inland from Dominical, roughly an hour’s drive south of Manuel Antonio according to the Nauyaca site. It works well as a full-day outing.

All three appear in our things to do guide.

WHERE WE ARE

Where ECOTICA fits in

ECOTICA Boutique Hotel & Spa is in Manuel Antonio, on about 10 acres of rainforest a few minutes from the national park. We’re not inside the park and we’re not on the beach. Guests usually reach the park by taxi, bus or on a guided tour. If you’re still choosing an area to stay (town, hill road or near the park gate), our where to stay guide weighs up each one, and our About page tells you more about us.

Back to the Manuel Antonio & Quepos Travel Guide.

SOURCES

Sources

Last reviewed: September 2026.