Last Updated: August 11, 2025
At the end of the road, south of Puerto Viejo on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, you’ll find the Gandoca-Manzanillo National Mixed Wildlife Refuge. This protected land is the ideal place to spot amazing wildlife like sloths, monkeys, birds, lizards, and even snakes. It also has picturesque beaches and gorgeous coastlines. In this post, we’ll share our experience hiking the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge with a guide.
Location and Layout
The Gandoca-Manzanillo National Mixed Wildlife Refuge (Refugio Nacional Mixto de Vida Silvestre Gandoca-Manzanillo) is located on Costa Rica’s southern Caribbean coast near the popular destination of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. From San Jose or SJO International Airport, the reserve is about 4.5-5 hours away.
The reserve has two ranger stations where you can start your visit.
The most popular is the Manzanillo Sector, found at the end of the paved road (Route 256). This is about 25 minutes south of Puerto Viejo. The other entrance is the Gandoca Sector. This is closer to the Panama border and harder to access.
In total, the Gandoca-Manzanillo refuge protects an impressive 25,910 acres (10,485 hectares). About half is wild jungle, while the other half is coastline and reefs.
Remoteness and Safety
A deterrent for some thinking about visiting Gandoca-Manzanillo are reports of robberies along the trail.
People have had their cameras, backpacks, phones, wallets, and other belongings taken by thieves who approach them on the remote trails. This doesn’t happen all the time but enough to be worrisome. This was a concern for us too, which is why we hired a local guide.
Our guide knew everyone in the area, including all the reserve employees, parking attendants, coconut vendors, and other guides we passed. He also carried a small machete in a sheath on his belt, just for good measure.
We did not come across any sketchy people along the trails but still felt much better having a guide with us. He also added a lot to our experience, which we will explain below.
Hiking the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge
Meeting Our Guide
After driving south from our hotel in Playa Cocles, we arrived in Manzanillo around 8:00 a.m. Through the rows of palms, we could see that the beach outside the entrance was already getting busy with locals. It was a Sunday and school vacation in Costa Rica.
We soon found our guide, Haniel.
Entering the Reserve
Haniel led us to the small ranger station where he paid our entrance. Gandoca-Manzanillo is still a small, uncrowded reserve and entrance is by donation only.
Quick Wildlife Sightings
As we crossed the short suspension bridge to enter the reserve, Haniel pointed out some things in the creek below.
Two Night Herons were perched in a tree and a Jesus Christ lizard skittered along the bank. These lizards are known to run so quickly that they can cross the surface of the water without falling in.
On the other side, Haniel asked what we were hoping to see today. Our kids quickly told him they wanted to see a jaguar (a far reach), but we also mentioned wanting to spot snakes and cool birds.
Haniel asked if we liked sloths. We, of course, said that we did. He then pointed out one that was directly above us in a tree.
We continued a few hundred feet and Haniel showed us a helmeted iguana basking on a small tree. We had only seen this type of iguana once before in Costa Rica so were excited to get some pictures. They have a funny shaped head and sort of resemble chameleons.
Off the Tourist Trail
While most visitors followed the wide main trail along the coast, Haniel directed us inland on a trail he liked called the Hidden Bridge Trail (Sendero Puente Escondido). There were no other people around.
After a short walk through the rainforest, we came to a rustic covered walkway.
Here, we saw another helmeted iguana and a coati (a raccoon-like animal with a long snout) up in a tree.
Later, back on the dirt trail, Haniel took out his flashlight. Kneeling next to a rotting log, he asked our kids to look inside. There, hiding in the shadows, was a large tarantula!
When this trail came to an end, Haniel led us through the woods on a very faint path. Without him, we wouldn’t have even noticed it. This was where our tour really went off the tourist trail.
Magnificent Trees
As our family followed Haniel over the crest of a small hill, we realized we were in thick primary forest. Tall trees surrounded us and the forest floor was covered with undisturbed leaves. Haniel began telling us all about the different trees we passed.
We saw balsas, known for their lightweight wood that is often used to make boats. We gazed at towering guacima colorado trees that were well over 100 years old. There were even rubber trees.
Haniel took a few moments at each one to tell us some quick information. We learned about the giant mountain almonds that nearly went extinct for their desirable wood. They are also the favorite tree of the endangered Great Green Macaw, which we had seen at Ara Manzanillo nearby.
At the base of one tree, Haniel found a long stick and began tapping the roots. Soon some bullet ants came rushing out, investigating what was going on. These ants have a powerful sting that people say hurts as much as getting shot.
Poison Dart Frogs
Around every corner, there seemed to be another surprise. Haniel told us he thought he could find some snakes and was leading us to a spot he knew.
Along the way, we came across a couple of interesting frogs. One was a tiny strawberry poison dart frog. These bright red frogs are like the blue-jean poison dart frog but lack the blue color on their legs. With small black speckles on their red skin, they do resemble strawberries.
Another exciting encounter was a Talamanca rocket frog. We had never seen this before. They are endemic to the area and similar to poison dart frogs, but without any poison.
Snakes
It wasn’t much longer before Haniel found our first snake of the day. It was an eyelash pit viper. This one was brownish and blended in with the tree trunk.
These snakes can be all sorts of different colors. Later, we saw a bright yellow one. Haniel approached it and carefully took some close-ups with our phone. He told us that these snakes are not aggressive but highly venomous.
Beautiful Birds
As we weaved through thick forest and underbrush, Haniel continued to show us special plants, seeds, insects, spiders, and many birds.
Some of the birds we spotted were the Common black hawk, Yellow-throated Toucan, Crested Guan, and Collared Aracari.
Finishing with a Coastal View
Folding away some leaves, not even on a path at this point, we suddenly stepped back onto the main trail. A few people walking past seemed surprised to see us.
We followed the trail north, back toward the ranger station, until we reached Miss May Point.
Miss May Point is probably the most iconic spot in the reserve. Many people come here to take pictures of the small island just offshore and jungle-backed beach.
This was a touristy part of our visit but something we wouldn’t have wanted to miss. The views were gorgeous.
Just 15 minutes later, we were back at our car sipping some coconuts with our faithful guide. It was the perfect ending to our wildlife-filled hike through the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge!
How to Visit the Gandoca-Manzanillo Refuge
Hours
Open every day from 6:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (last entrance)
Cost
Voluntary donation to enter (cash or credit card). Proceeds go toward trail maintenance and park administration costs.
Trails
Most people visiting on their own take the main trail that leads to Punta Mona (5 km/3.4 miles). According to the ranger, this takes about 2.5 hours there and back. Miss May Point (Mirador Manzanillo) is only about 15 minutes from the ranger station along a well-trodden path.
If you have a guide, they can take you on smaller trails through the jungle like what we went on.
Have a question about visiting the Gandoca-Manzanillo Refuge or want to share your experience? Leave a comment below.
Need more information to help you plan? Check out these articles:
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca: Caribbean Cool in Costa Rica – Learn about where to stay, what restaurants to eat at, and fun activities to do in the Puerto Viejo area.
Ara Manzanillo: A Great Green Macaw Tour – This quick tour will let you see dozens of beautiful Great Green Macaw parrots flying all around you in the wild.
Cahuita National Park: Wildlife Just a Step Away – Another less remote park in the area with outstanding wildlife and beautiful beaches.
Jaguar Rescue Center: Not far from Gandoca-Manzanillo is one of Costa Rica’s most popular wildlife rehabilitation centers. On a short tour, you can learn more about their important work.
Things to Do: Looking for more activities for your trip? Our Things to Do articles cover 150+ options for everything from hanging bridges to authentic coffee tours.
How did you book your guide? We would love to do something similar and everything I’m finding online is for larger groups.
Hi Karen, Let us know if you still need help with this and we can see if the guide we used is available.
Hi Jen and Matt,
Thank you so much for all the amazing information – it’s been so helpful as we plan our trip.
My husband, our 9 year old son and I are coming to Costa Rica this summer for four weeks and will be travelling around a few different areas. We’ve got seven days on the Southern Caribbean coast and are trying to decide where to base ourselves.
We’re looking at Manzanillo, Cahuita or Punta Uva. We get the sense that Puerto Viejo might be a bit more of a party scene than we’re after. We’re much more into nature, jungle, snorkelling and soaking up local culture at a slower pace.
Where would you recommend we stay? And do you think it’s realistic to manage without hiring a car in that area?
Thanks so much – we really appreciate your advice.
Hi Emma, Cahuita is nice because it’s quiet and very chill but the Puerto Viejo area has the best beaches. I would try to find a place near Punta Uva or Cocles. Manzanillo is beautiful but very quiet and farther from town. It’s definitely easiest to have a rental car, but if you don’t want to get one, try to find a hotel/vacation rental that has some restaurants within walking distance so you’re not relying on taxis all the time. You could also rent bikes for getting around during the day time. Hope your family has a great trip!
The wildlife refuge was one of our favorite stops in the area – so peaceful, so beautiful! We went with a guide the first time (so helpful for spotting animals) and then went back to walk the trail along the ocean by ourselves another day. We felt very safe along the wide ocean trail but did not venture into the interior of the refuge.
Hi Elizabeth, Glad you enjoyed the reserve. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Jen and Matt,
We would like to use your travel agency for a guided hike of the Gandoca -Manzanillo Wildlife refuge. Just wondering if you offer a snorkel option with it? Thanks, Eric Odberg
Hi Eric, We checked with the guide and he does a dolphin watching-snorkel tour at Gandoca Manzanillo. It’s by boat and is about 4.5 hours long. There’s the chance to see bottlenose dolphins plus another species that can only be seen in the Brazilian Amazon and in Gandoca. The other option is Cahuita National Park, which has a large reef offshore.
He could do either option but warned that it would depend on current ocean conditions. It can be rainier this time of year on the Caribbean coast, which can affect the visibility for snorkeling. Yesterday, though, he said the ocean was perfect so you never know. If you’d like to book it, please send us an email to bookings(at)twoweeksincostarica(dot)com and we can give you the pricing and help arrange it.
Olá, somos um casal brasileiro de 60 anos mas muito ativos, estaremos na Costa Rica de 1 a 13 de abril. Fiz um roteiro maluco para conhecermos um pouco de tudo. Você acha possível fazermor o rafting em Turrialba, saindo de lá irmos dormir em tortuguero, passear de canoa no dia seguinte e seguirmos para Puerto Viejo e Cahuita, passar um dia lá mas no final do dia voltarmos para São José?
Hola Amilcar, If you have 12 days, visiting four places all on the same side of the country is definitely possible. Be sure to allow a good amount of time to get from Turrialba to Tortuguero. Plan on at least 2 nights in Tortuguero to make the trip there worthwhile. Then it’s fairly easy to get down to the southern Caribbean coast after. Sounds like a fun trip!
We are in Cahuita starting March 10th for 3 weeks. We are 4 older women hikers but don’t have a car. How do we get to the different places in that area. We are a bit worried we won’t find enough to do.
Hi Gerry, If you take a guided tour, the tour company can come pick you up or help arrange transportation. If you’re planning to do the Gandoca-Manzanillo Reserve, we would definitely do this with a guide. For other hikes and activities, you could get the number for a taxi driver in Cahuita and call them whenever you need to get somewhere. Or if you’re comfortable driving, there are rental car companies in Puerto Viejo so that you could rent a car for a week or two to get to activities then shuttle back to San Jose. That would be easiest. If you’re just planning on driving locally in the Cahuita area, it isn’t that bad.
There is lots to do in the area. Here’s a link to our Cahuita post with ideas. And to our Puerto Viejo destination guide.
A few questions. I would be traveling solo female. Is it viable to rent a car at the airport and drive there? I have been to CR a few times but only down to the Osa. Did your guide speak English? Thank you for covering all of these beautiful places to go!
Hi Elizabeth, Yes, just be sure to make the drive during daylight hours since part of the road to Puerto Viejo is curvy and mountainous. It gets dark here around 5:45 pm. Here’s the link to our rental car discount that you can use as you’re shopping around. We get 10% off.
Yes, our guide spoke fluent English.
Also, here’s a link to our Puerto Viejo destination guide, which we just updated. It has more info on getting there and around, other recommended activities and hotels, etc.
Hope you have a great trip!
Great read. My wife and I have been going to Manzanillo every 6 months for the past 5 years. we love it there. The locals recognize us by now, so we don’t have a problem with theft. As you know, give them the opportunity, we probably would. Last sept, a local we have gotten to know took me fishing and I caught a 100lb Tarpon! We will be in Brasilito, Samara and Montezuma in roughly 3 weeks. Greetings from 30 degree New Hampshire.
Hi Bob, Thanks for your comment. Always great to hear from someone from New England. That’s amazing about the huge tarpon – congrats! Hope you enjoy your upcoming trip. Pura vida!