Last Updated: November 21, 2024
If you’re looking for picturesque beaches, wild jungle, and up-close encounters with wildlife, Manuel Antonio National Park is for you. Our first visit to Manuel Antonio’s famous national park was over 15 years ago. It had a handful of trails then and was a wonderful place to go for calm water and swimming. Now that we live in Costa Rica, we visit often and have noticed many improvements over the years. In this post, we’ll talk about the hiking trails and gorgeous beaches. We’ll also give tips for spotting wildlife and avoiding the crowds.
Arriving at Manuel Antonio National Park
Location
Manuel Antonio National Park is located off the main road between Quepos and Manuel Antonio, close to where the road ends by the beach.
The entrance has changed over the years. For several years now, it has been behind the main road. Once you get to the beach, look for a left turn near a small grocery store, some souvenir shops, and Marlin Restaurant.
Parking
Parking in this area is limited so you will need to pay a small fee to use one of the lots. A good option is the large lot on the right-hand side before the national park gate. The fee is 4,000 colones (about $8) for the day.
Tip: As you drive down the hill and approach the beach, you will likely encounter some people in the road trying to get your attention. They might step into the road and ask you to stop or even whistle at you. They are just trying to get you to park in their lot. They are not park or any other type of official. You don’t have to stop and there are a few different parking options available so feel free to drive around first. You can always turn around at the end of the road where it loops back.
Hiking in Manuel Antonio National Park
Overview
Manuel Antonio National Park has several options for trails. It’s a great spot for families and casual hikers. Many of the trails are flatter and suitable for most people, but some do have steeper inclines. We’ll discuss each in more detail below.
No matter how much hiking you can do, though, the great thing about this park is that it makes nature discovery easy. You will feel immersed in the rainforest and see a good amount of wildlife even on the easy trails. We have brought our older parents here and sent elderly clients, and they were all able to do many of the trails.
Here is the trail map to help you plan.
El Manglar Trail, Perezoso Trail, and Main Trail/Road
The first trail you come from the ranger station is the newer El Manglar Trail (Mangrove Trail).
It is really interesting because it has a raised platform that you can walk on, instead of the ground. This makes it a good option for almost anyone, including people with limited mobility or a wheelchair. The platform is wide, stable, not slippery, and nice and flat. There are even some resting benches and covered areas along the way.
El Manglar Trail meanders through the forest and then gives you a few different options.
The first you’ll come to is a cut through to access the Catarata Trail (see below). If you stay on El Manglar instead, you’ll come to a point where it breaks off to the right into the mangroves. We’ve heard from our friend who is a guide that sometimes you can see crocodiles in this stretch so it’s worth the short walk.
El Manglar leads to the beautiful quiet beach, Playa Espadilla Sur (more below).
If instead of going right towards the mangroves, you stay straight, you will get on the Perezoso Trail (Sloth Trail). Many people use this as a fast way to get to the park’s most popular beach, Playa Manuel Antonio. We’ve seen howler monkeys multiple times here. This trail is very short (0.36 miles/580 meters), paved, and has some a steeper section but isn’t too hard.
Paralleling El Manglar is the main trail/access road. This wide dirt road is flat and rocky. It brings you to the same point as El Manglar/Perezoso Trail, near the main beach. Tour guides often bring bigger groups here because there’s a lot room for everyone.
Catarata Estacional Trail (Seasonal Waterfall Trail)
We mentioned this one above. The Waterfall Trail is the first one off the main trail so we recommend doing it at the beginning of your day.
If you’re coming in the rainy season (May to November), this would be a good one to check out. The waterfall is small, but still pretty. You’ll notice that the water looks cloudy. This is due to the presence of minerals like calcium from coral and shells.
If you’re not visiting in rainy season, you could skip this trail since the waterfall often doesn’t have much water in the dry months.
We have seen a lot of wildlife on the Waterfall Trail when visiting in the rainy season.
We saw a three-toed sloth high up in a tree, a blue morpho butterfly, a green and black poison dart frog, many Halloween crabs (named for their orange and black color), a stick bug, and even a tiny red-eyed tree frog at the trail entrance.
This trail is concrete and only 0.42 miles (676 meters). It has some steeper sections with stairs (up to 50 at a time) and is easy-to-moderate in difficulty.
Miradores Trail, Playa Gemelas Trail, Puerto Escondido Trail, and Los Congos Trail
This is our favorite set of trails at Manuel Antonio National Park because we always see a lot of wildlife. They are all located in one area and are connected so perfect to do together.
The trail starts next to the cafe/restaurant where the Perezoso Trail and main trail drop you off.
A nice loop is to start with Miradores (Viewpoints Trail), then cut over to the Playa Gemelas/Puerto Escondido Trail by using Los Congos Trail.
Attractions and Trail Conditions – Miradores/Gemelas/Puerto Escondido Loop
The Miradores Trail takes you to a couple of different viewpoints. The first one is a distant lookout to Playa Manuel Antonio, but the second is beautiful.
This viewpoint looks out to the marine portion of the national park as well as the rich green Punta Serrucho. This narrow stretch of craggy coastline juts way out into the ocean. Its name, Saw Tip, describes its broken and irregular shape, which was caused by the shifting of the earth as it sits on a tectonic fault.
To get up to these viewpoints, it takes some hiking. The Miradores Trail is short (0.6 miles/1 km), but there is a series of concrete and wooden stairs, around 300 in each direction.
As you’re coming back on the Miradores Trail, take a left onto Los Congos Trail (Howler Monkeys Trail). This very short trail serves as a shortcut to the Playa Gemelas Trail. But it is a fun one. Years ago, this trail was very narrow and the jungle was so thick, you had to duck in places. Now, it is a well paved path, but still feels wild. Howler monkeys usually can be heard bellowing overhead.
At the end of Los Congos, you’ll reach the Playa Gemelas Trail, which turns into the Puerto Escondido Trail (Hidden Port Trail) (0.46 miles combined/740 meters). From this point, it’s a short walk to the main attraction.
After walking down about 140 steps, you’ll come to a platform just above sea level with a view of Puerto Escondido. At low tide, you can see a sandbar that connects the mainland to the small island right offshore.
Unfortunately, you can’t get down to this beach. But you can swim at Playa Gemelas on the way back to the main trail. Because fewer people access these trails, Playa Gemelas is usually quiet and peaceful.
Wildlife – Miradores/Gemelas/Puerto Escondido Loop
We have consistently seen a lot of wildlife on this set of trails. We’ve spotted all three types of monkeys that live in Manuel Antonio National Park (howlers, white faced, and squirrel), sloths, deer, and many kinds of lizards including green spiny lizards.
We have also seen a number of birds. Some of the highlights include Black-throated Trogons, woodcreepers, Chestnut-Mandibled Toucans, and aracaris (a relative of the toucan). This colorful Fiery-Billed Aracari surprised us on our last visit by landing on a branch right next to the trail!
For more cool animals you might see, read out post, The Wildlife of Manuel Antonio National Park
Punta Cathedral Trail
Punta Cathedral Trail (Cathedral Point Trail) lets you walk out on the famous tómbolo.
This unique rock formation is a natural bridge, connecting the mainland with Punta Cathedral. You may have seen it featured in some of the advertising for Manuel Antonio.
Even though this trail is right next to the beaches, not many people do it. It’s also nice because it takes you through thicker jungle. As you curve along the path, following the shape of the point, you will be taken up to a few viewpoints. They look out to the ocean in different directions and to small islands like Isla Olocuita.
You can see birds and some wildlife along this trail since the forest is thick. A few years ago, we saw a helmeted iguana for the first time here. These lizards aren’t too common so we were thrilled to find one.
Punta Cathedral Trail has some gradual inclines with stairs and is easy-to-moderate in difficulty (0.75 miles/1.2 km).
Beaches in Manuel Antonio National Park
Many people visit Manuel Antonio National Park just for its beautiful beaches.
The most famous is Playa Manuel Antonio.
This is a stunning cove with shimmering aquamarine water and ivory sand. With lots of shady almond trees, this beach is perfect for a day of lounging around with a good book. The calm water and sandy sea floor make it a great spot for swimming too. On days where the ocean is flat, the rocks on the left are a fun spot for casual snorkeling (bring your own equipment).
Playa Manuel Antonio can get crowded, but just around the corner is Playa Espadilla Sur. This beach isn’t quite as picturesque as Playa Manuel Antonio, but is still lovely and having it all to yourself may be worth it.
Watch Out for the Monkeys
Troops of white-faced monkeys are known to come down to the beach and around the cafe for handouts. We’ve seen them break into the backpacks of unassuming tourists many times, so always keep your belongings in sight. This also can happen with raccoons.
You’ll may see people feeding the monkeys on your visit.
Resist the urge to do so to keep the monkey population safe and healthy. Monkeys are extremely sensitive to the bacteria on human hands and can become sick or even die by eating foods that people have touched. Human food is also not as nutritious as their natural diet and eating handouts can cause problems for nursing mothers and their babies.
Do You Need a Guide?
Exploring the park on a guided tour is a great option if you want to learn more about the local flora and fauna. A guide will teach you about the native plants and animals and spot hidden wildlife with their trained eye.
Guides also have powerful scopes that can get you up close and personal with an animal without disturbing it (we’ve even seen the green algae growing in the fur of a slow-moving sloth high up in a tree!).
Most guides also will use your cell phone to take close up shots of the animals through their scope. Check out our post about using naturalist guides if you’d like more information.
If you’ve hiked in Costa Rica before, though, you can probably manage by yourself as the trails are well marked and wildlife is fairly easy to spot.
Booking a Good Guide
Every day people are lined up near the park entrance offering guide services, but many of them are not certified naturalists.
If you would like help booking a reputable guide, we know an excellent company. Their guides are locals from Manuel Antonio and have been guiding tours for many years. They are certified by the Costa Rica tourism board (ICT). Our clients always come back saying what an amazing time they had and are astounded at the wildlife they saw.
Use the link below to request a booking. You won’t pay until your reservation is confirmed. Booking through us costs the same and helps support our website!
Tour Price, Group Tour (8 people max): $59 adults | $50 children ages 5-11 | $6 children ages 2-4 | kids under 2 are free. Rates + 13% tax.
Tour Price, Private Tour: $95 per person | $6 children ages 2-4 | kids under 2 are free. Rates + 13% tax.
Tour Times: 7:30 a.m. or 12:30 p.m. every day except Tuesday (park is closed)
Duration: About 3 hours
Includes: Bilingual naturalist guide, entrance fee, round-trip transportation from your hotel or vacation rental in Manuel Antonio, water, and a snack.
Avoiding the Crowds
Manuel Antonio National Park is one of the busiest parks in Costa Rica and can feel a bit like Disneyland at times during the high season.
Our advice is to arrive early to avoid the crowds, especially on weekends and holidays.
Big tour groups typically start showing up around 9:00 a.m., so it’s best to get there closer to when the park opens at 7:00 or 7:30 a.m. Note that in an effort to limit impacts on local wildlife, the number of visitors per day is capped and there are often lines to get in.
Tip: Manuel Antonio National Park is so popular because it’s good for anyone, kids and people with limited mobility included. If you’re looking for something less busy and a little more rugged, we recommend Rainmaker Nature Park. For more info, read our post, Rainmaker Conservation Park: Unspoiled Nature Near Manuel Antonio.
Cost
Rates current as of November 2024.
Foreigners: Adults – $18.08. Children ages 2-12 – $5.65. Children under 2 are free. (Prices include 13% tax)
Costa Rican Nationals and Residents: Adults – ₡1,808. Children ages 6-12 – ₡565. Children 5 and under are free. (prices include 13% tax)
Buying Your Tickets
Official SINAC Government Website
If you’re visiting on your own, you can purchase tickets online directly from the Costa Rican government, SINAC. We recommend booking them through this site rather than through a third-party website.
First, create an account on the SINAC government website.
Once you are logged in, click “Buy” and select “Online Reservation.”
Next choose the wildlife area, “Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio.”
Choose your date. For the time, you have to select a specific timeslot to enter. Options are for example 7:00 a.m.-7:40 a.m., 8:00 a.m.-8:40 a.m., and so on.
Select the number of adults/children.
Click “Continue.” You will be taken to a payment screen to enter your credit card details (you have 10 minutes to complete the transaction).
Once you complete the transaction, a confirmation will be emailed to you. Keep this to show the park ranger when entering. They will need the verification number from the reservation to look you up in the system.
Other Websites
*Watch out for websites claiming to be official ticketing agents.
SINAC is the official ticketing agent so it’s best to buy directly from them. If you plan to go with a guide, usually the guide will purchase tickets for you. They will need your full name, nationality, and passport number to do so.
You can find all official information about Manuel Antonio National Park on the SINAC website. SINAC is the government agency in charge of Costa Rica’s national park system.
Park Hours
Manuel Antonio National Park is open every day of the week, except Tuesdays, from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Previously the park was closed on Mondays; however, the day was changed to Tuesday starting on April 1, 2021 in order to promote local tourism on long weekends.
Food Options and Plastic Bottles
Prohibited Foods
No food can be brought into the park.
This is to protect the wildlife, in case they get ahold of your bag. In the past, this has been a big problem with monkeys and raccoons. The park rangers will search your bag upon entry and confiscate all food.
Babies and pregnant women are allowed to bring in a limited amount of food.
Cafeteria
Inside the park, there is now a casual cafe with food for purchase. It is located at the end of the main trail/road near the beach. There are some tables set up outside the cafe to eat at.
The cafe serves:
- Pizza
- Simple sandwiches (ham and cheese, tuna, or chicken)
- Burritos (vegan)
- Fresh fruit
- Some baked goods like empanadas, cheese croissants, cinnamon rolls, and cake
- Salads
- Soda, coffee, and natural fruit drinks. You can refill your water bottle here too.
- Ice cream
They also have souvenirs and sell basic snorkel masks.
Single-use Plastic
Costa Rica has banned the use of single-use plastic bottles and plastic food containers in all national parks. So be sure to bring a reusable bottle to refill. Park officials will not allow single use plastics through the gate.
Pin It for Later!
Last Updated: November 21, 2024
Have questions about visiting Manuel Antonio National Park? Ask them below. We’d love to help you plan your visit.
Looking for more info on Manuel Antonio? Check out these posts:
Manuel Antonio Trip Planning: Destination guide, includes detailed info on the best time to visit, how to get there, as well as recommended hotels, restaurants, and activities.
7 Off-the-Beaten-Path Things to Do Near Manuel Antonio: Ideas for days trips from Manuel Antonio, including a chocolate and spice farm tour and more options for hiking.
Packing for Costa Rica: The Essentials – Takes the guesswork out of packing. Tips on clothing, gear, and footwear. Includes special considerations for travel to remote destinations and during the rainy season.
Hey! I’m here now and I’m wondering if it is safe to hike by myself? Thanks for any feedback! Sarah
Hey Sarah, yeah it’s definitely safe to hike in MA on your own. If you hike at all, it’s not a difficult park to hike. The main trail is more of a stroll and the trails off of that are a little more difficult but nothing major. It’s one of the busier parks so there should be a lot of other people around too. Have fun!
Are there strangler fig trees that are free to climb in Arenal? Where are they located?
Hi Joyce, we haven’t heard of any in La Fortuna but there might very well be some. In Monteverde there is a large ficus that makes a lattice that people climb. I think it’s about 70 feet tall and is located right near the sign for the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Let us know if you do find something similar in La Fortuna. Pura Vida!
Hello there. Myself, my wife, and our 5 year old daughter will be staying in Dominical for 5 days during Christmas week. What do you recommend we do? Any Christmas activities in that area?
Hi Mike, that’s great that you will be spending the holidays in the Dominical area. We don’t know of any festivities that will be going on since we were on the Caribbean side last year but many of the area restaurants are promoting special dinners for Christmas. You could pick out one that sounds good and make a reservation before you come (they tend to book up). Some places in Dominical will have something or you could go south to Ojochal, which has some really great restaurants too. Additionally you’ll notice that the locals will have decorations up and most likely will be setting off fireworks at night. During the day the beaches will be crowded with tourists and lots of locals who are taking time off. It’s a really festive atmosphere so it should be a lot of fun!
Hi! My husband and I are planning a trip for the holiday season in 2016. Do you know anything about the zip line tours? How are these different from the private tours that are conducted at Manuel Antonio Nat. Park? I don’t believe these tours are mutually exclusive in any way, but didn’t want to be repetitive with our activities since we only have 4 days. Sounds like the zip line is more action packed and the tour of the park is more about learning about the animals, plants, etc. Do you think it helps to have advanced tickets for the park tour when it comes to crowds? Thanks for any advice!
Hi Kristin, Zip-line tours and tours of the park are two totally different things. The zip-line tours take place outside Manuel Antonio, often in the mountains. You basically get strapped into a harness and zip from platform to platform through the forest. Lots of tour operators in Manuel Antonio/Quepos do zip-line tours. Let us know if you’d like a recommendation.
As for the national park, guides will take you on a walking tour of the park and teach you about the plants and animals. You can also do the park self-guided if you like. You can buy tickets in advance at a couple of places in Quepos, but if you get there early, there shouldn’t be a long wait (unless of course it’s a holiday or the weekend).
If you only have 4 days, you might want to check out our new book, Top 10 Costa Rica itineraries, to find out about the best things to do in the area. We have a few itineraries that go to Manuel Antonio. Have a great trip!
Hi – would you be able to share recommendations for zip lining in MA?
Heading next month and we werent sure if we should book in advance or just wait until we get there, and what companies would be good!
Thanks!
Hi Paola, We do recommend booking in advance for January/February because that is a busier time of year. Booking in advance ensures you get to go with the best company on the date/time you want. We can help you with the arrangements and will send you an email with our recommendations shortly.
Staying in MA and in Arenal during our trip in late May early June. Have seen “adventure tours” – a combo of 4X4, zip lining and waterfall repelling – located in both areas – would one be better than the other to do this activity combo?
Hi Liz, Either place would be great for those activities. They both have rainforest, diverse terrain to explore by 4×4, and good rappelling options. We’d recommend doing the tour wherever you have the most time. If you’d like any help choosing a tour company, let us know. We’re a travel agency and work with most tour operators in Manuel Antonio and La Fortuna. Just reply to this thread if you’re interested and we can send you an email.
We’ll be in both the Arenal and MA areas May 12-19 and would love recommendations for zip line tours and hot springs. Do you actually see much that way or is it more about the adventure?
Hi Diana, Lots to see for scenery and wildlife in La Fortuna and Manuel Antonio. We’ll send you an email now with recommendations for hot springs and zip lining and how we can help you book them. Thanks!
Hello, I will be doing a yoga retreat in Montezuma that ends on a saturday morning. I have my return flight booked for Monday at 1pm from San Jose. Where would you recommend I visit during that weekend?
Hi Dany, you could take the speedboat across the bay to Playa Herradura, Jaco, or Playa Hermosa. It’s around $50 and will get you there in less than an hour. The boat lands on Playa Herradura (a quiet beach town best known for the Los Suenos Marriott Resort), but Jaco (busy, lots of restaurants and bars) and Playa Hermosa (chill surfer town) are very close too. If you stay in any of these places, you’ll still be nice and close to San Jose to get back to the airport. Hope that helps. Let us know if you have any more questions.
We are thinking of a 2 week spring break with our 10-year old daughter for her spring break. But, the dates fall over Easter Week – including Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Will things be open or will we be disappointed at coming all this way and encountering lots of “closed” signs?
Hi Dana, It will be the opposite of closed over the Easter holiday. The week leading up to Easter, Semana Santa, is one of the busiest times of year in Costa Rica. Most of the locals get vacation and head to the beach with the whole family for the holiday. The popular beach towns like Manuel Antonio, Nosara, Tamarindo, Playas del Coco, etc. will be jam-packed. Hotels will be at capacity and all the restaurants will definitely be open. If you don’t love crowds you might want to pick a different week or stay somewhere less popular. Let us know if you need any ideas- we do offer itinerary services and could help you find some more off-the-beaten path places that will be a little less hectic. Good luck!
I’ve just booked airline tickets and lodging for my family’s first trip to Costa Rica. We will be staying near Manuel Antonio for four nights (just three full days) in early January. I am considering taking a whale watching and snorkel tour with a company down by Marino Ballena NP on one of our days. That will be fairly pricey, between the cost of the tour and the cost of a driver to get us down there from MA. If you just had a few days by MA, would you use most of one for the chance to see whales and maybe get some better snorkeling, or would you stick close to MA? (For the rest of our trip, we will have three nights by Arenal and four nights on Playa Carillo.)
Hi Sara,
With just three full days, we would recommend just staying close to Manuel Antonio since there are so many activities and things to see. You could always take a half-day catamaran tour from Manuel Antonio/Quepos to get out on the water and maybe see a whale or some dolphins. Many of those tours also allow time for snorkeling. Snorkeling generally isn’t too amazing in Costa Rica, although it can be good, and you would have to take a long day trip to Cano Island for the best in that area. Better to stick to Manuel Antonio in our opinion. If you have your own snorkel gear, conditions are sometimes good inside Manuel Antonio National Park and at Playa Biesanz (directions to that beach in our post https://www.twoweeksincostarica.com/7-things-to-do-manuel-antonio/). Hope this helps and have a great trip!
We (me, my husband and 10 of my closest friends) are visiting Manuel Antonio in a few weeks. Some of us are interested in the waterfall rappelling. I’m not sure where it is located. Have you done that? How difficult is it? Any other info we should know?
Hi Beth, We haven’t done waterfall rappelling ourselves, but we’ve heard great things about it from our clients who have done it. The level of difficulty depends on where you do it (size of canyon, etc.), but we know of people 50+ who have done it and kids too. It’s always very safe when you do it through a reputable tour company. A couple of good companies in the Manuel Antonio area that you might want to check out are Xtreme Tours and Quepo Canyoning. Have a great trip!
How many days would you recommend in Manuel Antonio and this area?
Hi Cindy, Manuel Antonio has a lot of activities, so 2 days at a minimum, but it all depends on how fast paced you want your vacation to be. Take a look at our One Week Itinerary and Two Week Itinerary posts, which both include Manuel Antonio, to get a sense of how to break up your time.
I am traveling with my husband and three kids…10, 12, and 15. We are on somewhat of a budget and would like to stay in the Arenal Volcano or Manuel Antonio area–trip is 6 days total. What activities would you recommend? Do you think it would be better to rent a house or stay in a hotel..(I noticed that hotels really don’t accommodate a family of 5 much…very disappointing)?
Hi Alicia, In our itineraries book, Top 10 Costa Rica Itineraries (click here to view on Amazon), we cover La Fortuna and Manuel Antonio so that would be a good place to look for ideas for activities. The Family chapter even includes those two destinations so would have some stuff that your kids would be interested in. You could also read our posts Manuel Antonio Trip Planning, 7 Off the Beaten Path Things to Do Near Manuel Antonio, and La Fortuna: What to Expect from Costa Rica’s Most Popular Destination – these all have activity suggestions.
We’ve helped families of 5 find hotels before and know how tough it can be since most rooms only have 2 beds. Your best bet is probably to do vacation rentals- this would be cheaper than renting two rooms. Hope that helps! If you want some help looking for accommodations, we do offer itinerary services. There’s more info here.
I’m curious about parking at Miguel Antonio. My wife and I will be staying in near dominical in August and I would like to surf on our way up to visit Miguel Antonio. Is there a secure place to park where I can leave my surfboard in the car?
Hi Kevin, Leaving a surfboard in the car is a little risky but there are a few guarded lots towards the end of the road in Manuel Antonio. It would probably be okay but if something did happen it would be a bummer. Might be best to do two separate trips. Dominical isn’t all that far from MA.
Hey,
How about visting Manuel Antonio part at end of september.
Is it worth visit there at this time?
Thanks.
Hi Yehuda, Our same advice that we gave you about Monteverde in rainy season applies here. And yes, Manuel Antonio will be a good place to visit in late Sept. You will have rain, but some sun too and everything will be lush and green. Your best odds for sun are earlier in the day so take advantage of mornings for beach time. We have a whole post about Manuel Antonio’s activities, hotels, and restaurants here in case you haven’t seen it already.
I am wondering how far the mail trail is from the entrance to the exit along the Playa Espandila Sur. Thank you. Or better yet, how far is it from the beach area where the picnic tables are to the exit along the Playa Espandila Sur?
Thank you very much
Hi Shelley, The exit that used to be near Playa Espadilla Sur is closed now so you enter and exit from the same place over near Hotel San Bada. It’s about a half mile walk from the entrance to Playa Manuel Antonio/where the bath house and picnic tables are, but now there’s a new cut through path that makes it even faster.
I am wondering what the entrance fee is today for Manuel Antonio Park? I have seen a few different prices ranging from $16-40….
Hi Trina, We are fairly sure it is still $16. None of the national parks cost much more than that so the higher prices may have included a guide?
Great! Thank You!
Hi guys- what is the deal with accessing the parking lot? Once you park your car and enter the park, can you go back to the car to get towels or supplies or do you need to carry everything in with you?
Hi Cindy, The parking lots are quite far from the park entrance and then once you’re inside, it’s even more of a walk so you probably wouldn’t want to leave and then go back in again (the beach is about a 20 min walk from the entrance). Tickets are valid for the whole day so it is possible but I think most people carry everything in that they will need for the day.
Thank you for your great tips! We are on a multi-family trip with a total of 11 of us and we are planning on hitting the national park, which trails do you recommend for the best chance of seeing most wild life? We plan to go on our own without a guide to explore and will get there early as suggested! Also do you know of any close waterfalls or cliffs that we could jump in and swim from that are close to MA (staying at Preserve Los Altos) again we would ideally like to do this self guided, and prefer not to have to drive a significant amount of time (nor do we have a car so wondering what the best transport option would be) Thanks for any input!
Hi Lori, There’s a lot of wildlife throughout the park, but one trail where we have consistently seen monkeys is the Las Gemelas Trail. We have seen three different kinds of monkeys there more than once so that is a good one to check out. There’s always monkeys and coati near the beaches too, trying to steal food.
We don’t know of any waterfalls close to Manuel Antonio that are good for swimming. There are some about a half hour away in a rural area where they stop on horseback tours, but for options with public access, I think you would have to drive to Dominical for the Nauyaca or Uvita for the Uvita Waterfall. These are 45 min – 1 hr south so probably not what you had in mind. There could be smaller waterfalls closer that we’re not aware of, but the bigger ones are to the south. Hope your group has a good visit to MA!
Hi there,
We are in Costa Rica for our first time in November 10-24
I am trying to plan. We are landing in Liberia. Heading to Playa del Coco, then Flamingo Beach, on to Fortuna, then Monteverde and then Manuel Antonio. We are renting a car. We are planning 2-3 days at each spot. Does this make sense?
Any advise would be great.
Hi Susan, Yes, that itinerary makes sense. It is a little fast paced but since some of those destinations are close to each other (Coco and Flamingo), it’s manageable. It will be rainy season when you’re here so drive times may be a bit longer so keep that in mind. If you are flying out of Liberia, the drive from Manuel Antonio will be quite long so plan for that as well.
Hello and thanks for your posts. It’s very helpful. We’re pretty well-seasoned travelers but find it’s those who live and breath a place who know best. We’re coming and traveling to MA in February with our twin 7-year-olds. Trying to figure out the best way to get from SJO to Hotel Costa Verde. I’m debating public transport but want to avoid needing to go all the way into San Jose to catch the bus. Can we catch it anywhere out by Alajuelo or the airport? Also, when we return, we fly out early on a Saturday morning. We working our way back to San Jose (a BandB in Alajuelo, more specifically) on Friday. Thoughts on bus? Or would you just hire a shuttle and be done with it? Cheers and envy.
Hi Jeff, We used to take the bus before we had a baby but now I wouldn’t do that anymore because of the inconvenience. I think there is a bus from outside the airport to Manuel Antonio now so it is possible. It’s a collectivo, I think, so it makes stops along the way. We’ve heard it is fairly fast but with 2 kids under 10, I personally don’t think it’s worth it. Better to take a shuttle. Shared shuttles are cheaper but run on a set schedule. Private ones can pick you up when you arrive at the airport and will bring you directly to Costa Verde and can stop along the way if you need to use the bathroom or let the kids run around. If you need help booking a shuttle, let us know.
Thanks for the input. I think we’ll take your recommendation and do a private shuttle on the way in to MA. We might bus back on our return to SJO. If you have a shuttle company you like to work with, let me know and we’ll book them. Cheers.
hi guys, I’m trying to see MA Park & Alturas, but both are closed on Monday which is gonna make it tough. If we were at Manuel Antonio at 7 when they open would it be possible to see all that & still make it to Alturas for the late afternoon tour at 3? Thanks for all the great info!
Hi Tim, That would definitely be possible. Manuel Antonio is about an hour from Villas Alturas so you could spend the morning at the park, have lunch, and then head south for the wildlife sanctuary tour. You might not get through all the trails at MA National Park, but you will be able to see a lot.
Hello! Plannng a trip to Costa Rica later this month, flights are booked and 3 nights planned in Arenal area, 4 nights Nosara to accommodate nature, activities and relaxation. As we only have 10 days, we hadn’t planned to visit Manuel Antonio but wonder if we are missing out terribly? I would love to see Sloths and perhaps MA would be the only opportunity to do so? Thank you for the handy tips on your website..
Hi Ann-Marie, It is possible to see sloths in the Arenal area so don’t change your itinerary just for that. Not sure if you have booked your lodging yet in Arenal, but Heliconias Nature Lodge has a resident sloth that is seen fairly regularly. You could also hire a guide and tell them in advance that you’d like to see one so that maybe they can figure a good place to take you. Hope that helps!
Can I get the information on the park guide. I had asked before but I dont think I ever received it.
Hi Shawn, I could have sworn that I emailed you back in November but I will send again. Must not have gone through. I’ll use our Gmail account this time. Keep a lookout. Thanks!
Hi, can you send me info on ma park guide please? Coming to cr mar 20 for 32 days and staying in jaco.
Thanks, Lee
Hi Lee, We just sent you an email.
HI – loving your blog and suggestions! I’m headed to MA this Sunday, and we are staying for 6 nights. Traveling with three kids – 8,13,15. Definitely want to do tour of MA park – but if we do that, will we still have time to spend time on the different beaches in the park? Thought tour would be great for kiddos, as 8 yr. old is obsessed with wildlife, and sloths in particular! Two other questions – can you recommend best zip lining for family of 5? Was considering Rainmaker? Lastly, by staying in MA, are we completely out of luck for visiting a hot spring? I really wanted to do that, but didn’t do enough research ahead of time! Thanks in advance!
Hi Jennifer, What you can do is arrange a later pickup time after the park tour so that you have time to hang out on the beaches. Through the guide/company we work with, you would just do the park tour then tell them what time you would like to be picked up later on and they will have the car come collect you then. We’ll send you some info by email now on the park tour, family-friendly zip lining, and Rainmaker. There is a local hot springs a day trip away that we will tell you about too.
Hello Jenn and Matt,
You guys mentioned you can help understand and may be book different tours in Manuel Antonio. Can you us an email as well? Interested in hot springs, rappel, zip lining, etc.
We will spend 3 nights in MA, 4 nights in La fortunate, 2 nights in Monteverdi, and 6 nights in playa Coco. Would be interested to book the best tours in each location. 2 adults, 2 kids, 8 and 16 old.
Is above plan too rushed? Flying in and out San Jose…
i was planning to head into manuel antonio park on the second wed in feb. It says the government is now letting locals in for free that day. Should I pick another day? Does it get super busy when that happenes???
Hi Kay, We’ve never heard of them allowing locals into the park for free except on National Park day, which is in August. So not sure. If it is true, yes, we would try to go on another day.
Hi Jenn and Matt – Can you please send info on family-friendly zip-lining tours? We’ll be staying in the Fortuna and Dominical areas during our stay. Our children are 9, 13, and 15. Thanks! Tami
Hi Tami, Sure, we will send you an email now!