Manuel Antonio is one of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica and is one of the best places for first timers for many good reasons. First, it’s insanely beautiful. If you’re looking for beaches with that sparkly turquoise water and soft white sand enveloped by a lush green jungle, Manuel Antonio is where you have to go.
Pair that with incredible wildlife watching, a beautiful national park and luxury resorts and you can easily see why visitors fall in love with the area.
So if you’re planning on visiting Manuel Antonio but are worried there may not be enough things to do, don’t worry! Manuel Antonio has plenty more than just the national park (which is amazing but is small enough to hike in one day). Whether you’re staying 2, 3 4 days, or even a whole week, you won’t be bored. Here are 10 awesome things to do in Manuel Antonio.
Hike the National Park and See Wildlife
This is definitely a must for things to do in Manuel Antonio. Forbes once called Manuel Antonio National Park one of the most beautiful in the world! The national park has well maintained hiking trails with the perfect combination of jungle and beach and is absolutely teeming with wildlife. If you really want to see a sloth in Costa Rica, this is one of the best places to see them.
You can easily hike the national park in one day. There are several trails that lead to beaches and viewpoints and along the way, you can run into monkeys, frogs, snakes, deer and more. We wrote a guide to hiking Manuel Antonio National Park you can read here.
Though wildlife is everywhere in the park, you can hire a guide if you’d like to learn more about the flora and fauna in the area. Most guides have a telescope so you can see the animals up close and use your phone to take a photo.
You can also walk to one of the beaches and spend the day swimming and relaxing but since the beach right outside the national park is free, I recommend hiking the park instead.
The national park is open Tuesday- Sunday 7 AM to 4 PM and the entrance fee is $16. There are buses that run from Quepos to the national park entrance all day long and they make stops on the hill. If your hotel is on the hill and you don’t have a car, take this bus which costs 310 colones. You can get off at the last stop and walk to the park entrance.
Go on a Night Walk at the Si Como No Private Wildlife Refuge
If you want to see more wildlife, go on a night walk at the Si Como No wildlife refuge. They are also a beautiful high end hotel. This is an excellent option for wildlife photographers who want to get macro shots of frogs, insects, snakes and more.
During the 2 hour walk, your guide will point out the different creatures that come out when the sun goes down and it’s a great opportunity to learn more about them. The jungle changes completely when night comes around!
This is also a nice tour for kids who want to see more wildlife since the national park closes at 4. It costs $39 for adults and $29 for kids under 12. You can book the night tour at the Si Como No Hotel online or when you get there. The hotel is on the hill between Quepos to Manuel Antonio.
Parasailing
On Playa Espadilla Norte, the beach outside the national park, you can go parasailing. You get a spectacular view of the national park from the air, a view that you can’t get any other way.
It’s not a cheap activity but the views are one of a kind. A lot of things to do in Manuel Antonio aren’t cheap but it’s worth splurging!
You can take a 15 or 30 (luxury) minute ride. It costs $85 for a single for 15 minutes, $140 for a double and $185 for a triple. You can book it right on the beach or contact the parasailing company Aguas Azules. They offer transportation to and from hotels in Manuel Antonio.
Visit Kids Saving the Rainforest Sanctuary
This sanctuary works hard to rescue and rehabilitate injured animals in the Manuel Antonio area and it was indeed founded by kids, in fact two 9 year old girls in 1999. Kids Saving the Rainforest helps the local communities to educate, promote and raise awareness about the environment.
Visitors can take a tour of the sanctuary to learn about how they heal and rehabilitate various wild animals such as monkeys and sloths. A tour costs $60 for adults and $45 for children under 12 with transportation included. The sanctuary is about 4 miles outside of Quepos on the Blue Bayann Inn property.
If you’re staying at the Tulemar Vacation Rentals and Resort, you can go on a sloth walk with the Sloth Institute to see more wildlife.
Catamaran Cruise
Experience the ocean by taking a sunset cruise or a snorkeling tour. The visibility in this area is not the best for snorkeling but it is possible to see dolphins and whales on the way.
There are a couple of catamaran companies in Manuel Antonio, each catering to different travelers. If you want to party on a booze cruise, go on the Ocean King. They have a huge boat that fits up to 250 people, has two floors with jaccuzzis, slides, bathrooms, showers and trampolines. If you want a quieter cruise, check out other companies like Planet Dolphin.
Zipline/Rappel/ATV
There is an adventure park in Manuel Antonio called MidWorld that offers ziplining, ATV tours, rappel and more. If you want to add a bit of excitement to your vacation, visit the park for a fun day!
Take a Day Trip to Dominical or Uvita
If you’re staying in Manuel Antonio for most of your vacation, you can take a day trip to Dominical or Uvita to see more of the South Pacific. These two beach towns are not foo far, Dominical is only a 45 minute drive away so you can easily spend a whole day there. There are a ton of fun things to do in that area and you’ll be surprised as to how much the landscape changes just 29 miles away!
For day trips, we highly recommend visiting Nauyaca Waterfalls. You can hike or take a horseback riding tour to the beautiful waterfalls and spend the day swimming in the pool.
You can also check out the town, Dominical beach or even visit another national park, Marino Ballena in Uvita. Here are 10 more ideas for things to do in Dominical and Uvita.
If you’re renting a car, you just need to drive south on the Costanera Sur. If you’re taking the bus, there is a bus from Quepos to Dominical at 5:30 AM, 11:30 and 3:30 PM and returns 8:30 AM, 1 PM and 5 PM. I recommend getting to the bus stop at least half an hour before since the bus comes from San Isidro and can be late/early depending on how many people they pick up.
To get to Nauyaca waterfalls, it is best to rent a car or book a tour since there is no bus that takes you directly to the waterfalls office. You can ride the bus from Quepos to San Isidro and ask the driver to stop at the office but you will be on a time limit to catch the bus back and it is an entire day activity.
Visit Playa Biesanz
Though there are 4 stunning beaches in Manuel Antonio National Park, they are usually very crowded. But as we all know, in every touristic area there are hidden gems and Playa Biesanz is the one in Manuel Antonio.
You have to walk a ways to this beach and it’s very rocky so wear water shoes or closed toed sandals. Make sure to check the tide because it comes in really high so it’s best to go before high tide and if you don’t want to climb up the rocks back to the path, you can walk to the Shana Hotel. The entrance to this beach is on the hill, all the locals know this beach so you can ask them for the directions.
There are vendors selling drinks and renting snorkel equipment but visibility is not great at that area. Playa Biesanz is ideal for kids because it’s in a bay so the waves are very calm.
Kayak Through Damas Island Mangrove
The nearby mangrove is an excellent place to enjoy a leisurely day wildlife watching. You can kayak which is the best way to see wildlife as you are not disturbing them with a motor or take a boat ride if you don’t feel like exercising. Your guide will point out different wildlife like anteaters, snakes, birds and more.
Even though you can see plenty of wildlife in the national park, the mangrove is home to different animals. It’s not very busy which is why we like kayaking through mangroves. I love the feeling of gliding silently over the water to get up close to the wildlife, surrounded by only the sounds of the jungle.
Watch the Sunset from the Hill (Or Beach)
And of course, you can’t miss watching the sunset at the beach! This is one of the best things to do in Manuel Antonio to wind down the day.
Since all the high end hotels in Manuel Antonio offer a splendid view of the park and the beach, you’ll have a wonderful view of the sunset. The first time we visited Manuel Antonio we stayed at Hotel La Mariposa which has an amazing infinity pool.
If your hotel doesn’t have a view, watch the sunset from Playa Espadilla Norte. It is equally as lovely!
Many restaurants on the hill also have a beautiful view. The El Avion Restaurant (airplane restaurant) has a wonderful view. Food is not great and it’s pretty expensive but the sangria is yummy.
Manuel Antonio Travel Tips
- Manuel Antonio is 2 hours from San Jose/SJO airport. From San Jose, you can fly to the local Quepos airport or take the bus to Quepos (6, 9, 12, 2:30 PM, 6 PM and 7:30PM from Calle 5, AV 19/20 Terminal Transportes Tracopa) and then take the bus from Quepos to Manuel Antonio. Or you can rent a car from San Jose and drive. Get our 10-25% car rental discount here.
- This area is very hot and a bit humid so bring plenty of sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat and mosquito repellent.
- Majority of the hotels are on the hill which is pretty steep and may be hard to walk for seniors. There are several hotels down by the national park entrance such as the El Faro Hotel.
- The busiest times in Manuel Antonio are January – April and July. End of December is also quite busy. Quietest times are September – November.
- If you visit during rainy season (June – November) and want to hike the national park, go early as possible. In rainy season, it is usually sunny in the morning and rains in the late afternoons.
- Quepos is the closest town to Manuel Antonio and there is a bus from Quepos to the national park that runs all day and costs 310 colones. Some hotels offer free shuttles to the national park.
- It is best to book tours before your trip in high season (December – April). Manuel Antonio is a very touristic area so you want to reserve your spot.
- You don’t need hiking shoes/boots for the national park. Closed toed sandals like KEEN are excellent. This is what we always wear at Manuel Antonio.
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Ayan says
Thanks for your advice and help Sammi. Could you tell us where the best spot to park is to access Manuel Antonio park? I have been told there are people who lok like official park staff that try and make you park in their lots.
Would somewhere here work? I wasn’t sure where the parking lots were
Sammi says
There are parking lots near the entrance owned by locals, honestly parking is super tight in that area so anywhere you can actually find a spot will work. Last time I went there they charged I think like 3000 colones a day but it could be more now in high season (we went in September).
Ayan says
I’m debating which cities to do the night walk in. Is Manuel Antonio generally “better” than Monteverde in terms of night walks?
Sammi says
Yes, for night walks, Manuel Antonio is better because Monteverde is a much colder climate and so you don’t see as many frogs or amphibians up there. Manuel Antonio is more humid and is proper rainforest so you can see lots of frogs, snakes, toads and insects.
Ayan says
Hi Sammi, any tips where to book a kayak from? Are they in the park itself?
Sammi says
None in the park but you can check with Agua Azules on the beach, they offer jet skis, SUP board, surf boards and others so they may have kayaks for rent.
Aimee says
Hi there,
I’ll be travelling around Costa Rica next month, hoping to do lots of hiking so MA is definitely high up on my list! Still sketching a plan but thinking of coming down from Monteverde and staying awhile then on to Uvita / Dominical.
Just wondering how long you think is a good time for exploring the area? I was thinking maybe 5 days / a week but not sure if that’s too much – or not enough??
Also, what’s your view on the best place to base myself out of (really it’s probably the park and the beach I’m most interested in) – is Quepos better, or should I stick to MA itself? I’m undecided yet whether I want to rent a car so getting to restaurants etc. might also be a consideration.
Thank you so much – your site is really helping me planning this trip so I’m super-grateful to you guys for putting this info out there!
All the best 🙂
Sammi says
Hi Aimee, 5 days is pretty good for Manuel Antonio, it’s a small area so I would even recommend less, like 3-4 nights. Most people spend one day at the park, one day at the beach and that’s it. If they stay longer, it’s usually because they’re using Manuel Antonio as their homebase for their vacation but since you’re planning to moving on to Uvita/Dominical then I’d say 3-4 nights is perfectly fine.
You can stay in either Quepos or Manuel Antonio. Quepos is the town so it’ll be more noisy and not as nice hotels but it also tends to be cheaper. There are restaurants everywhere in Quepos and Manuel Antonio so that’s not a really huge issue, but there are the nicer restaurants in Manuel Antonio. THere is a local bus that goes from Quepos to the national park every 30 minutes though so it’s easy to get around that area.
Angie says
Hi we are staying in playa del coco but have been all over..currently spending the night in manuel Antonio and really want to stay in a treehouse before we go back home..having no luck finding one, wondering if you have any suggestions..thanks
Sammi says
Hi Angie, I know of one in Nuevo Arenal and one in Samara and then Finca Bellavista in Osa Peninsula.
Sammi says
Both destinations for amazing, you can see lots of wildlife in both Manuel Antonio and Puerto Viejo. Hiking is better in Manuel Antonio because of the national park, Puerto Viejo doesn’t have like a designated hiking, but you can walk on the beach in Cahuita NP or down the other beaches to Punta Uva but for proper “hiking” Manuel Antonio NP is excellent for it. I wrote a post about it you can see here: Hiking Manuel Antonio National Park
Then for kayaking, I haven’t actually seen anyone kayaking in either destinations but Manuel Antonio has catamaran cruises and I’m not 100% sure but I think I have seen kayak rentals around there.
They are both touristic destinations, but Puerto Viejo is a small town, lots of Europeans go there and it’s not as developed or commercial. Manuel Antonio is super touristic with tons of luxury hotels everywhere, so if that’s something you guys you like/don’t like, that can help make your decision too. Puero Viejo has more rustic jungle hotels (there are a few with AC), Manuel Antonio has some of the most luxuriest and expensive hotels in CR (but they have awesome ocean views). Also you can surf in both destinations but surfing in Manuel Antonio is more for short boards due to the waves at Playa Espadilla Norte, the breaks aren’t long enough for long boards. Puerto Viejo has good surfing only certain times of the year.
ALso keep in mind that Puerto Viejo has Caribbean weather meaning it is a lot more humid and can rain all year long. June is actually one of the rainiest months for the Caribbean so it might be better to go to Manuel Antonio. June is rainy season but it’s the transition for most of the country so you may not run into any rain and just be cloudy or you may run into the occasional shower but generally, Manuel Antonio is very hot.
Jeremy says
Hi Sammi,
My wife and I going to Costa in June for the first time (first for me, she’s been before twice but stayed at a resort) for two weeks. We’re doing a week in La Fortuna, then our last week we want to stay in either Manuel Antonio OR Puerto Viejo. What do you think would be a better option? I’m into adventure sports (hence Fortuna) and surfing, and we both like easy hikes, kayaking, and seeing wildlife.
Chris says
Is there a day trip to Manual Antonio from Playas de Coco? Thank you.
Sammi says
Hi Chris, no there isn’t, the drive is about 5 hours so it’s too far.
Agness of eTramping says
Manuel Antonio seems like the perfect tourism destination. The photos are lovely, Sammi.
Sammi says
Thanks Agness!
John Miller says
Wow! There are so many things to do. It will probably take half a month to visit all those places and really enjoy them. Oh, and also, I’ve never seen a sloth in person. Do they let you come close?
Sammi says
Yeah there is just so much to do in Costa Rica! Amazing for such a small country. Usually sloths are pretty high up in the trees but if you see one on the ground or lower, they usually don’t get freaked out too much by people or are mean. But you should never touch/hug or anything to the sloth as it stresses them out.