The Four Species of Monkeys in Costa Rica and Where to See Them

Costa Rica: the country with more monkeys than humans.

This was on a sign I saw in Manuel Antonio and I couldn’t help but snicker to myself. Not because it was absurd, but because it actually feels 100% true.

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Monkeys in Costa Rica and Where to See Them

Costa Rica is home to 4 different species of monkeys: Howler, White Face or Capuchin, Squirrel and Spider.

Mantled Howler Monkey

The Mantled Howler Monkey is a New World monkey and one of the largest Central American monkeys.

They are aptly named “howler” because they make a very loud howling sound which can be quite scary the first time you hear it.

Howler monkeys are said to be the loudest land animal, so you will hear them before you see them.

Male howler monkeys have an enlarged hyoid bone which allows them to amplify their calls for miles.

Since they have a folivorous diet meaning they eat mostly leaves, they don’t move as much as other monkeys. They sleep a lot to digest the leaves.

Howler monkeys are very common, found in many parts of Costa Rica.

Where to see them

You can see howler monkeys in Osa Peninsula, Manuel Antonio, Costa Ballena, Guanacaste, Nicoya Peninsula, Monteverde, Boca Tapada, La Fortuna, Sarapiqui, Limon and the Caribbean coast.

Pretty much all throughout the country except the Central Valley cities and the very highest elevation areas.

You can see them lounging in the trees on beaches like Tamarindo, Ocotal, Conchal, Playa Hermosa Gte, Playa Panama, Santa Teresa, Avellanas and Langosta on the North Pacific coast.

We live in Guanacaste and have a few troops in our neighborhood. They sometimes come into our property to munch on our trees or eat our mangoes.

White Face Monkey

These cheeky monkeys are native to Central America and are extremely intelligent.

These monkeys are omnivorous and highly active, living in troops of more than 20 members. They also walk on the ground more than other New World Monkeys.

Considered to be the most intelligent New World Monkey, they have been observed using tools and adapting to human behavior.

Best places to see them

In Costa Rica, you can commonly see white face monkeys in Manuel Antonio, Osa Peninsula, Monteverde, La Fortuna, Nicoya Peninsula, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Cahuita, Tortuguero and Palo Verde.

They are especially common in Manuel Antonio National Park, where they are known to steal food from tourists.

Central American Squirrel Monkey or Mono Titi

The Squirrel Monkeys are among the smallest of the primates and are found only on the South Pacific coast of Costa Rica and the northwestern tip of Panama.

They are omnivores and live in big troops from 20 to 75 members.

Currently the Squirrel Monkey is vulnerable mainly due to deforestation and illegal pet trade. Costa Rica’s national parks in the South Pacific where the monkeys live have helped bring their numbers back up.

Best Places to See Them

You can see these monkeys in Corcovado National Park, Osa Peninsula and Manuel Antonio National Park.

Geoffrey’s Spider Monkey

The Spider Monkey is a New World monkey. It has a prehensile tail that can support the entire body weight of the animal, making it the most active monkey of the four.

It’s one of the biggest New World monkeys weighing up to 20 lbs (9 kg).

They used to be quite abundant throughout Costa Rica but not so much anymore sadly due to deforestation and hunting.

So now they live in more remote places that support their large troop size and diet as they eat mostly fruit.

Spider monkeys are commonly seen in Corcovado National Park and Osa Peninsula.

You can also see them in Rincon de la Vieja National Park (not super common), Tortuguero, Sarapiqui, La Fortuna (near Mistico Hanging Bridges Park), Boca Tapada, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, and Monteverde.

Sometimes if a spider monkey doesn’t have other members to create a troop, it’ll join a troop of other monkeys.

There have been sightings of a White Face monkey troop of 20 members and 1 Spider Monkey.

Best Place to See Monkeys in Costa Rica

The Osa Peninsula and Corcovado National Park is the best place to see monkeys in Costa Rica because it’s the only location in the country to see all four monkeys.

Plan your trip to the Osa Peninsula with this guide!

But if you just want to see any monkey, you can see them in many places throughout the country.

Guanacaste has a ton of howler monkeys, Manuel Antonio National Park has a lot of white face and squirrel monkeys, and the Caribbean coast (Tortuguero and Puerto Viejo de Talamanca) has a lot of spider, howler and white face monkeys.

The best tours to see monkeys are river boat safari cruises such as in Palo Verde National Park in Guanacaste and Damas Island Mangrove in Manuel Antonio, safari floats such as the Peñas Blancas in La Fortuna and Sarapiqui River in Sarapiqui and morning nature walks like at Mistico Hanging Bridges in Arenal.

Check out our 2 week Costa Rica birding and wildlife itinerary for plenty of opportunities to see all four species of monkeys!

Costa Rica Vacation Checklist

• First time to Costa Rica? Read our First Time in Costa Rica guide.
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Want to see other wildlife in Costa Rica? Check these posts out!

Sloths in Costa Rica

Birds in Costa Rica

Reptiles & Amphibians in Costa Rica

Whales in Costa Rica