Five things to do in Manuel Antonio beyond the national park

Manuel Antonio National Park is the reason most people come, and it deserves an early-morning visit. But the park is a couple of hours, not a week. Here is how locals fill the rest of the time.

1. Get on the water

The Pacific here is set up for it. Half-day catamaran tours sail the coast with snorkeling and a chance at dolphins, and the sportfishing fleet out of Marina Pez Vela runs inshore and offshore charters for sailfish, marlin, and roosterfish. Sunset sails are the easy crowd-pleaser.

2. Eat with a view

The ridge between Quepos and the park is lined with restaurants built for the sunset. The famous one is a converted cargo plane, but the whole road has open-air kitchens looking out over the ocean. Reserve for sunset in high season.

3. Walk a different forest

If the park is busy or closed for its weekly rest day, the area has private reserves and nature trails with night tours, hanging bridges, and the same wildlife with fewer people. A guide with a scope is worth it for spotting sloths and birds you would walk straight past.

4. Spend a day in Quepos

The working port town next door is where the area actually lives: the Friday and Saturday feria for produce, the marina for a coffee and a boat-watch, and sodas serving casados at local prices. It is a useful, unglamorous counterpoint to the resort road.

5. Chase a waterfall or a ride

Inland from the coast you will find waterfall hikes, horseback rides through the hills, and ATV tours on the back roads. These are easy half-days and a good rainy-season plan when the afternoon clouds roll in.

Browse the full set of verified tours, restaurants, and stays on the Manuel Antonio area guide.