Costa Rica's most visited national park and the working port town next door. Beaches, wildlife, sportfishing, and a deep bench of hotels and restaurants packed into a few kilometers of coast.
Why visit Manuel Antonio
Manuel Antonio is the most visited national park in Costa Rica for a straightforward reason: the rainforest runs right down to the sea in a small, walkable park where sloths, white-faced monkeys, and iguanas are easy to spot, and the beaches inside the park are among the prettiest on the coast. Quepos, the working port town next door, anchors the area's sportfishing fleet and a deep restaurant scene.
Why people stay
People come for two days and stay for five because the area works as a base. You can do the park in the morning, a catamaran or sportfishing trip on the water by afternoon, and a ridge-top sunset dinner, all within a few minutes' drive. It has the deepest bench of hotels, tours, and services on the central Pacific, so you rarely need to travel far for anything.
Known for
Manuel Antonio National Park and its forest-backed beaches
Sloths, white-faced monkeys, and easy wildlife watching
Sportfishing and catamaran tours out of Marina Pez Vela
Ridge-top sunset restaurants overlooking the Pacific
Plan your visit
Getting there and around
From San Jos茅, 150 km away, the three options worth your time are a private shuttle door to door, a rental car if you want to explore the coast and the ridge-top hotels, or a short Sansa flight into the Quepos (XQP) airstrip, about 15 to 20 minutes for around $100 and well worth it when time is tight. The area itself is one winding road from Quepos down to the park entrance, with frequent local buses and shuttles between the two.
Best time to go
December to April is the dry season and the busiest, with reliable sun. The green season from May to November is quieter and cheaper, with lush forest and afternoon rain, and September and October are the wettest months. The national park closes one weekday that shifts by season, so confirm the schedule before you plan a park day.
Towns in Manuel Antonio
Town guides with feria days, festivals, and local listings. Full feria calendar.
Luxury resort and member of the Cayuga Collection, one of the few hotels in Manuel Antonio with direct beach access, set between two beaches with two pools. Around 40 rooms and suites, in-house naturalist guides, and two restaurants, the beachfront Playitas and the oceanview Mirador, which sources fish through a dock to dish program. Known for serious sustainability practices alongside five-star service.
Adults-only hostel and hotel in Quepos near Playa Espadilla, aimed at backpackers and digital nomads, with a pool set in tropical landscaping. Reviewers describe it as quiet and eco-friendly, away from the busier strip.
Six-bedroom hilltop villa in the heart of Manuel Antonio with a 360-degree view and an infinity pool, managed by CR Vacation Properties. The centrally located property is billed by its manager as one of the area's most exclusive rental homes.
Garden patio cafe, bar, and restaurant run by Caf茅 Milagro, a roaster that has been producing Costa Rican coffee for around 30 years. Breakfast brings omelets and banana pancakes, while dinner leans into creative Costa Rican cooking with meat and fish plates, local craft beer, and live music in the evenings. Open daily 6:30 am to 9:30 pm, with vegetarian and gluten free options.
Casual open-air restaurant under a corrugated zinc roof, sitting high above the rainforest with a clear view down to the Pacific. The tuna margarita (seared tuna over wonton chips) is the signature order, alongside burgers, burritos, whole snapper in tamarind sauce, and a nightly pasta special. Open daily except Wednesdays, roughly 11 am to 9 pm.
A jungle fine-dining restaurant at Makanda by the Sea, serving Costa Rican seafood and farm produce with a modern, food-and-wine focused menu. Set between jungle canopy and open Pacific views, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Full-service tour operator headquartered on Route 34 across from Hospital Max Teran Valls in Quepos, booking ocean kayaking and snorkeling, horseback, canopy, whitewater rafting, and catamaran tours under one roof. The snorkeling and kayak tour visits volcanic rock formations and pre-Columbian turtle traps reached by sea kayak from the Manuel Antonio coast. In whale season (July 15 to October 15) the company runs day trips south to Marino Ballena National Park for humpback watching with ICT-licensed naturalist guides.
Private 45-foot Viking yacht based at Marina Pez Vela, run by Captain Eugenio (Cappy) Ramirez and crew. Charters span full-day offshore fishing for sailfish, marlin, and mahi mahi, half-day inshore trips for roosterfish and snapper, private snorkeling and coastal cruises, whale watching, and sunset cruises with private dining events aboard. Bespoke custom trips are available for groups.
Beach-based water sports operation with over 35 years on Playa Espadilla, offering winch boat parasailing up to 600 feet above the Pacific, banana boat rides, water-skiing, wakeboarding, and jet ski rentals. Parasailing runs daily from 9 am to 3 pm (1 pm cutoff during rainy season) and requires no prior experience. The operation is located directly on the public beach outside Manuel Antonio National Park.
Private chef service from Chef Eddie Cambronero, cooking world cuisine rooted in Costa Rican tradition for villa stays, celebrations, and family dinners. He serves the Manuel Antonio, Esterillos, Dominical, Uvita, and Ojochal corridor, and also hosts intimate dinners at his own home in Portasol. Signature plates run from an elevated casado to tom kha pasta and chicken piccata, built on fresh local ingredients.
Real estate brokerage with offices in the Quepos and Manuel Antonio area, listing ocean view homes, condos, hotels, land and development properties along the Central Pacific. Active inventory ranges from modest condos to multimillion dollar beachfront hotels and estates.
Property management and vacation rental company based at Marina Pez Vela, Quepos, managing more than 50 villas across Manuel Antonio, Dominical, and Uvita. Legally registered as Two Costa Rica Vacation Rental, the company has operated in the market for close to two decades and personally inspects every property in its collection.
Massage and body therapy studio near Playitas beach, offering treatments both at its own space and as an in-villa or in-hotel mobile service. The team focuses on massage, body therapy, and related treatments using their own products and techniques. It holds a 2026 Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice award and is currently the top-rated spa listing for Manuel Antonio on that platform.
In-villa massage service based in Quepos that sends therapists directly to hotels, rental homes, and villas around Manuel Antonio with table, cupping equipment, and aromatherapy oils. Reviewers on Tripadvisor describe repeat visits from the same therapists during multi-week stays.
Mobile massage therapist Lorraine Fletcher works throughout the Manuel Antonio and Quepos area, bringing massage, yoga, and personal training sessions to villas, hotels, and the beach. Services include individual Swedish or deep tissue massage and couples massage, booked directly by phone or through her website. She is based near Playa Espadilla.
A solo instructor operation run by Hannah, offering daily morning group yoga classes at a jungle yoga deck and twice-weekly sunset beach yoga sessions reached by a 15-minute hike. Private classes are available at hotels and villas throughout the Manuel Antonio area. Group sessions are 60 minutes and priced at $15, with all equipment provided.
Wellness center in Manuel Antonio offering spa and holistic treatments alongside movement classes since 1994. Programs include massage therapy, yoga, Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis sessions, breathwork, fitness and multi-day wellness retreats.
A yoga and wellness studio inside the Alma Vida Hotel on the edge of the Manuel Antonio National Park nature reserve, offering daily yoga, pilates, sound baths, breathwork, cacao circles, and meditation sessions. Classes are priced in Costa Rican colones with local and resident discounts, and reservations are handled by WhatsApp. The facility is open to non-hotel guests and keeps a weekly rotating schedule.
July 10, 2026 to July 12, 2026 · Playa Hermosa, Jac贸
Season-ending grand final of Costa Rica's national surf circuit, the highest-value stop, where the national champions are decided.
Fiestas de la Virgen del Mar
Annual, mid-July (sea procession near July 16) · Puntarenas
Costa Rica's signature maritime festival, where decorated fishing boats parade across the Gulf of Nicoya to honor the patron of fishermen, with concerts and food on the waterfront.
Coopealianza ATH ATM at the marina. Needs re-verification.
Medical
Hospital
Hospital Dr. Max Ter谩n VallsHighway 34 (Costanera Sur) just outside Quepos, toward the airport+506 2774 9500Open 24/7 with a 24-hour emergency department
Public CCSS hospital serving the Aguirre canton; where Red Cross 911 ambulances bring patients.
Hospital
Hospital Metropolitano (Marina Pez Vela)Marina Pez Vela, Local 206, Quepos+506 4070 4040Emergency Mon-Sat 6:00am to 10:00pm; on-site pharmacy and lab
Private hospital branch at the marina with emergency care, lab, X-ray, and specialists.
Clinic
Quepos Urgent Care (Medi Red)Quepos centro, in front of the church+506 2777 1727Mon-Wed, Fri, Sat 8:00am to 10:00pm; Thu and Sun to 5:00pm
English-speaking private urgent care; can arrange air or ground medical evacuation.
Clinic
Manuel Antonio Urgent Care (Medi Red)Plaza la Cima, in front of Tulemar, on the Manuel Antonio road+506 2777 1727Mon-Wed, Fri, Sat 8:00am to 10:00pm; Thu and Sun to 5:00pm
Medi Red urgent-care office on the Manuel Antonio strip.
Pharmacy
Farmacia B谩sica QueposQuepos waterfront, facing the Malec贸n+506 2777 0038
Full-service downtown pharmacy with prescription meds and baby care.
Pharmacy
Farmacias MaralQuepos centro, near Farmacia B谩sica Quepos+506 8627 34348:00am to 10:00pm
Pharmacy with an on-site doctor for paid consultations.
Pharmacy
Farmacia Econ贸micaQuepos centro, one block from Farmacias Maral+506 2777 32127:00am to 8:00pm
Budget pharmacy with lower-priced medication and supplements.
