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.
Hotels and places to stay
Boutique hotels, jungle lodges, hostels, and private villas, verified and current. See all 21.
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.
A 10-bedroom, 11-bathroom luxury villa spanning 12,000 square feet across four levels in Manuel Antonio, accommodating up to 26 guests. Amenities include a large infinity pool with beach-style entry, a 20-person solar-heated jacuzzi, 30-seat private cinema, game room, spa treatment rooms, gym, and a covered event tent for up to 70 people. A private chef prepares two meals daily, and the villa hosts destination weddings and corporate retreats. Nightly rates start at $1,592.
Eco-focused boutique hotel opened in 2023 after a complete remodel and rebrand of the former Byblos Hotel, set within 10 acres of rainforest on the main road through Manuel Antonio. The property offers private bungalows and hotel suites, three on-site dining venues, a spa, gym, and yoga platform. It targets wildlife-oriented travelers and sustainable tourism guests.
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 Latin American bar and restaurant at Marina Pez Vela open Monday through Saturday 11 am to 10 pm. The menu runs rum cocktails, tropical drinks, and Caribbean-inflected dishes in a casual open-air setting with views over the marina and the Pacific sunset. Rum-based drinks are the focal point of the bar program.
Restaurant and bar built around a 1954 Fairchild C-123 cargo plane tied to the 1980s Iran-Contra affair, parked on the hillside along the main Manuel Antonio road. The plane's fuselage houses the bar and the open-air terraces face the Pacific for sunset. Menu staples include coconut shrimp, seafood curry, yellowfin tuna steaks, and fried calamari.
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.
Family-run adventure company with more than 25 years in Manuel Antonio, running whitewater rafting on the Savegre, Naranjo, and El Chorro rivers (minimum age 12) plus ocean kayaking and Damas Island mangrove trips (minimum age 8). Its ADR Adventure Park combo day, about 40 minutes from Manuel Antonio, runs $140 per person, with other tours from $79.
ATV operator established in 2013, based in Pocares about 10 km north of Manuel Antonio, running 4-hour tours through 25 miles of palm oil fields, jungle pathways, and off-road terrain to three waterfalls with a natural swimming pool. The fleet uses automatic Yamaha Kodiak 450cc ATVs. Tours include snacks, a traditional Costa Rican lunch, and a bilingual guide. Combined ATV and horseback riding tours (5.5 hours) are also available.
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.
Quepos branch of Adobe Rent a Car, one of the largest Costa Rican owned rental fleets in the country. The office sits in downtown Quepos in front of the soccer field entrance, opens daily 8 am to 5 pm, and delivers cars to hotels in the area at no extra cost.
Quepos-based private transportation company running air-conditioned Toyota minibuses with professional local drivers. Covers transfers to and from SJO and LIR airports, plus intercity routes to Jaco, Dominical, Uvita, La Fortuna, Tamarindo, and Guanacaste. Available 24/7 with cash or PayPal payment.
