Manuel Antonio National Park: Things To Do & Where To Stay

Best Things to Do in Manuel Antonio

Families, couples, groups, and even solo travelers can find enough to do in Manuel Antonio to fill an entire week, at least. These are the Costa Rica Experts’ recommendations for the best things to do in Manuel Antonio and Quepos area:

Visit Manuel Antonio National Park.

Manuel Antonio is the smallest national park in Costa Rica but one of the most popular. Visitors catch a glimpse of Capuchin, Howler, and Squirrel Monkeys, sloths, iguanas, agoutis, and hundreds of species of birds before hitting one of the park’s beautiful beaches.

In a recent attempt to curb visitor influence on the park’s ecological balance, the Costa Rican government has mandated a limit on daily visitors to the park at around 1200 people per day. Book an early morning guided tour of the park with a professional naturalist guide to avoid the crowds and increase your odds of seeing more wildlife. Naturalist guides have an eye and an ear for locating wildlife that most people miss. Manuel Antonio National Park is closed on Tuesdays.

Hiking in Manuel Antonio National Park

You’re sure to see plenty of wildlife throughout your stay in the Manuel Antonio region, but hiking the trails within Manuel Antonio National Park will certainly bring you up close to many of the shyer rainforest animals. Plus you’ll get to take in the rainforest views from a unique vantage point. The main trail within the park is a 1.3-mile flat, sandy trail that links the park’s beaches. This trail is perfect for travelers of all ages. Our Experts recommend visiting the park with a professional, naturalist guide and hitting the trails early to avoid crowds and see more wildlife! Another slightly more challenging trail for the adventurous is Punta Catedral, a beautiful 0.9-mile loop trail of moderate difficulty and some steep inclines. The trail is accessible from both Manuel Antonio Beach and Espadilla Sur Beach.

Related Article: 16 Best Hikes in Costa Rica

Discover Manuel Antonio Beaches.

Inside Manuel Antonio National Park are some of the region’s best beaches – Escondido Beach, Manuel Antonio Beach, and Espadilla Sur can all be accessed via low-intensity trails. There are great options outside of the park, too. Playa Manuel Antonio and the long stretch of beach known as Espadilla Beach are the main scenes for Manuel Antonio’s visitors. You can find drink stands, surf lessons, snack bars, souvenir vendors, parasailing, and all kinds of beachy fun walking down Espadilla. If you’ve already explored the beaches inside the park, head to Biesanz Beach, located in a crescent bay on the end of Quepos Point, opposite Playa Espadilla. Biesanz Beach is a more secluded option with calm waters, great for swimming and kayaking.

Because of environmental restrictions, the hotels in the Manuel Antonio area are not beachfront but set cliff-side with sweeping views. Only a few Manuel Antonio hotels have direct beach access; Arenas del Mar Beach & Nature Resort is located on Playitas Beach (part of Espadilla Beach but more secluded and less crowded) and guests of Tulemar Resort have direct access to their own quiet stretch of sand.

Related Article: Best Beaches of Costa Rica

Surf Lessons

If you want to try out surfing during your Costa Rica vacation, Manuel Antonio is a great place to learn the basics. Those with more advanced surf skills might find the waves on Playa Espadilla less intimidating than the waves of Nazaré or Oahu’s North Shore, but still worth a paddle out.  Surf lessons can be arranged as part of your pre-planned vacation package or you can ask your hotel concierge about board rentals at check-in. The southern end of the beach at high tide is good for beginning surfers, while the northern end of the beach often sees bigger waves. If you have a rental car, consider driving south to some of the beaches near Dominical or Uvita for some extra surfing opportunities away from the crowds.

Marina Paz Vela – Quepos Sportfishing

Sportfishing from Quepos is a must-do for fishing enthusiasts who find themselves on the Central Pacific coast. Quepos has been called the Sailfish Capital of the World, but depending on the season, you might also reel in marlin, tuna, dorado, wahoo, snook, roosterfish, and snapper. Marina Paz Vela is the best place to start your fishing adventures, with 195 boat slips, floating concrete docks, and a custom-designed dam system to protect the many vessels that operate in the marina’s waterfront. Paz Vela can arrange fishing tours, catamaran cruises, parasailing, jet ski excursions, and more. The commercial plaza offers 5 restaurants, a full-service deli & bakery, and a gelato shop.

Related Article: Top Destinations for Sportfishing in Costa Rica

Explore the Damas Island Mangrove Estuary.

Cruise the waterways of Damas Island Estuary on a boat or kayaking tour. Just a 15-20 minute drive from the Manuel Antonio hotels, Isla Damas is a unique coastal ecosystem where monkeys, snakes, sloths, and crocodiles slink about the waterways and contribute to the ecological landscape. This is a wonderful adventure for travelers of all ages and activity levels; both the boat tour and the kayaking tour are done with a naturalist guide who will explain the intricate balance of rainforest life in one of the planet’s most important environments.

 

Manuel Antonio Restaurants & Dining Options:

Dining on freshly caught seafood that goes right from dock to dish, fresh tropical fruits, and a surprising variety of international cuisine mixed with Costa Rican staples. Given its beachy vibe, the “downtown” part of Manuel Antonio – on the south end of Playa Espadilla near the entrance to the Manuel Antonio National Park – offers appropriately casual restaurant options with a Costa Rican twist. This small strip is home to Restaurant Baru and Marlin Restaurant, both solid options for a casual lunch or dinner overlooking the beach. While you’re there, you can also hit up Shibuya for sushi or Baldi’s Fresh for smoothies and other familiar treats.

For Thai, check out Samui or head to Enso for great sushi. Café Milagro is still one of the best spots in town for coffee and bakery-style bites. Several casual bars and grille restaurants along the main road offer live music, drink specials, and typical Costa Rican food.

Unique and Picture-Worthy Dining

Looking for something unique and picture-worthy? En Todas is a repurposed school bus that evolved into Manuel Antonio’s most beloved beach-adjacent restaurant. The picnic table setup is the perfect casual spot for burgers or fish tacos after a day of fun and sun. Head up the road to El Avion – Manuel Antonio’s famous airplane restaurant to round out a day of transportation-themed dining.

Upscale Dining

The more upscale dining is typically found at the hotel restaurants; Karolas at Los Altos Resort and La Luna at Gaia Reserve are long-time favorites. Check out Claro Que Si Seafood restaurant at Hotel Si Como No for the special whole-fried snapper! Mirador restaurant at beachfront Arenas del Mar is the perfect blend of elegant and beachy fine dining.

Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants

Vegan and vegetarian diners have great options in the Manuel Antonio dining scene. As its name suggests, Casa Planta is focused on bolstering its menu with ample plant-based selections. Manuel Antonio Falafel Bar isn’t specifically vegan, but the Mediterranean menu naturally caters to folks who don’t consume animal products. Near the park entrance, you’ll find Natural Food, and Varuna is a plant-based food and juice bar.

When To Visit Manuel Antonio:

The dry season, from mid-December through May is the most popular time to visit Manuel Antonio. Sunny, clear skies with minimal rainfall attract travelers looking for beach activities, wildlife, and accessible rainforest trails. However, we also highly encourage travel in the green season (May through November). If travelers can make peace with afternoon showers and the occasional heavy rain, they will be met with lush rainforests with active wildlife and fewer tourists.

How To Get To Manuel Antonio:

If you are flying into Costa Rica, San Jose International Airport (SJO) is the closest airport. Manuel Antonio is 2.5 – 3 hours by car from San Jose. Most travelers opt for a private ground transfer, though some short domestic flights are available daily. Driving times from Manuel Antonio to popular Costa Rica destinations are as follows:

• Arenal: 4.5 – 5.5 hours by ground or 30-minute private flight
• Monteverde: 3 hours
• Jaco/Playa Herradura: 1 – 1.5 hours
• Uvita/Ojochal: 1 – 1.5 hours
• Sierpe: 1.5 – 2 hours
• Drake Bay: 1.5 – 2 hours by ground to Sierpe + 1 hour by boat on the Sierpe River
• Puerto Jimenez: 3.5 hours by ground
• San Jose: 2.5 – 3 hours by ground or 30-minute domestic flight
• Central Highlands (San Ramon, Bajos del Toro, La Paz): 3 – 4 hours