The 15 BEST Things To Do In Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

The 15 Best Things To Do In Manuel Antonio

Lying back on the sun loungers we admired the squirrel monkeys leaping across the pool sail and into nearby trees. The younger monkeys tussled on the middle of the sail as the older monkeys foraged for food. A tiny baby squirrel monkey clinging onto the fur of its mother as she leapt from branch to branch. This was our first day in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, and wow was it a good one! Within half an hour of arrival we saw a sloth in a nearby tree, squirrel monkeys, capuchin monkeys and a toucan! Certainly living up to the hype.

Some people are worried that it will be too touristy in Manuel Antonio, which it can be, but actually it’s completely worth it to see the amazing wildlife there!

Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

Manuel Antonio generally refers to the town of Manuel Antonio, which is right beside Manuel Antonio National Park. To get to the town you do need to drive through the busy town of Quepos. Easy in the dry season, however Quepos is prone to flooding in the wet season and this can make access difficult. If you are concerned about flooding then it’s possible to book transport via tourist minibuses, but in May, at the beginning of the rainy season we still found it easy to drive, with just rain showers in the evenings.

Famed for its amazing wildlife, Manuel Antonio is certainly the place to stay if you want all sorts of animals and birds around you! We saw just as much wildlife at our accommodation as we did in the National Park! So if it’s wildlife you are looking for then Manuel Antonio is the place to be. However, if you are looking for off the beaten track and less tourists, then you’ll need to head elsewhere.

How To Get To Manuel Antonio

We chose to hire a car during our visit to Costa Rica, this is made it a lot easier to get around the country. It also makes it simpler if you are cooking at your accommodation, as the larger supermarkets are out of town. You can read more about our experience of driving in Costa Rica here. As mentioned above you’ll need to travel through Quepos to get to Manuel Antonio, just use Waze for directions.

Other options are flying to Quepos airport (it’s only 25 minutes from San Jose by plane) and taking a taxi to your hotel. It’s more expensive and probably won’t save a lot of time with security waits etc. But good if you don’t like being in a car for long. Many people hire private transfers or shared tourist shuttles from elsewhere in Costa Rica, this can be a good option if you’re solo travelling.

Where To Stay In Manuel Antonio

There a huge number of places to choose from in Manuel Antonio. Definitely something for all budgets, but even then it’s worth noting various important factors before choosing where to stay.

First of all you are most likely going to want to be beside the forest of the National Park, where animals cross over into the town. This doesn’t necessarily mean beside the gates, the National Park stretches out behind the town, so those properties higher up the hill and East are closer to the forest. This is often where monkeys, sloths and toucans are spotted.

Second you may want to consider distance to the beach or if there is transport to the beach from your hotel. Those properties at the top of the hill are a long walk back from the beach!

Food options, if you have a good budget there are many hotels that have full or half board, but equally there are plenty of accommodation that have small kitchens to make your own food and keep costs down.

Lastly you will definitely want a pool! Unless you are right beside the beach then a pool is necessary to cool down in the humidity here.

Top hotels to stay in Manuel Antonio:

Parador Resort and Spa, enclosed in its own forested peninsula with easy access to Playa Biesanz beach or a shuttle to the main beach.
Hotel Costa Verde, right by the forest encompassing the National Park and perfect for viewing wildlife on the property. Separate apartments, many with a small kitchenette and fridge to cook food. We stayed here and loved it!
Tulemar Resort, one of the luxury hotels located in the jungle and access to their own private beach, use of kayaks, umbrellas and boogie boards at the private beach.
Arenas del Mar beach front hotel, easy access to Playa Espadilla beach and excellent views along the coast.

Expect to pay higher prices in the high season. If you want lower cost accommodation consider the shoulder season just at the start or end of the rainy season.

Top 15 Things To Do In Manuel Antonio and Nearby

So, why should you visit Manuel Antonio? Obviously there are amazing wildlife opportunities to see in the jungle. But don’t underestimate the other activities in the area too. It’s a fabulous place to stay with lots to do. Most you can do yourself or book a guided tour directly with the operator. If you choose to book through a company I highly recommend using GetYourGuide so you know exactly what to expect.

Tour the Manuel Antonio National Park

The absolute main attraction is of course the National Park, it’s one of the best places to spot wildlife in Costa Rica and I’ll doubt you will be disappointed. The park is very busy at all times, however the best time to visit is first thing in the morning. This is when wildlife is active, it’s slightly cooler and slightly less busy.

There are only a few trails through the lush rainforest and if you are up to walking further, then head toward the furthest part of the park. As most people opt for a guided tour you will find the beaches very quiet early on in the day, steadily getting busier into the afternoon. If you have kids, like us, simply walk along the main trail spotting wildlife on the way. Handy hint – stop when you see lots of people crowded round looking up!

You can easily spot wildlife without a tour, as I mentioned you can stop when you hear movement above, or see other people stopped. Don’t miss the crabs under the boardwalk either, they were highly amusing to us all!

We spotted howler monkeys, capuchins, three-toed sloths, agoutis, abundant birdlife and more. The abundant wildlife makes it easy to spot! The only down side is the eating area which is small with not much variety of food, and it wasn’t particularly good food either. You can’t take food into the park for obvious reasons, and don’t attempt to as your bags get searched at the park entrance, so this is the only option.

If you are looking for tour guides you can either book in advance or get a guide near the entrance.

Spend the Day on the Beach

There are several beautiful beaches in the Manuel Antonio area, with the largest being Playa Manuel Antonio, just off the main road.

The best beaches to visit are:

Playa Espadilla Sur, a long stretch of beach within the National Park, you’ll need park tickets to access it.
Play Biesanz beach, a small secluded beach near Hotel Parador, great for less crowds.
Playa Espadilla Norte, the main beach in Manuel Antonio, busy, but plenty of space.
Manuel Antonio beach, small sandy beach within the national park, protected from the bigger waves on the other side of the peninsula and better for swimming in.

If you are happy to explore further away from Manuel Antonio then there are the most beautiful beaches to visit along this coastline. From Uvita’s whale tail, to Dominical‘s laid back atmosphere. Or visit more secluded beaches away from the crowds at Playa Domnicalito or Playa Pinales. Both are near Uvita, as this is less visited.

Take a Mangrove Kayaking Tour

Central America has some fantastic areas of mangrove and Costa Rica is no exception. Although there has been vast plantations of oil palm trees replacing many mangrove areas, there are still a large section of mangroves in the Manuel Antonio area. A mangrove tour is the best way to explore this beautiful habitat, you won’t see much wildlife, except the hundreds of crabs! But it’s a relaxing tour either by boat or kayak and definitely a fun way to explore a unique natural habitat. Check Damas Island Mangrove Estuary tours on GetYourGuide.

Visit El Avion Restaurant

Opposite Hotel Costa Verde is the El Avion restaurant, a restaurant built around the body of an aeroplane! It’s an awesome place to visit and you should eat there at least once during your stay. The food is delicious, staff are friendly and the spectacular views from the balcony at sunset are immense!

Don’t forget the obligatory photo in front of the cockpit!

If you like planes you may also love to know that Hotel Costa verde have several aeroplane accommodation options too.

Watch Monkeys From the Pool

Most of the popular hotels in Manuel Antonio are visited by all sorts of wildlife, they keep the grounds as forested as they can to encourage wildlife to visit. It works well as which tourist doesn’t want to see a toucan from their balcony or monkeys jumping over the pool!

We stayed at Hotel Costa Verde and loved the pool at the top of the resort, every afternoon the monkeys would appear, rolling about on the shade sail. Then leaping through the trees finding food. Definitely something not to miss! I know other hotels, such as those mentioned above in the ‘where to stay‘ section also have similar experiences.

Visit Rainmaker Park

A short drive from Manuel Antonio, along a bump track is Rainmaker Park. It’s at the end of the road and you will get shaken around a little! Rainmaker is popular for its hanging bridges canopy tour and natural swimming pools. We took our rental car, which was a 4×4, but you can also book a tour or a naturalist guide for an extra cost. The entrance fee seems quite steep, especially if you have been to some of the Costa Rican National Parks. However, take your swimwear and a towel and make a day of it. The hanging bridges are a lot of fun. Then once you’ve worked a sweat up walking around the lush jungle, cool off in the crystal-clear waters of the natural pools.

The pools all run down the lower section, with the deeper ones near the top of the trail. Have a good swim in each pool, we loved how different they all were and this was a definite highlight for our kids.

Don’t miss the traditional Costa Rican lunch which you can pay for at the same time as your entrance ticket. This is a popular destination for tour groups too, so make sure to go early!

Take a Boat Tour

One of the more popular Manuel Antonio tours is the catamaran tour. The main reason for these are whale watching (in season) and snorkelling off Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. These tours generally visit a small cove for snorkelling and look out for marine life. Some also stay out for sunset too, which is often spectacular along this coast.

Learn to Surf

A great place for surf lessons is Playa Espadilla, the main beach in town. There are lots of surf companies touting their services, but check online for reviews of each before you choose. This part of the Pacific Ocean has some awesome waves, so if you or the kids enjoy a bit of an adrenaline rush, then this could be the thing for you!

Try Canopy Ziplining

There are a few areas around Manuel Antonio park for canopy ziplining. Next to El Avion is the ‘Zipcoaster’, this is a short zip around a metal construction in the forest. Not particular long or exciting. There are much better ziplines just outside Manuel Antonio that you can either drive to or reach by a guided tour. El Santuario canopy adventure has good reviews and is a 25 minute drive out from Manuel Antonio. They have professional bilingual guide’s and the longest zip line in Costa Rica at over 1300m!

Take a Night Tour in the Jungle

You need to take at least one night tour through the jungle when you visit Costa Rica! We chose one at a hotel we were staying at in La Fortuna and have to admit it wasn’t great. It was in secondary forest and we didn’t see anything other than frogs and a viper (which had been in the same position earlier in the day). Due to the dense jungle around Manuel Antonio, this is the perfect place for a night tour! Manuel Antonio National Park is not open in the evening for any tours. So all night tours are in surrounding rainforest. Choose from Biophilia reserve, Rainmaker Park or one of the many hotels who have night walks in their own grounds.

Watch the Sun Set Over the Sea

The view from Manuel Antonio, directly west to where the sun is setting is immense. It’s well worth having dinner in a restaurant with a view across the ocean at sunset. Or sit on the beach and watch the sun set into the sea beyond.

Day Trip to Uvita

Uvita is a small town around 1 hour drive South East of Manuel Antonio. It’s a lot less tourist’y’ here and there is a long stretch of beach to explore, including the ‘whale’s tail’. The whales tail is where there is a stretch of sand jutting out into the sea due to the action of the ocean. It looks very much like a whale’s tail from a bird’s eye view!

Explore the beach and if the tides are right walk out to the tip of the tail! The beach and tail are within the Marino Ballena National Park, so you will need to check opening times. Nauyaca waterfalls are also between Uvita and Manuel Antonio, so consider visiting these on the way to Uvita too. They’re named as one of the top waterfalls to visit in Costa Rica!

Whale watching boat trip

From August to October is a great time to go out whale watching! Humpback whales are frequently spotted in the waters around Manuel Antonio during this period and it’s well worth taking a tour out to look for them. Unfortunately when we visited in May it was too early, so we didn’t take a tour. However, there are many tour operators that mention whale tours on their lists from August onward.

White Water Rafting Tour

Costa Rica is well known for its adrenaline experiences, with white water rafting being a major attraction for tourists. This can only be done via a guided tour and they will take you to the best rivers nearby, suited to the ages of your group. Usual rivers include the Savegre River for class II and III rapids, perfect for families with younger children. Or the Naranjo river which has class III rapids and above, suited to teens and adults who can swim well.

The best tours include safety kayakers, modern equipment and snacks, along with stops at waterfalls on some river sections.

Kayak Along the Coast

Various tour companies offer kayaking along the coastline. However, if you stay at a hotel such as Tulemar then you can borrow the kayaks at their private beach to explore. Guided tours will cover a much larger area and take you to the best places to snorkel and spot marine wildlife. They may also take you to their favorite places along quieter beaches too.

The 15 BEST Things To Do In Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica