Manuel Antonio Beaches - Playa Espadilla

Hosting over 1 km of pristine beach real estate, Playa Espadilla is easily the largest and most action-packed beach in the Manuel Antonio area. This slice of heaven extends from just outside Manuel Antonio's national park all the way north to what becomes Playa Playitas. On this beach, you can normally expect to find a variety of things to do as well as vendors selling everything from ceviche to cigars and jewelry.  This beach is perfect for parasailing, sunsets, lunch service, surfing, and horseback riding. This is the most accessible beach in Manuel Antonio so expect the larger crowds and lots of umbrella and chair rentals.

Surfing Playa Espadilla

Playa Espadilla is a great beach for beginner surfers, as the waves tend to be medium-sized and the beach floor is mostly soft sand. Surf camps can be found spread out in multiple areas down the beach and can normally accept surfers throughout the day depending on the tide. Surfboard rentals are also available and normally run $15-$20 for an hour or two rental. Surf lessons normally run for around $65 per person and include water, snacks, a 1.5-hour lesson, and a 2-hour board rental. The surf instructors are some of the coolest and best surfers in the area.

Vendors on Playa Espadilla

If you're visiting Playa Espadilla, don't miss out on some of the best passing vendors in Costa Rica. Some of these vendors sell souvenirs and jewelry, while others sell cigars, hammocks, or art. Our favorite vendors sell delicious snacks that should not be passed up on.  An ice-cold and fresh ceviche is regularly available and should be tried by all beach visitors. There is just something incredibly special about eating fresh and delicious seafood while your skin is salty and your toes are in the sand. Our favorite ceviche is the Peruvian ceviche which is more readily available on weekends and the busiest of days, however, all beach ceviches are extremely tasty. 

Another favorite of ours is the freshly grilled "pinchos" that are offered by a man who walks the beach pushing a hot grill. He normally sells pork, chicken, and fish (Marlin) sticks of meat served on a corn tortilla with barbecue sauce. Hot empanadas are another favorite snack and are also probably the cheapest lunch you can find in the area. If you are open to eating "street food" the offerings of the beach vendors can provide a wide variety of food that will make a complete lunch and more information can be found on our Blog Post > Where to eat lunch in Manuel Antonio - A locals experience

If you want to give back and support the local community, while also receiving a delicious snack or taking home some souvenirs, don't miss out on this opportunity and purchase from these kind vendors.

How to get to Playa Espadilla

By Bus

To get to playa Espadilla by bus, you simply catch the Quepos>Manuel Antonio bus from the Quepos central bus station or any bus stop in Quepos or Manuel Antonio. This bus travels solely on Manuel Antonio's main road and goes from central Quepos to Manuel Antonio's national park and back all day long. This bus is in service from 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. every 15 minutes and from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. every 30 minutes. There are multiple stops for Playa Espadilla but the best advice we can provide is to get off once the bus comes down from the mountains to the beach level.

By Car

If you're driving to Playa Espadilla, take the main Manuel Antonio road (618) toward Manuel Antonio National park. As soon as you come down the last mountain near the beach, start looking for a place to park. Parking in this area can be tricky because the area is swarming with tour guides and "parking guards" who either want to sell you a tour or watch your parked car for a fee. While the majority of these "parking guards" are illegitimate and have no right to charge you a fee, it's not a bad idea to share a couple thousand colones to support their cause. They do watch your car and assist in the parking process and your contributions go a long way for them and their families.

Top 5 Things to do at Playa Espadilla

1. Go Parasailing right offshore
2. Rent a surfboard or body surf some waves
3. Taste some of the passing vendors delicious snacks
4. Join a pick up game of  fútbol
5. Walk the beach to find sloths and monkeys