MANUEL ANTONIO

Travel Guide

Top 10 Things to do in Manuel Antonio

With over 30 adventure tours, seven beaches and multiple waterfalls, Manuel Antonio has a multitude of activities happening around you at all times. If your limited on time and want to focus your energy on the very best this area has to offer, check out our blog post > Top Ten Things To Do in Manuel Antonio.



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Manuel Antonio National Park

Attracting over 140,000 visitors per year, Manuel Antonio National Park is hands down Manuel Antonio's most famous and most valued attraction. Being the most valued attraction comes with a world of need-to-know information. For all the details about Manuel Antonio National Park, please read our blog post > Manuel Antonio National Park. There you will find information about tickets, guides, what to bring, park hours, and writer's tips on how to get the most out of your trip to this incredible place. 

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Adventure Tours In Manuel Antonio

With adventure tours that match roller coaster adrenaline mixed with next-level majestic beauty, Manuel Antonio can at times feel like a nature-themed theme park like Disney land or Universal Studios. In fact, Manuel Antonio has a fun animated map that exemplifies this point by highlighting all the tourist attractions and activities available in the area. The tours offered in this area are spectacular and normally well worth the price tag they come with. Check out all the adventure tours available in this area. All Manuel Antonio adventure tours can be booked directly with Villas Jacquelina for pick up anywhere in the Manuel Antonio or Quepos area. 

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Live Music Manuel Antonio

Hosting a variety of extremely talented local artists, Manuel Antonio has become a lively destination for musicians and music lovers alike. Local musicians provide a Latin vibe that will keep your body moving while local ex-pats will jam out some of your favorite classic Rock and rock and roll. Most music venues are transformed Hotel lobbies or small corners of the best restaurants. For regularly updated in-depth information, please read our blog post > Live Music Manuel Antonio. 

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Best Restaurants Manuel Antonio 

With direct access to the freshest seafood coming right offshore, Manuel Antonio is well known for incredible foods and restaurants. While Manuel Antonio may not be known for Michelin Star dining, there are plenty of restaurants in this area and most of them serve some of Costa Rica's finest meals. To get an in-depth look at some of our favorite restaurants in Manuel Antonio please read our blog post > Best Restaurants in Manuel Antonio.

  • Agua Azul 
  • Cafe Milagro
  • Falafel Bar
  • La Lamberta
  • Restaurante Marlin
  • Samui Thai
  • El Lagarto
  • Morpho Beach Bar
  • Ape
  • Oceano Seafood
  • Emilios
  • Barba Roja
  • Little India
  • Ronnies Place
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Manuel Antonio Beaches

Hosting a variety of unique beaches and an abundance of wildlife, Manuel Antonio is hands down one of Costa Rica's best beach towns. For an in depth look at our favorite beaches in this area, check out our Blog Post > Top 5 Best Beaches in Manuel Antonio

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Top 10 Free Things To Do In Manuel Antonio

With over 30 adventure tours, seven beaches and multiple waterfalls, Manuel Antonio has a multitude of activities happening around you at all times. If you are on a budget and want to see what you can do for free, check out our blog post > Top Ten Free Things To Do.


Top 10 Free Things To Do in Quepos and Manuel Antonio

10. Visit Parque Naomi

09. Volunteer To Save Sea Turtles (Matapalo)

08. Visit The Quepos Farmers Market (La Feria)

07. Soak up the sun at Playa La Macha

06. Swim and Play at Playa Biesanz

05. Visit a Hotel Pool with a View

04. Surf Playa Espadilla

03. Find Some Live Music

02. Hike to Jungle Creek Waterfall (El Salto)

01. Hike El Reto Mae

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Manuel Antonio Travel Costs 

  • Staying in Hostels

    During the off-season (April-November), a dorm bed costs $12-$34 USD. Prices increase by $4-$10 per night during peak season (December to April).


    Private rooms with an ensuite bathroom cost $40-$80 USD, though expect to pay between $60-$100 during peak season.



  • Staying in Budget Hotels

    Budget hotels start at $60 USD during peak season. In the off-season, rooms aren’t much cheaper but there are better deals to be found in some of the nicer hotels.










  • Average Cost of food

    Costa Rican cuisine is centered around rice and beans, which are usually eaten for every meal. Potatoes, plantain, chicken, pork, and beef are also popular. Gallo pinto (rice and bean stir-fry) is the national dish. You’ll find it mixed with eggs for breakfast. Other popular meals include fried plantain, chicken, and rice. Generally, the food here is quite mild.


    Traditional Costa Rican restaurants are called Sodas and all serve similar styles of traditional meals. If you stick to street food and sodas, a meal costs roughly $6 USD. A traditional Casado (rice, beans, veggies, and meat) from the sodas is usually about $6 USD. You can get a burger or sandwich for less than $10 USD. If you’re in Quepos on Friday or Saturday, visit their Farmers Market for exotic fruits and vegetables and other snacks offered at fair prices. 


    A large plate of chicken fajitas or a fish filet costs $12 while pizza is about $14. Beers and coffee drinks should cost around $3. Bottled water is $2 so make sure to pack a reusable water bottle as most taps are okay to drink from in this area. 


    Higher-end restaurants have entrees like Sea Bass starting from $16, while a decent piece of red meat will start at $18. 


    If you cook for yourself, a week’s worth of groceries costs $60-$100. This gets you basic ingredients like rice, beans, vegetables, and a small amount of meat.







  • Adventure Tours

    Adventure tours are some of the finest things to do in this area but carry with them a pretty hefty price tag.  Full-day adventure tours like white water rafting and ziplining run $80-$120 but normally include a meal. 

    A National Park guided tour should cost around $55 and include a ticket to the park. Surf lessons cost $65 and a 2-hour board rental costs $20. 


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Manuel Antonio Nightlife

If you're visiting Manuel Antonio and are looking to dance or party then you are in luck. While Manuel Antonio is small, don't think this means there isn't a lot happening around you. Finding live music is usually the best way to find fun in this area. Hotels, hostels, and restaurants are regularly hosting live music and if you find a live show, you will usually find the party. If you're looking for live music, start by reading our blog post > Nightlife Manuel Antonio for information. 


Some of our favorite locations for nightlife fun are Ape, Selina, Republic, Bamboo Jam, Gamelas, Jolly Rogers, and The Fringe Umbrella. 

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Best Manuel Antonio Hostels 

Home to a wide variety of hotels, hostels, B&B's, and vacation rentals, figuring out where to stay in Manuel Antonio can be a difficult challenge. For those of you on a budget, Hostels are normally the way to go. For a detailed guide on our most recommended Hostels in the area, please check out our blog post > Manuel Antonio Hostels. 


Some of our favorite Manuel Antonio Hostels

 

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Best Manuel Antonio Hotels 

Featuring unmatched ocean views and hundreds of hotel options in a small 7km area, Manuel Antonio has some of the most incredible hotels you will ever visit. From private luxury bungalows to basic Hotel rooms, there are a ton of options to pick from. To get the best in-depth information on some of our favorite Hotels in Manuel Antonio read our blog post > Best Manuel Antonio Hotels. 


Some of our favorite Hotels Manuel Antonio


  • Arenas del Mar
  • Tulemar
  • Si Como No
  • El Parador
  • Makanda by the Sea
  • Gaia
  • Costa Verde
  • Villas Jacquelina 
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Best Delivery Food Manuel Antonio 

In a small tropical town where it rains almost daily, delivery food can be a real life saver. In Quepos and Manuel Antonio, just about anything can be delivered right to your door step. Z Express is a third party delivery carrier that makes direct deliveries for restaurants, grocery stores, and pharmacies. Deliveries cost 1,500-3,000 CRC and are normally fast and efficient. If you're ordering delivery, just contact the store or restaurant directly and they will schedule the delivery for you. For our favorite delivery food options please read our blog post >  Best Delivery Food Manuel Antonio. 

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Best Restaurants Quepos

Featuring a beautiful Marina and a plethora of local fishing boats, Quepos has a direct line to all the delicious seafood you could imagine. And with incredible seafood comes incredible restaurants. Quepos is a small town but delicious food can be found in every direction you go. To get a detailed look at Quepos Restaurants, check out our blog post > Best Restaurants in Quepos. 


Best Restaurants in Quepos 


  • Restaurants at Marina Pez Vela
  • Zac's food
  • De la Finca
  • Tentacion
  • L'Angolo
  • 506 Bar
  • Soda Sanchez
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How To Get Around In Manuel Antonio

  • Navigating Manuel Antonio

    The first thing you should know about Manuel Antonio is that Quepos and Manuel Antonio are kind of the same city but divided by area. The city of Quepos lies at the foothills of Manuel Antonio and is easy to navigate, as it is a small flat city that can be easily walked or biked.  Manuel Antonio hosts a different set of challenges because Manuel Antonio consists mainly of one long mountainous road that extends 7km from Quepos to the end of Manuel Antonio where you find Manuel Antonio, National Park. Manuel Antonio's main road is NOT great for navigating. The paved road is very slim, has no sidewalk, and leaves little to no space for anyone trying to walk it. 

  • By Bus

    Navigating Manuel Antonio by bus is the most recommended way to travel for anyone on a budget. Buses travel from Quepos's central bus station to the end of Manuel Antonio's main road and back all day. Buses cost 380 CRC and leave central Quepos every 15-30 minutes. The bus is easy to catch but not all stops are marked clearly. If you are traveling by bus, do yourself a favor and download the Monton CR app to get accurate bus times and a live view of where the buses are on the road. This makes it easy to not miss a bus and saves you time waiting for a bus's arrival.   

  • By Taxi

    Taxis are commonly found in Quepos and Manuel Antonio and serve as a great way to get around. Official and safest taxis are red and will have a taxi number associated with them. Most taxis have meters but rarely use them.  To avoid issues, make sure to ask the taxi what the cost will be before getting in. A taxi from central Quepos to Playa Espadilla or the National park should cost 6,000-7,000 CRC. A taxi from central Manuel Antonio to Quepos or Playa Espadilla should cost 4,000-5,000. A taxi from central Quepos to Villas Jacquelina will cost 1,500-2000 CRC.  For more information, read our blog post> Taxi Quepos and Manuel Antonio

    Taxi Whats App +(506) 6277-3080

    Red taxi Quepos +(506) 2777-0425

    Red taxi Quepos +(506) 2777-3080

    Red taxi Quepos + (506) 2777-1207

  • On Foot or Bike

    With huge mountains, incredible inclines, and very narrow roads,  Manuel Antonio is NOT a good place to get around on foot. Walking in this area can be very dangerous and quite a workout. For the same reasons, biking in Manuel Antonio is not recommended.  Walking and biking are great options in or around Quepos but finding a bike rental can be challenging as there are few or no options available.  

    If you're staying in a Manuel Antonio accommodation, locate the nearest bus stop and jump on the bus as this is the fastest and safest mode of travel for you.  Be safe and avoid walking on Manuel Antonio's main road at night. 

  • By Rental Car

    Having a car (especially a 4x4) in the Manuel Antonio area is a great luxury and a huge benefit for this area. Not only does having a car make it a lot easier to get around, but it also opens your world to many extra possibilities, as it gives you access to many of the area's waterfalls and beaches that are only accessible by private tour or car.  There are a few car rental shops in both Manuel Antonio and Quepos but make sure to book your car reservation well beforehand as they don't keep many unreserved cars on hand. 

  • By Uber

    Uber existed in Costa Rica and in some towns can be a great way to get around. There are a few Uber drivers in the Quepos and Manuel Antonio area so while it is possible to get an Uber here, it normally takes a long time or is hard to find a ride. 

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Day Trips From Manuel Antonio

With a dynamic location on the coast but within earshot of an incredible mountain range, Manuel Antonio is a perfect location for adventure lovers. Close enough to the mountains for white water rafting, mountain biking, and waterfalls, but on the coast for fishing, boating, and water sports. In this dynamic region of Costa Rica, there are a handful of incredible attractions within 1 hour of Manuel Antonio. If you have seen all you would like to see in Manuel Antonio and are looking for a nearby adventure, please check out our blog post > What to do near Manuel Antonio and Quepos.

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Experiences In Manuel Antonio 

With limited time in Costa Rica, some travelers choose pre-organized experience packages with the goal of saving both time and money. Experience packages are a great way to go and offer some incredible ways to see and get to know Manuel Antonio. Villas Jacquelina offers travelers some of the coolest experience packages in the Manuel Antonio area. Other experiences can be found through sites like Airbnb and Hostelworld.

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Shopping In Manuel Antonio

In a small town like Manuel Antonio it can be hard to find what you need when you need it. Shopping options are few and you need to know where to go. If you're looking to shop in Manuel Antonio and don't know where to go, check out our blog post > Shopping Manuel Antonio to see some of our favorite stores and souvenir shops. This blog post was designed to help you if your suitcase gets lost and you need cloths and supplies on the fly. 

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Volunteer Opportunities Manuel Antonio

Hosting some of the most hands-on volunteer opportunities including wild animals, Manuel Antonio has over the years become one of Costa Rica’s most popular places to find volunteer opportunities in Costa Rica. From cleaning beaches and rivers to nursing baby sloths and relocating baby Turtle eggs, Manuel Antonio has a ton of Volunteer opportunities that are all unique to this dynamic area. For more in-depth information please visit our blog post > Volunteer Opportunities Manuel Antonio.

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What To Bring To Manuel Antonio

With blazing tropical heat and a wet tropical rain forest, Manuel Antonio is a place where it makes sense to bring exactly what you need and nothing more. What you bring may depend on the time of year you visit and the way you're choosing to travel. For a detailed guide please read our blog post >  What to bring to Manuel Antonio.

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Weather in Manuel Antonio

  • How hot is Manuel Antonio

    Manuel Antonio is a tropical pacific beach town located close to the equator. This means that it is almost always hot and humid.  During the rainy season (April-November) the temperatures do drop a bit but you still get pockets of heat, humidity, and sun almost daily. 

  • Dry Season (Dec-Apr)

    The weather in Manuel Antonio depends greatly on the time of year you visit.  In the dry season, (December-April) you will see less rain and hotter days.  In the rainy season (April-November) you will see rain almost every day.  If you're worried about the rain, do not fret. While it does rain almost daily, you will still see pockets of sunshine, heat, and clear skies. Clouds move fast in this tropical environment so weather can change quickly multiple times per day. 


       

  • Rainy Season (Apr-Nov)

    If you visit for a rainy reason, while uncommon, bad luck could taint you and give you 5-7 days of straight rain. Otherwise, the rainy season can be argued as the best time to visit.  Most days start out hot and sunny followed by clouds and rainstorms in the afternoon and evenings. In tropical rainstorms, the rain comes down warm and can revitalize one's being. 


    Additionally, visiting Manuel Antonio in the rainy season tends to be less expensive and the best way to avoid crowds of tourists.  When traveling in the rainy season we recommend not letting the rain get in your way. Plan to get wet and stick to your schedule. A rainy day can become a beautiful sunny day in minutes and if you cancel plans because of rain, you will miss out on many special experiences along the way. 

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Weather in Manuel Antonio

How To Get To Manuel Antonio

With a country the size of the state of New Jersey, Costa Rica is small enough that you can travel across the entire country in one day.  While most visitors won't make that trek all at once, it is extremely common for visitors to travel the country stopping at many different cities and attractions along the way. If you're traveling in Costa Rica and are headed to Manuel Antonio, please use the following blogs to help navigate your trip.  The use of Maps, Waze, and Rio to Rome are also very helpful for traveling to Manuel Antonio.


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Snorkeling Manuel Antonio

If you're looking for a snorkeling adventure in Manuel Antonio, you have a few options that should fit your needs. For a detailed guide on finding the right experience for you and your group, check out our Snorkeling Manuel Antonio blog post

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Surf report Manuel Antonio 

With a large unobstructed white sand beach that meets the lush green jungle teeming with wildlife, Playa Espadilla is one of this country's most beautiful beaches and a great beach for surfers of all skill levels. Waves around Playa Espadilla south tend to be smaller and more ideal for beginner and intermediate surfers.

If you make it to the end of Playa Espadilla, you have arrived at Playitas which is the best area for surfing. The break at Playitas is faster and bigger than the rest of the beach and is recommended for experienced surfers only. Surfboards can be rented in multiple locations along this beach but these waves are also great for body surfing and boogie-boarding. Be very careful (especially in high tide) of vicious rip tides that will suck you out to sea in a flash.


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Manuel Antonio Travel Guide

If you are a visual learner and would like to get to know Manuel Antonio via video, check out this helpful video that give you a good feel for Manuel Antonio.

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