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Voykit pocket guide · Costa Rica
Manuel Antonio
Spend 3–4 days in Manuel Antonio for beach, park and wildlife; base near the park entrance and use buses or taxis for local moves.
Manuel Antonio offers a compact mix of rainforest park, beaches and a lively road of restaurants and hotels. Most visitors fit the highlights in 3–4 days, staying near the park entrance for easy access.
- Country
- Costa Rica
- Best months
- Dec–Apr
- Avoid
- Jul–Oct (rainy season, check)
- Stay
- 3–4 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CRC
- Money
- Currency is the Costa Rican colón (CRC, ₡); US dollars are widely accepted in tourist areas, with change often given in colones.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₡8,000–12,000 excl. bed · Mid ₡12,000–20,000 excl. bed · High ₡20,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Kölbi, Claro and Liberty sell SIMs at SJO and in towns; passport required.
- Emergency
- Police / General emergencies 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · US-style plugs.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10% service is in the bill; extra optional.; Guides: US$5–10 per person per tour.; Shuttle drivers: US$2–5.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in most of the country, including San José; drink bottled on parts of the Caribbean coast and in remote areas.
- Toilets
- Western toilets; put paper in the bin in many places.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | ₡1,200–1,800 |
| Meal (local dish) | ₡3,000–5,500 |
| Taxi Quepos → Manuel Antonio | US$8 |
| Park entry (guided tour) | US$25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- XQP · Quepos Airport
- 5 min from town, flights from San José (≈US$50–100).
Typical fares
- Bus mountain road
- ₡315 (~$0.55) per ride, every 30 min.
- Taxi Quepos → Manuel Antonio
- US$8 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Buses run the mountain road every 30 min, cost ₡315 (~$0.55). Taxis from Quepos cost about US$8 to Manuel Antonio. Rentals and scooters are available for the adventurous.
See and do
Known for
- Manuel Antonio National Park
- Playa Espadilla beach
- Abundant wildlife
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Quepos | Bus from Manuel Antonio to Quepos, 15 min; or taxi 5 min. | ≈20 min |
| Jaco | Bus via Route 34, about 1 h 30 min; or shuttle $30. | ≈2 h |
| Dominical | Bus 2 h 15 min; shuttle $45. | ≈2 h 30 min |
| Monteverde Cloud Forest | Shuttle to San José (2 h) then bus 3 h; total ≈5 h. | ≈5 h |
Sleep
- Hostel Manuel Antonio
- $14/night for a dorm bed; shared kitchen, monkeys sometimes visit.
- Mono Azul
- $113/night standard room; close to park entrance.
- Arenas del Mar Hotel
- $550/night; ocean views, spa, private reserve.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Disculpedis‑KUL‑pe |
| How much is this? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN‑to KWEHS‑ta |
| Where is the beach? | ¿Dónde está la playa?DON‑de es‑TA la PLA‑ya |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Buenas' and a handshake; cheek kiss among friends; avoid: Skipping the greeting
- Conflict: Stay polite and indirect; avoid: Raised voices
- Time: Be on time for tours; avoid: Expecting social events to start on time
- Nature: Stay on trails, keep quiet; avoid: Feeding animals
Scams and watch-outs
- Leave nothing unattended on the beach, especially after dark – opportunistic thefts reported.
- Sunset boat tours often run engines and offer poor snorkeling; consider skipping.
- Zip‑lining can be intense; avoid if you have a fear of heights.
Manuel Antonio is generally safe; keep valuables hidden, avoid unattended items on the beach after dark, and use licensed transport.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Manuel Antonio yet. Suggested stay: 3–4 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Manuel Antonio National Park
- Playa Espadilla beach
- Abundant wildlife
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Costa Rica tourism board: www.visitcostarica.com/en
- Wikivoyage: Manuel Antonio, revision 5337670 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5337670
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Manuel Antonio
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police / General emergencies911
US embassy in San José; consulate in Liberia (check).
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/manuel-antonio). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.