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Voykit pocket guide · Costa Rica
Quepos
Base in Quepos 2–3 nights for Manuel Antonio park and the marina; skip it as a beach town on its own — the beach is 6 km away.
Quepos is the service town for Manuel Antonio National Park: buses, banks, cheaper beds and the sportfishing marina, with the park and beaches 6 km down the road. Most travellers sleep here 2–3 nights, ride the local bus to the park gate at opening, and use the town for errands rather than sunbathing. Dry season runs Dec–Apr; the green season is cheaper and wetter.
- Country
- Costa Rica
- Best months
- Dec–Apr
- Avoid
- Sep–Oct (wettest)
- Stay
- 2–3 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 ₡25,000–40,000 excl. bed · Mid ₡45,000–80,000 excl. bed · High ₡90,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Kölbi, Claro and Liberty sell SIMs at SJO and in towns; passport required.
- Emergency
- All 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 | ₡1,500–3,000 |
| Ceviche at the market | ₡3,000–6,000 |
| Casado or soda lunch | ₡4,500–8,000 |
| Beer: bar / supermarket | ₡2,500–4,000 / ₡1,200–2,000 |
| Local bus ride | ₡400–700 (check) |
| Taxi Quepos → Manuel Antonio | ₡6,000–10,000 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₡8,000–15,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- XQP · Quepos La Managua
- About 10 min by taxi to town or the Manuel Antonio road; small domestic field, check the current entry/exit fee
- SJO · San José Juan Santamaría
- About 3.5–4.5 h by road; the usual arrival point for international flights
Typical fares
- Bus San José → Quepos
- about US$8, 3.5–4.5 h (check)
- Local bus Quepos → Manuel Antonio
- about ₡400–700, 20–30 min (check)
- Taxi XQP airport → Quepos or Manuel Antonio
- about US$20 (check)
Get around
The local bus runs between Quepos and Manuel Antonio roughly every 30 min during the day and is the cheapest way to the park; pay the driver in colones. Taxis cover the same 6 km. Scooter and car rental exist but parking near the park is limited in high season.The local bus runs between Quepos and Manuel Antonio roughly every 30 min during the day and is the cheapest way to the park; pay the driver in colones. Taxis cover the same 3.7 mi. Scooter and car rental exist but parking near the park is limited in high season.
See and do
Known for
- Manuel Antonio National Park gateway
- Sportfishing and marina
- Ceviche and sodas
- Camino de Costa Rica western trailhead
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Manuel Antonio National Park | Local bus or taxi from Quepos centre to the park gate, about 6 kmLocal bus or taxi from Quepos centre to the park gate, about 3.7 mi | 20–30 min |
| Jacó | Bus or car north up the coastal highway | About 1.5 h |
| Puntarenas | Bus from the Quepos terminal | 2–3 h |
| Dominical | Bus or car south on the coastal highway | About 1.5 h |
| Santa Elena and Monteverde | Shuttle or car via the coastal and mountain roads | 4–5 h |
Sleep
- Quepos centre
- Bus terminal, market, banks and the cheapest beds; 6 km from the park gate.Bus terminal, market, banks and the cheapest beds; 3.7 mi from the park gate.
- Manuel Antonio road
- Hotels and restaurants between Quepos and the park; thinner infrastructure, more taxis needed.
- Manuel Antonio village
- Closest to the park entrance and beach; highest prices, book early in Dec–Apr.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Con permiso / Perdóncon per-MEE-so / per-DON |
| Thank you | GraciasGRAH-syas |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-to KWES-ta |
| Can I pay by card? | ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?PWE-do pa-GAR kon tar-HE-ta |
| Where is the bus stop? | ¿Dónde está la parada de bus?DON-de es-TA la pa-RA-da de boos |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favorla KWEN-ta por fa-VOR |
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
- Park entry is capped and tickets are sold online by date: buy before you travel, no ticket means no entry.
- Parking touts on the Manuel Antonio road wave you into lots and demand high fees; agree the price first.
- Some San José-bound bus drivers offer a taxi connection to the airport mid-route: decline and arrange your own transfer.
- Rip currents at Manuel Antonio beaches; swim where lifeguards are posted.
- Afternoon downpours May–Nov; plan park mornings.
Quepos is a working town, not a resort: petty theft around the bus terminal and beach car parks is the main risk, and the park's beaches have rip currents. Use hotel safes, don't leave bags in cars, and swim near lifeguards.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Quepos yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Manuel Antonio National Park gateway
- Sportfishing and marina
- Ceviche and sodas
- Camino de Costa Rica western trailhead
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Instituto Costarricense de Turismo: www.visitcostarica.com/
- SINAC — Manuel Antonio National Park: www.sinac.go.cr/
- Wikivoyage: Quepos, revision 5241294 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5241294
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Quepos
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- All emergencies911
No embassies in Quepos; most are in San José (check the address).
Park tickets are sold online by date; screenshot the QR code before you lose signal.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/quepos). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.