Guide to Manuel Antonio National Park

With monkeys coming up to us inches away and sloths turning their cute faces towards us when we first arrived, we knew this would be one of the best days ever.  Manuel Antonio National Park left a huge impression on us, and we recommend you put this place on your travel bucket list.

Manuel Antonio is the smallest national park in Costa Rica but has one of the most impressive landscapes.  It’s even been named the most beautiful park in the country by Forbes Magazine.  There’s no arguing why!  It has lush tropical forests, white-sand beaches, and fascinating wildlife that captivates you.

With only a few hours to spare because the rain prevented us from visiting the day before, we found ourselves rushing through the rain forest before heading back to San Jose to catch our flight.  This short time, however, did not take away from our incredible experience.

A Guide to Manuel Antonio National Park

Park Hours and Information

To have the best experience during the rainy season, arrive early.  The weather is cooler, and there are fewer rain chances as it usually pours in the afternoons.  However, during high season it’s recommended to come in the afternoons when there are fewer crowds.  We arrived early because animals tend to slow down a bit when the heat is at its highest. They’ll be most active in the morning.

Park hours are from 7 Am to 4 PM and it is closed on Mondays from July to November.  The admission fee is $16 for adults and free for those under 12.  For a 3-hour bilingual tour guide that includes a telescope, expect to pay nearly $45 each.  You can try bargaining for a better deal.  There are food restrictions, but sodas and water are permitted.  You can also pack ready-cut fruit and sandwiches.  Chips and peanuts aren’t allowed because of the wildlife.

Guided Tour or Self Tour?

We almost did a guided tour, but prices were high at $90.  We had done a guided tour in La Fortuna and spotted animals so we skipped paying that this time.  Plus, we read online that about 90% of the time you’ll see monkeys on your own throughout the park.  We did see plenty.

Without a tour guide, we also went at our own pace.  If we spotted a monkey or sloth, we stayed there as long as we wanted. On tour groups, they have telescopes which is nice for seeing the animals.  However, it takes a while since they take turns seeing through it.

I recommend a tour guide if you want to learn more about the animals, spot smaller creatures, see more than one sloth, and enjoy meeting and talking to new people.

Wildlife in Manuel Antonio National Park

Keep Your Eyes on the Trees

It’s almost a guarantee you’ll see monkeys.  But if you want to see sloths, you have to look at the trees closely. Most of them are up high, and they sometimes camouflage with the environment. However, if you’re lucky like we were, you might spot one quite low on a tree right on the trail.

A Monkey World

We never imagined we’d spot three kinds of monkeys that live in Manuel Antonio National Park, but we did.  This made us extremely happy. The most common type to see is the White-Face monkeys.  If you don’t see them on your hike through the paved trail, there is no doubt you will see them at Manuel Antonio Beach inside the park.  They like to hang out with people and even snatch your food and items if you aren’t careful. Of course, this goes for the raccoons as well.

You will also likely see Squirrel Monkeys.  Where there is one, there are many. You can easily hear their squeaky sounds coming from the trees. Just make sure to look up and find the moving leaves.

The Howler monkey is the hardest one to spot as they don’t approach the trails as much.  However,  listening to their loud call was pretty darn cool.  Luckily, we were able to spot one by following its sound through the trail. Though it was sitting a bit far from the path, I could snap a couple of pictures before it swung away!

Other Wildlife

Monkeys and sloths aren’t the only animals around.  We also saw raccoons,  white-nose coatis, deer, birds, lizards, insects also share this beautiful rain forest with the long-armed mammals.  One we got excited about was the morph butterfly.  Their blue color makes them so beautiful!

Trails and Beaches

Sendero Principal (main trail): Sendero Principal will take you on the main entrance trail to take the other trails.  This is also the main trail that leads to Playa Manuel Antonio.

Sendero El Perezoso (sloth trail)- Sendero el Perezoso will lead you deeper into the forest, where you will likely spot sloths hiding in the trees. It’s also the path that will lead you to the fork that takes you to Playa Manuel Antonio if you choose to forego the trail and prefer the beach.

Sendero Mirador (Viewpoint of Punta Serrucho)– Only a 1.3 km walk, this trail can be a bit steep and has a lot of stairs.  We recommend drinking water and taking breaks as needed.  After a good workout, you will be rewarded with a spectacular view of Punta Serrucho.  If you continue on the trail, it leads you to Playa Puerto Escondido beach.

There are more trails inside the park, and they are certainly doable in one day.  Just make sure you give yourself enough time to enjoy each one!

What to take

If you plan to walk a lot and hike all the trails, comfortable shoes are best.  Sneakers would have been great, but sandals with a grip worked just fine for me because the trails are paved.   Also, make sure to wear light, breathable clothing because the humidity will make you sweat.

Bring your bathing suit and towel so you can jump into the beach.   Don’t forget to bring water and to wear sunscreen and bug repellent. Lastly, bring a good camera with a good lens that zooms in at the animals.

Other tips

The park is closed on Sundays, so keep this in mind when planning your trip.  Spend more than one day in the area.  If it rains and you have to cancel, go the next day. Manuel Antonio National Park is not the only thing to do. Take a day to explore the city, where you will find Playa Espadilla, souvenir shops, vendors, and many restaurants with amazing views.

Where to Eat

With many options to choose from as we drove around looking for food, a plane and a train were the ones to catch our attention.  They were a great choice of food!

El Wagon Pizza

For the best wood-fired pizza, stop at El Wagon Pizza.  This is a great place to come for lunch while enjoying the beautiful decor of the restaurant and the views of Manuel Antonio.  El Wagon has an antique rail car as part of its dining experience.  Don’t be surprised if you see wildlife hanging out nearby, such as sloths and monkeys, as they come by to visit often.

El Avion

A world-famous restaurant and bar in Manuel Antonio include a C-123 Fairchild cargo plane sitting at its property.  Now converted into a pub and two-level bar and restaurant, El Avion has fantastic views of Manuel Antonio.  Enjoy a spectacular sunset or enjoy some delicious dining.

Where to stay

Hotel La Mariposa

By far, this hotel had the best view we’ve ever experienced thus far.  With a wrap-around terrace from our room and with more than a 180-degree view of the beach, it’s no wonder we didn’t want to leave our luxurious room.  Check out our review of the best hotel located in Manuel Antonio.

Hotel Mango Moon

This hotel made us feel like we were in a treehouse in the middle of the rainforest.  With partial but incredible views of the ocean and right in the middle of rainforest trees, this hotel is known to have monkeys, sloths, and toucans hanging around daily. Unfortunately, we didn’t spot any because of a storm, but we could hear them before the rain came by.

Guide to Manuel Antonio National Park