Manuel Antonio is one of the easiest and most rewarding places to visit in Costa Rica, but a handful of avoidable mistakes trip up first-time visitors again and again. We live and work here, so here are the ones worth knowing about before you arrive.
1. Showing up to the park without a reservation
The national park caps daily entry and sells out in the busy season. Tickets are sold online in advance through SINAC rather than at the gate, so book your date ahead or have your hotel help you. It also closes one day a week, and which day is worth confirming when you book. We cover the whole process in our guide to park tickets.
2. Falling for the parking hustle
If you drive toward the park, you may meet men in official-looking shirts waving you into paid lots well before the entrance, insisting the closer parking is full. Often it is not. Keep going until you actually reach the park entrance, then choose where to leave the car. This one costs people time and money every single day.
3. Underestimating the currents
Some beaches here have strong currents. The main beach inside the national park is the calmest and the best for swimming; others are less forgiving. If you are not sure, ask a local or a lifeguard, and do not swim where nobody can tell you it is fine.
4. Grabbing an unlicensed guide at the gate
A certified guide makes the park far better, but book one in advance or through your hotel. Steer clear of anyone who feeds or lures animals for a photograph. It harms the wildlife, and with monkeys it makes them aggressive toward everyone who follows you down the trail.
5. Leaving valuables unattended
This one applies twice over. On the beach, the monkeys and the raccoons genuinely will open an unattended bag and take your snacks or anything shiny. In town, do not leave valuables in a parked car. Both are easy to avoid with a little attention.
6. Only budgeting one day for the area
Plenty of people give Manuel Antonio a single day and regret it. Between the park, the beaches, a sunset catamaran, the marina and the food, three days fits far better. Have a look at what there is to do here before you decide how long to stay.
7. Assuming you need a rental car
You can hire one, but you do not have to. The public bus between Quepos and the park runs through the day and costs very little, and taxis turn up quickly. If you are staying somewhere central, a car is optional rather than essential.
8. Walking around Quepos late at night without thinking
The area is generally safe, but downtown Quepos gets lively after dark and has a small opportunistic element, like any beach town anywhere. Leave valuables at your hotel and take a taxi late at night. Nothing to be afraid of, just normal awareness.
9. Skipping the early start
The single best tip for the whole area. Get to the park close to opening. It is cooler, it is calmer, and the wildlife is far more active than it will be by midday. Your photographs and your sightings will both be better for it.
None of this should make the trip sound complicated. Manuel Antonio is welcoming and easy once you know the basics, and a good hotel will help you sidestep every one of these. If you want a hand planning your days, that is exactly what we are here for.
