Manuel Antonio National Park, or Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, is one of the smallest, but most popular national parks in Costa Rica. With stunning beaches, lush rainforest and a plenty of wildlife, it’s no wonder that it’s a magnet for visitors from all over the world.
Located on the Central Pacific coast, Manuel Antonio National Park was named one of the world’s most beautiful national parks by Forbes in 2011.
And while it’s definitely beautiful, Manuel Antonio National Park is also a perfect place for hiking, swimming, as well as spotting monkeys, sloths, iguanas and other animals in their natural habitat.
If you’re planning a trip to Manuel Antonio National Park with kids in tow, here are a few things you should know before you go.
Important Things to Know About Manuel Antonio National Park
- Manuel Antonio National Park is open from 7am to 4pm, closed Tuesdays
- No food is allowed to be brought into the park, but there is a cafe with very decent prices.
- Some of the trails are stroller friendly – the Mangrove Trail that leads to the Playa Espadillo Sur and the Sloth Trail which leads to the cafe. The trail to Manuel Antonio beach is a bit harder but still stroller accessible.
- Tickets must be bought online, ahead of time. There is a daily limit, so be sure to buy your tickets ahead of time! Here’s the link to purchase tickets. You will have to create an account before purchasing tickets.
- There are several parking lots along the road to the park. Ignore these lots and continue driving right to the entrance where you will find the official parking lot.
- If possible, walk from your hotel. We stayed at Hotel Manuel Antonio Park and it was a short 5 minute walk from our hotel.
- Helpful words: playa = beach, sendero = trail, perezoso = sloth, mirador = lookout
Best Things to Do in Manuel Antonio National Park
1. Hike the Trails
There are 10 different trails. The most popular trails are the mangrove trail, which leads to the beach and is an easy boardwalk trail for families, and the sloth trail, which is a narrower boardwalk and leads to cafe and other beaches.
2. Spot Wildlife
We spotted a monkey right when we entered, then saw a deer and two sloths on the Sloth Trail, and plenty of monkeys around the cafe and on the trails. We also saw quite a few iguanas on the trails, some larger than others, and one pretty big guy on the Mangrove Trail.
3. Visit the Beaches
The beaches at Manuel Antonio National Park are said to be some of the best beaches in Costa Rica.
White sand, warm, turquoise water and the rainforest bordering the beach, it’s easy to see why the beaches here are rated so highly!
The Beaches at Manuel Antonio National Park
There are four beaches within the park, although only three can be accessed.
Playa Espadilla Sur
The easiest beach to reach from the park entrance, it’s about a half hour walk along the Mangrove Trail (more info on that below). It’s a gorgeous beach, with white sand stretching all the way to Punta Catedral. There is water, washrooms and showers in the middle of the beach.
Playa Manuel Antonio
A little further into the park (we suggest taking the Sloth Trail to the cafe and then turning right to the Sendero Manuel Antonio), you’ll find Manuel Antonio Beach.
This isn’t the biggest beach in the park but it is one of the more popular beaches.
You’re sure to see plenty of monkeys playing in the trees or walking on the ropes that have been set up for them. It’s also one of the best beaches to swim at, as the water is fairly calm.
Playa Gemelas
The smallest beach at Manuel Antonio National Park, Playa Gemelas is spectacular. It’s not as popular as it’s a bit more of a hike to get to, but it’s definitely worth it!
White sand and black volcanic rocks make it look like something out of the movies.
Wildlife at Manuel Antonio National Park
Manuel Antonio National Park is one of the best places to see wildlife in Costa Rica.
Monkeys, sloths and iguanas are plentiful here, but you may also see deer, coatis, crabs, turtles, frogs and plenty of lead cutter ants.
There are over 100 mammal species in the park, including three types of monkeys and both two and three-toed sloths.
There’s more info below on hiring a guide, but you can still see wildlife without a guide.
The Trails at Manual Antonio National Park
There are quite a few trails in Manuel Antonio National Park. While many people visit the park and head straight to the beach, it’s worth taking the time to explore some of the other trails.
We ended up hiking most of the trails, with the exception of the trail to the waterfall, as there wasn’t any water when we visited.
We’ve listed the trails below, in a rough order of how you would find them from the entrance.
If you’re interested in only doing a few trails, the Mangrove Trail, Sloth Trail and Gemelas Beach trail were our favourites.
Sendero Elevado El Manglar (The Mangrove Trail)
This is the first trail that you’ll find when you pass through the park entrance.
The trail is a flat, fairly wide boardwalk and there are plenty of signs along the trail with information on the trees, plants and animals in the area.
When you reach a wide intersection, the trail turns to the right and continues through the mangrove area before reaching the beach.
Playa Espadilla Sur is a gorgeous white sand beach and well worth a stop, but before you stop and spend all day here, there are plenty of other areas of the park to explore!
The trail is 2.2km and an easy walk from the main entrance. It’s easily accessible for wheelchairs or strollers.
Sendero La Catarata (Waterfall Trail)
This is a short trail just after the park entrance that leads to a waterfall.
During the green season (May to November) you’ll see water flowing but in the dry season, you may not see any.
This was the only trail in the park that we didn’t do, as we were visiting at the end of the dry season and the water wasn’t running.
Sendero Perezoso (Sloth Trail)
The Sloth Trail begins at the intersection where the Mangrove trail turns to go to the beach. It runs parallel to the main road in the park, which is used by rangers and larger tour groups.
The Sloth Trail is a narrow boardwalk and chances are good that you’ll see sloths along this trail. We saw two on our way along this trail but they can be tricky to spot, as they move pretty slowly and are hard to spot among the leaves.
There’s also plenty of other wildlife along this trail – we spotted a deer and a few monkeys as well – so take your time and just enjoy the trail!
The trail is 1.2km and ends at the main intersection of trails, where you will find the cafeteria, lockers and bathrooms.
Sendero Manuel Antonio
This easy trail leads from the cafe to the beach.
Although the path is a bit rougher than the previous paths, it’s stroller friendly, until you near the beach, where the trail turns to sand and will be tricky for strollers.
It’s one of the best beaches for families, as the water is fairly calm and you’re sure to see monkeys playing in the trees!
Sendero Playas Gemelas (Gemelas Beach Trail)
This 1.6km trail connects the main trail to the less popular, but just as gorgeous Gemelas Beach.
Here you’ll find white sand, in a small cove with plenty of shade on the beach and calm water, perfect for swimming.
It’s a small beach though, but if you’re there early in the morning you may even have the beach to yourself.
Sendero Puerto Escondido
Continue past Playa Gemelas, and the trail becomes Sendero Puerto Escondido.
This is a nice, less popular trail that leads to a lookout, but unfortunately was blocked off (for safety reasons) around 340m and we weren’t able to make it all the way to the lookout.
Sendero Los Congos
Another short trail, this one connects Playa Gemeles Trail to the Mirador Trail. There are quite a few stairs here as well.
As the name suggests, you’ll see plenty of monkeys along this path. The monkeys aren’t shy and may even come right up to you. Keep a close hand on your belongings!
Sendero Mirador (Lookout Trail)
Only 1. 3km long, this trail leads to a lookout where you’ll have a stunning view of Puerto Escondido and the ocean – but be warned, there are a lot of stairs!
There’s plenty of wildlife to see along this trail as well, as it leads away from the beach and inland into the jungle.
It’s also one of the lesser visited trails in the park, so you may just have the trail to yourself!
Sendero Punta Catedral (Punta Catedral Trail)
This trail is a 1.4km loop in a lesser-visited area and a great place to see monkeys and other wildlife.
There are quite a few steps in the first section of steps, and you’re sure to see plenty of monkeys!
Keep a hand on your hats and bags as they aren’t shy and may try to grab your things!
Fun fact: This was formerly an island but over time, a sand strip has formed, joining it to the mainland.
Do you need a guide at Manuel Antonio National Park?
While many people recommend getting a guide to tour the park, we found it wasn’t necessary.
Sure, the guides are experts at finding wildlife, but on your own, you will still see plenty. You’ll also see groups of people stopped and staring into the trees – this is a good sign that there’s something there to see!
Without a guide, we saw 2 sloths, a deer, 7 iguanas, 3 coatis and too many monkeys to count!
If you haven’t done a guided tour in CR, it might be worth joining a guided tour. There are many ’tour’ guides available for hire outside of the park, but be sure to hire an official guide within the park.
Guides carry a telescope with them so you have a chance of getting close look at all the wildlife and they will help you take photos through the telescope.
How much time do you need at Manuel Antonio National Park?
How much time you need in Manuel Antonio National Park is a personal preference, but you could easily spend anywhere from a few hours to the whole day!
Guided tours last 2.5-3 hours, but you can extend your stay longer after the tour is done.
Hiking the trails takes about 2-3 hours, depending how many of the trails you do, and then plan to spend some time at the beach as well.
Some families hike the main trail to the beach and then stay there for a few hours.
The beaches close at 3pm.
How much does it cost to enter Manuel Antonio National Park?
Tickets must be purchased online and through the official government site. There are other sites out there promoting tickets, but these are not official tickets.
There is a daily entrance limit, so be sure to buy your tickets ahead of time. Weekends tend to be busiest, and the park is closed on Tuesdays.
Entrance fee is $16 adults, $5 child 2-12 years old
What’s the weather like at Manuel Antonio National Park?
Manuel Antonio is a coastal rainforest and will be hot and humid year round.
Mid December to April is considered dry season, although you may see some rain. May to November is rainy season, when you’ll see daily showers in the afternoon. November it tends to rain all month.
Temperatures are fairly consistent throughout the year, around 30C and it’s pretty humid.
Be warned – the sun is strong!! Be sure to apply sunscreen regularly, even if it’s a cloudy day, as we learned the hard way.
What Should I Bring to Manuel Antonio National Park?
Hiking shoes are a must, especially if you want to visit some of the less popular trails in the park. Binoculars are also a good idea, and helpful to spot wildlife, like sloths, in the trees.
If you plan to swim at the beach, you will also want a swimsuit, sunscreen and towel. We also recommend bringing bug spray and of course, a camera!
What NOT to Bring?
There are some pretty strict rules on what you can’t bring into Manuel Antonio National Park.
Food is strictly prohibited, although you can purchase snacks and meals at the cafe inside the park. While it may seem a bit strict, the monkeys are known for stealing food, even from the inside of bags!
You also can’t bring any beach umbrellas, chairs, hammocks or coolers and drones are not permitted in the park.
As with many places in Costa Rica, single use plastic bottles are not permitted. You can bring a reusable bottle and it’s safe to drink the water at taps throughout the park.
How to Get to Manuel Antonio National Park
- From San Jose, Manuel Antonio is a 2.5 – 3 hour drive, or 3-4 hour bus ride. Many shuttles are available if you are not renting a car (rates will vary but average $50US per person). Alternatively, you can take the public bus for around $5 US.
- Manuel Antonio is an hour south of Jaco on the Pacific coast and buses or shuttles are available from there as well.
Where to Stay Near Manuel Antonio National Park
There are plenty of places to stay nearby in Manuel Antonio itself, or even a short drive away in Quepos.
Right outside the National Park is the Hotel San Bado Resort & Spa, or a short 5 minute walk down the street is El Faro Hotel.
We opted to stay at Hotel Manuel Antonio Park, which was definitely a budget hotel, but it was clean and it was easy to access both the park and the public beach in town.
After visiting the National Park, what is there to do in Manuel Antonio?
In the town of Manuel Antonio, you’ll find a popular public beach, Playa Espadilla. Surfing, parasailing, boogie boards and chair rentals are all available. There are a few restaurants across from the beach and you can also order straight from the beach. The waves here aren’t too strong and it’s perfect for kids learning to belly surf or boogie board.
If you have a car, we suggest checking out Playa Biesanz. It’s less crowded than Playa Espadilla, much smaller and in a cove, so the water is quite calm. There are also plenty of shaded spots to sit and even swim. Locals rent kayaks, snorkels gear and stand up paddleboards.
A great spot to eat, although a little bit of a walk from the National Park, is El Avion Restaurant. The views are fantastic, the food is good and you can even have a drink inside the converted plane. Kids will love sitting in the cockpit!
Another Costa Rican national park you may like to visit, although completely different from Manuel Antonio, is Arenal Volcano National Park in La Fortuna. Read more on things to do in La Fortuna here.
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- Best Things to Do in Costa Rica with Kids: Epic Family Adventures
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