Manuel Antonio National Park is a must-do in Costa Rica and offers some of the greatest wildlife watching opportunities in the entire country. A lot of people come here for the best chance to see an elusive sloth, but there’s a lot more to this incredible park. Alongside an abundance of wildlife, you’ll find huge swathes of atmospheric rainforest and stunningly beautiful beaches. A day spent at Manuel Antonio National Park is likely to be one of your most memorable in Costa Rica.
There’s also plenty to do within a couple of hours of the park, including some of Costa Rica’s most spectacular waterfalls, many of which are perfect for wild swimming.
Here are some of the best things to do in Manuel Antonio National Park and beyond, as well as tips on how to make the most of your trip.
Planning your visit
Manuel Antonio National Park is pretty small, so it’s easy to see the whole park in a day, spend the morning hiking and the afternoon chilling at the beaches.
As there is no transport within the park, all visitors have to walk the 1.3km (each way) Sloth Trail or official road to reach the junction for the beaches or other hiking trails.
An easy going visit to see the wildlife of the official road, visiting Manuel Antonio Beach and then heading back to the car park will be about a 3km walk (total distance).
If you choose to do all the trails (which we did!) and see all the beaches, you’ll walk a total of 8.4km. This took us 3.5 hours at a very leisurely pace, including many stops for wildlife. However, a few sections of track were closed on our visit, so if they reopen you may be able to walk a little further.
Due to the heat, we recommend starting at 7am (when the park opens) to do the main trails at the coolest time of day and visit the beaches to relax during the hottest part of the day.
Arriving early will also ensure you can park close to the entrance of the park and not have to do anymore walking than necessary.
We have a more detailed guide based purely on planning your time inside the park, which you can read here.
Things to do in Manuel Antonio National Park
1. Spot a sloth (or 8) along the official road
Top of everyone’s list when visiting Manuel Antonio is usually seeing a sloth. This is one of the best places in Costa Rica to see one, as there’s a decent population in the park and for some reason they like to hang around (literally) close to the trails.
On our trip, the best place to spots sloths was along the official road (it’s a service trail but referred to as the official road on maps). This is the route most guided tours take and when we visited we saw 5 or 6 along this stretch alone.
You don’t have to be an expert spotter to see them as they are more active in the early morning, and often you’ll know there’s a sloth around just by the sheer number of people who have stopped and are looking up at the trees.
The official road is also a great place to see more than just sloths. On our visit, we saw an anteater, birds, lizards and agoutis all along this 1.3km stretch of road.
Other places we saw a sloth in the park were the Mirador Track and the Sloth Trail (which ironically is slightly harder for spotting sloths than the offical road as the forest is quite dense).
2. Live your Robinson Crusoe dreams at Playa Gemelas
Our favourite beach in Manuel Antonio National Park was Playa Gemelas. This picturesque cove is fringed by rainforest and has a really wild and secluded feel, and if you visit early in the morning you’ll see barely anyone else there.
Playa Gemelas is made up of two small beaches that are separated by rocks. It takes just a minute to walk over the rocks to the second cove, where we saw dozens of crabs scuttling across the sand.
3. Spot poison dart frogs on the Waterfall Trail
We originally walked along the Waterfall Trail to escape the crowds that had began to fill up the official road. This short trail is near the entrance of the park and dives straight into the rainforest.
The waterfall runs dry in the dry season, which is probably why very few people chose to walk along this trail on our visit. That makes it a haven of peace and tranquility and allows you to hear wildlife moving around.
We were lucky enough to spot three poison dart frogs, without a guide. Whilst they are small and well camouflaged, the sound of them hopping amongst the undergrowth gave them away. The trail signs all mentioned this as a great track for reptiles and amphibians, so I doubt it was us getting lucky.
4. Slog up to the Mirador for an epic view
Manuel Antonio is an incredibly hot place, so we can understand if the idea of an uphill hike to a lookout isn’t exactly appealing. However, your effort is rewarded with a beautiful view over the rainforest and Pacific Ocean.
There are a few shady benches to relax and cool off whilst enjoying the view. Those wanting to tick off another viewpoint can venture further along the trail to the lookout over Puerto Escondido Beach. The views here are less impressive, but you can see turquoise water and the surrounding rocky coastline.
The Mirador Trail is also another good track for wildlife spotting and we saw woodpeckers, Howler monkeys and a sloth dangling from a vine really close to the path. As it’s not a wide open road, it feels more natural and has fewer people surrounding each animal (we often got to observe the animals with no one else around at all).
5. Catch the capuchins grooming
Capuchins are some of the easiest animals to spot in Manuel Antonio as they aren’t shy around people and tend to hang around in big groups. A great place to see them is the stretch of forest between Manuel Antonio Beach and Playa Espadilla Sur.
In the middle of the day, they like to chill out in the trees right by the path and it’s quite likely you’ll see them grooming each other - which feels like you’re watching a wildlife documentary!
Always keep a safe distance from the monkeys though as they are wild animals and have been known to steal people’s things!
We also saw a pit viper in the undergrowth here.
6. Take a dip at Manuel Antonio Beach
Manuel Antonio Beach is the go-to beach for the vast majority of visitors to Manuel Antonio National Park and for good reason. This huge beach is incredibly beautiful and if you’re happy to walk a little further than others you’ll be able to find your own little patch of paradise.
It’s also the best place for swimming as the waves are calmer here. However, be aware that most beaches in the park have strong currents, so we don’t recommend swimming well out of your depth.
Even if you don’t fancy a swim, there are several picnic benches behind the beach which catch a blissful breeze and make for a great lunch spot.
7. Escape the crowds on the Playa Gemelas Trail
The Playa Gemelas Trail sees the fewest crowds of any walk in Manuel Antonio. Beyond the beach it is essentially a rainforest walk that leads to nowhere as Puerto Escondido Beach is now closed - so if you’re looking to do a bit of forest bathing, this is the place to head.
It’s also another good spot for wildlife watching, as we saw a huge troop of capuchins who were pretty keen to get up close and personal - a little too close if you ask us! At one point we had to jog to maintain a safe distance, but the capuchins had decided that the walking trail was a far better way to traverse the forest than swinging through the branches!
8. Hang with the iguanas Punta Catedral Cove
When we visited, the majority of the Punta Catedral trail was closed due to the deterioration of the path. This was a shame as we’d read it was one of the most picturesque walks in Manuel Antonio.
However, luckily for us you could still get to a secluded beach which has deserted island vibes. It’s not great for swimming as the waves were pretty forceful, but it was one of our favourites for that wild feel. Clearly the local iguana population felt the same way as there were several lazing around on the sand.
9. Chill under the palm trees at Playa Espadilla Sur
For that paradise beach feeling, head to Playa Espadilla Sur. This huge beach is fringed with palm trees and it was the chill out spot of choice when we visited. It isn’t as busy as Manuel Antonio Beach, but you won’t get it to yourself unless you go in the early morning.
Whilst you can take a dip here to cool off, this isn’t the best place in Manuel Antonio to swim as this beach has some of the strongest currents.
Things to do near Manuel Antonio National Park
If you plan on spending more than a day in Manuel Antonio (which we recommend as it’s a beautiful area), then here are a few things you should add to your itinerary.
10. Parasail on Playa Espadilla Norte
Playa Espadilla Norte is the most touristy of all the beaches in the area, as it’s an extension of Playa Espadilla Sur inside the park, but doesn’t come with the national park entrance fee.
As well as simply taking a stroll or relaxing on the sand, you can go parasailing for some great views of Manuel Antonio National Park from the air!
You can also hire jet skis and learn to surf.
11. Watch the Howler monkeys at sunset at Biesanz Beach
For something more tranquil, head to pretty little Biesanz Beach. This gorgeous little cove is reached via a short (5-10 minute) jungle trail.
Whilst it doesn’t face the horizon for sunset, this is still the perfect time to go as the soft light is still stunning and the wildlife is more active.
We also loved hearing the roar of the Howler monkeys, which definitely gave the beach a truly wild feeling.
12. Swim in one of Costa Rica’s most incredible waterfalls, Nauyaca Falls
Nauyaca Falls is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Costa Rica, and it’s only 1.5 hours away from Manuel Antonio. We recommend going in the early morning and walking down in the cooler temperatures to marvel at this two tiered waterfall without the crowds.
It’s an incredible place for a swim, with a huge pool that has very little in the way of current (in the dry season). At around 8.15am you’ll start to see ethereal light rays which bathe the falls, pool and rainforest in golden light.
For all the details on how to visit, including avoiding the crowds, read this guide.
13. Enjoy hanging bridges without the crowds at The Rainmaker
If you love hanging bridges, but want to avoid the crowds of places like Mistico Hanging Bridges, then the Rainmaker is for you. This amazing dense rainforest is just a 45 minute drive from Manuel Antonio and was one of our favourite activities on the Pacific Coast.
The 2.6km circuit trail winds uphill through virgin rainforest to several hanging bridges, before heading downhill to a series of crystal clear plunge pools (some of which had their own waterfalls).
It’s the perfect place to cool off as well as a picturesque walk. You can find all the details in our guide to the Rainmaker.
14. Ride the natural water slide at Uvita Waterfall
For something unique, head to Uvita Waterfall. This pretty waterfall is a natural water slide that shoots straight into the emerald green pool below.
You’ll have to climb the rickety ladder up the cliffside to the top (water shoes recommended), but once you’ve done that, it’s just a matter of sliding into the pool below!
If you don’t fancy the slide, it’s still well worth a visit as there are also a couple of pools to swim in a few minutes further down river. Uvita Waterfall is located a 1.5 hour drive from Manuel Antonio, all the details including entry fees and logistics are in this guide.
15. Check out the gorgeous free waterfall near Uvita
Few things come for free in Costa Rica, which makes Cascada El Pavon near Uvita a bit of a novelty. This pretty waterfall is just a short distance from Uvita Waterfall and therefore combining the two makes for a worthwhile day trip from Manuel Antonio.
You can swim in the pool beneath the falls, as well as several smaller pools further down river. You can read all the details in our guide to Cascada El Pavon.
Essential information for visiting Manuel Antonio National Park
Opening hours
Manuel Antonio National Park is open everyday except Tuesdays, from 7am until 4pm. Unlike a lot of other places in Costa Rica, these opening hours are strictly enforced, and anyone in the park at 3.30pm will be told that they need to make their way to the entrance to exit the park. The beaches close even earlier, at 3pm.
The best time to visit and crowds
Manuel Antonio National Park is one of the most popular in Costa Rica and if you visit in the dry season, it’s very likely you’ll have to deal with crowds. The worst areas for crowds are the official road (where all guided tours congregate) and Manuel Antonio Beach.
Unlike many other places, there’s no time you can visit Manuel Antonio to escape the crowds (in dry season). As the wildlife is most active in the early morning, the majority of tours start as soon as the park opens. It does get quieter in the afternoon, but not actually quiet.
Facilities at Manuel Antonio and what you can bring
We were really surprised that Manuel Antonio actually has quite a few facilities within the national park, which makes things a lot easier if you plan on visiting for the whole day. There are toilets by the entry to the park, but there’s also another toilet block at the end of the official road, as well as a small cafe, taps to refill your water bottles and even showers for after your trip to the beach.
Plastic bottles, food and drones are all banned from the park. Bring a reusable water bottle with you.
The car parking scam
All visitors to Manuel Antonio National Park should watch out for the car parking scam, which is easy to fall for. People in high vis jackets will blow whistles at you and block the road - generally at the junction for the En Todas Food Truck on the road into Manuel Antonio National Park. They will wave you down and tell you that they run the offical car park.
This isn’t true, as there are car parks that are within a minute’s walk of the park gates. If you follow their instructions you’ll have to walk much further to get to the entrance of the park (and it’s a hot exposed walk). Simply slow down, ignore them and keep going. The national park is at the end of the road and you’ll know you’ve reached it when you see the park gates. We parked here for reference, you still have to pay, but you’re a minute from the park gates.
Do you need a guide?
We’ve written an entire article on whether you need a guide to visit Manuel Antonio, which you can read more about here.
Where to stay in Manuel Antonio
You can either stay in the small town of Manuel Antonio itself, or 10 minutes down the road in Quepos, which is a cheaper option.
Apartamento Karibu, Manuel Antonio
This apartment is great if you want to self cater, as there’s both an oven and hob. It’s set in pretty gardens and has an extra large bed, as well as a smaller double and the all important AC. The host Rosa gets rave reviews, as does the place in general.
You can check the reviews and prices on:
Villa Iguana, Quepos
Villa Iguana is the place we were planning to stay at, but as we were so last minute with our booking, we missed out. I picked it because it’s in a really quiet spot, set in lovely forest surrounds - at this point in our trip we were craving peace and quiet as Costa Rica can be surprisingly noisy. There’s a full kitchen including dishwasher - something we never saw elsewhere in Costa Rica. There’s even a little jacuzzi in the garden. If you don’t mind being a little further from restaurants etc, it’s definitely worth a look.
You can check the reviews and prices on:
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