Manuel Antonio is Costa Rica's smallest national park and one of its richest. In three unhurried hours your guide finds what most visitors walk past: sloths folded into the canopy, capuchins in the fig trees and toucans high above the trail.
Your guide carries a spotting scope, so you see the animals up close without disturbing them. The walk ends on the white sand of Playa Manuel Antonio, where you can stay to swim until the park closes.
Highlights
- Two- and three-toed sloths, often a few meters from the trail
- White-faced capuchins, howler monkeys and, with luck, the rare squirrel monkey
- Toucans, coatis and iguanas through the guide's scope
- A swim at Playa Manuel Antonio after the walk
Know before you go
- The park is closed on Tuesdays and open 7 am to 4 pm the rest of the week.
- Park tickets are sold online only and sell out days ahead from December to April. I book them for you together with the tour.
- Bags are checked at the gate: no chips, nuts, alcohol or single-use plastic.
- Wildlife is wild. Sightings are very likely here, but never guaranteed.
- Early starts see the most animals and the coolest temperatures.
How the day goes
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Meet your guide at the park entrance
Tickets are checked against your passport, so keep it with you.
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150 min
Guided wildlife walk
Easy, mostly flat trails through the forest, stopping wherever the guide spots an animal.
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30 min
Beach time
The tour ends at Playa Manuel Antonio. Stay to swim and walk back on your own before the park closes at 4 pm.
Included
- Certified bilingual naturalist guide (English and Spanish)
- National park ticket
- Close-up views through the guide's spotting scope
- Bottled water
Not included
- Tips
- Food and drinks
What to bring
- Passport (park tickets are checked against it)
- Swimsuit and towel
- Comfortable closed shoes
- Sunscreen and insect repellent
- Refillable water bottle