Manuel Antonio National Park; Beach & Sightseeing Day Trip from San Jose
Description
As one of the most popular parks in Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio National Park is a must for visitors. This guided tour from San Jose makes visiting on a time crunch a cinch—your guide takes the guesswork out of deciding which trails are worth the effort, plus helps you spot wildlife along the way. This tour is specifically timed to avoid the crowds, too, helping you have the best possible experience exploring.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Discover Manuel Antonio National Park, one of the main touristic destinations of Costa Rica. You will be picked up from your San Jose Hotel in the morning in an air-conditioned vehicle, and then you will enjoy a scenic drive towards the Central Pacific Region of the country. On the way to Manuel Antonio, you will savor a delicious Costa Rican breakfast; and you will also have the chance to stop at the largest fruit stand of the country, where you can learn about the huge variety of tropical fruits of Costa Rica.
Following you will make a stop at the famous crocodile bridge, where you will be able to observe crocodiles in the wild from a safe viewing point, some of the animals observed here are as big as 6 meters long (18 feet).
A few minutes later you will make a brief stop at Tarcoles Beach, where you will have the chance to observe scarlet macaws in their natural habitat.
Continue your trip with a visit to the Jaco Beach look-out point, from where you can get great views of the most popular coastal town of Costa Rica.
Following, go on a one-hour nature hike at Manuel Antonio National Park and learn about the Rainforests Ecosystems of Costa Rica. Be on the look-out for wild species of fauna such as howler monkeys, white-faced monkeys, sloths, toucans, agoutis, tropical birds, and the cutest mammal of Costa Rica, the squirrel monkey. After your hike, you will have a few free hours to relax at the beautiful beaches of the national park, or go for a swim in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean. If you are not so much of a beach person, you can continue hiking on your own in the numerous trails of Manuel Antonio National Park, where beautiful landscapes and wildlife can be observed.
Later in the early afternoon hours, savor a delicious Costa Rican lunch in a restaurant located at high elevation, where great views of the ocean and the jungles of the national park can be observed. After this final stop you will be taken back to your hotel in the San Jose area.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Drop off at Manuel Antonio-Quepos centrally located hotels are available. If you wish to take this option, you must let us know at the time of booking.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Minimum age to participate is 5 years
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- The total tour duration includes the travel time, breakfast and lunch
- Drop off at Manuel Antonio-Quepos centrally located hotels are available
- The National Park authorities do not allow plastic water bottles; please bring reusable bottles
Reviews(37)
It was such a great experience! Our guide “Oxani” I hope I spelled that right, she was so great. Very very knowledgeable of the park and the surrounding areas we traveled through. Very knowledgeable of the conservation efforts that Costa Rica has. We asked her all kinds of questions and she answered each one. The other couple we were with was great too. The views at the resort were amazing! Thank you again!!
More walking in preserve and less time for the beach than expected. Meals were good but portions a bit too large for seniors. As senior citizens ourselves it was a challenge but worth the effort. Guide and driver served well.
Thank you for sharing your honest feedback about the Manuel Antonio National Park; Beach & Sightseeing Day Trip from San Jose. We truly appreciate you taking the time to describe your experience, especially from a senior traveler’s perspective. Manuel Antonio National Park is one of the most iconic Costa Rica destinations, known for its rich wildlife, tropical rainforest trails, and stunning coastal views. The walking portions of the preserve allow guests to fully enjoy the natural beauty and observe monkeys, sloths, and other wildlife in their natural habitat, which many travelers consider a highlight of their Costa Rica tour. We’re glad to hear that, despite the physical challenge, the experience felt worthwhile. We are also pleased that you enjoyed the meals and felt well taken care of by our professional guide and driver. Providing attentive service and safe, well-organized Costa Rica sightseeing tours is always a top priority for us. Thank you for choosing this Manuel Antonio National Park tour, and we hope to welcome you again for another memorable Costa Rica travel experience suited to your interests and comfort.
Lovely excursion and a formidable deal from Alex; the park is worth everything, and the beach is beautiful. The transfer is long and tired from traffic but gives time to sleep. Breakfast was spectacular
Gracias por su encantadora reseña de la excursión de un día al Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio desde San José. Nos alegra saber que disfrutó de este hermoso tour, desde explorar la increíble vida silvestre del parque hasta relajarse en la hermosa playa. Alex estará encantado de saber que su servicio hizo la excursión aún más placentera. Nos alegra que le haya encantado el espectacular desayuno y que haya tenido tiempo para descansar durante el viaje, lo que hizo el largo viaje más cómodo. Este tour es perfecto para quienes desean experimentar la belleza natural, la vida silvestre y los paisajes costeros de Costa Rica en un solo día. ¡Esperamos poder ayudarle en su próxima aventura en Costa Rica!
Kenny or Kenneth was our driver and guide for the day. Very friendly and informative. I will say the animals are wild so they’re not everywhere all at once. Your guide will help you find all the adorable sloths monkeys and more. We saw a couple sloths, a coatimundis, a couple species of monkey, a tiny frog, lizards and a crab. The beach was meh… we have cleaner Beaches in Hawaii but I’m sure Costa Rica has way more to offer than that beach. The water was warm. The bathrooms are a little small but I recommend using the one closest to the souvenir shop since they have showers too. Breakfast and lunch was great! I had the fish and it comes with a beautiful view of the ocean ! The park is a tiny bit over rated but I did enjoy myself for sure. We also saw some macaws! So beautiful… sadly the crocodile bridge was getting worked on and there were no crocs in site when we drove over… we had some mean traffic coming back so prepare for that . Started the day at about 5:20am and ended at about 8:20pm. I will say this drive was comfortable because it was just 4 of us. We had more room than we needed. Thank you so much to Kenny can for picking us up and dropping us off even though it wasn’t in the area they normally do that in. Lots of driving but worth it if you don’t want to drive on your own.
Thank you so much for your detailed review of the Manuel Antonio National Park; Beach & Sightseeing Day Trip from San Jose. We are thrilled to hear that Kenny made your day comfortable, enjoyable, and full of helpful insights while guiding you through Costa Rica’s incredible wildlife. Seeing sloths, monkeys, macaws, and other creatures in their natural habitat is one of the highlights of Costa Rica tourism, and we’re delighted that your tour allowed you to connect with so many adorable animals while learning about the ecosystem. From fresh, delicious meals with ocean views to a smooth and spacious ride, this day trip is designed to provide a stress-free way to explore Manuel Antonio and its surroundings from San Jose. We would be delighted to assist you with your next Costa Rica travel plans!
Undoubtedly the most beautiful places in Costa Rica, we visited impressive places, saw many animals, the journey was very pleasant, pleasant and explained everything we were seeing, Alex our guide made this day a very pleasant experience. Local food was delicious and the places we consumed it, always very clean and nice
¡Muchísimas gracias por tu maravillosa reseña del Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio: excursión de un día a la playa y turismo desde San José! Nos alegra mucho saber que disfrutaste de las impresionantes playas, la exuberante selva tropical y la increíble vida silvestre que hacen de este destino una de las verdaderas joyas de Costa Rica. Nos complace que Alex hiciera tu día tan especial con sus detalladas explicaciones y su amable guía, y que te haya encantado la deliciosa gastronomía local y el ambiente acogedor durante el recorrido. ¡Nos encantaría ayudarte en tu próximo viaje a Costa Rica!
We were not given a clear time for pick up and missed the time. The tour operator did not let us join at the next meeting point or the park itself (at our cost). They did not even give us the park entrance tickets that were included in our package. Completely uncooperative and looking for opportunities to steal your money.
The way you have described the situation is entirely inaccurate, and we have written evidence to support this. A few hours after you made your booking on Viator, we sent you a message confirming the pickup time for your tour. You acknowledged receiving the message by responding with the information we requested. This confirms that you not only received the message but also read it, which included the confirmed pickup time. It is unfair to hold us responsible for your mistake when you showed up 50 minutes late for your tour. Regarding your comments about our lack of assistance in helping you join the tour after your late arrival, it is convenient for you to focus on your side of the story while omitting key details. You neglected to mention in your review that, when informed you were 50 minutes late, you responded by verbally abusing our representative in a highly vulgar and disrespectful manner. Such behavior is unacceptable, and we will not tolerate it from you or anyone else. We also have written evidence of this interaction. Under normal circumstances, we would assist late arrivals by setting a new meeting point, but given your disrespectful conduct, we determined that this situation was a clear "no-show".
Fernando, a Guide with a lot of knowledge. Friendly and attentive person at all times. Great experience. I recommend it. The food was delicious.
Muchas gracias por su amable reseña sobre la excursión de un día al Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio desde San José. Nos alegra mucho saber que Fernando brindó un excelente servicio durante todo el día. Su amabilidad y atención, sumada a su profundo conocimiento de Costa Rica, contribuyeron a crear una experiencia inolvidable. ¡También nos alegra saber que disfrutó de la deliciosa gastronomía local! ¡Estaremos encantados de ayudarle en su próximo viaje a Costa Rica!
We really loved the experience visiting Manuel Antonio National Park, seeing a diversity of animals, birds, insects and butterflies. Harlem our guide was very knowledgeable and passionate about the flora and fauna that you can find in Costa Rica. We had a close look through the telescope at macaws, monkeys, sloths, butterflies and bats. We stopped at the beautiful white sandy beaches of the national park and had the opportunity to have a swim in the warm waters of the Pacific. The lunch we had at San Bada restaurant was delicious and we had amazing views over the national park and Manuel Antonio beach. On the way back we stopped at Tarcoles river, on the crocodile bridge and managed to spot 5 crocodiles, resting on the river bank. All in all, a beautiful day which ourselves and our daughter have enjoyed a lot. Our guide Harlem and the driver Don Carlos were very courteous and friendly and made our experience memorable. Thank you for a great day!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful and detailed review of the Manuel Antonio National Park; Beach & Sightseeing Day Trip from San Jose! We’re thrilled to hear that you and your family had such a beautiful and memorable day. Manuel Antonio is one of Costa Rica’s top travel destinations, and it sounds like you truly experienced the best of it—from wildlife viewing and birdwatching to relaxing on white-sand beaches and enjoying delicious cuisine with stunning views. Harlem and Carlos are dedicated to providing a warm, informative, and safe experience, and we’re so glad they made your visit special. Spotting sloths, macaws, and crocodiles through the telescope adds a unique, up-close connection to Costa Rica’s rich biodiversity that’s hard to forget. We would be delighted to assist you with your next Costa Rica travel plans!
Very courteous, very informative and helpful with all our questions. A very enjoyable adventure with him. The beach was my favorite. I would recommend our driver/guide.
Thank you for your kind review of the Manuel Antonio National Park; Beach & Sightseeing Day Trip from San Jose! We're so glad to hear that your driver/guide made the adventure enjoyable with their courtesy and helpfulness. It’s fantastic that the beach was your favorite part—it truly is a beautiful spot! We would be delighted to assist you with your next Costa Rica travel plans.
Our driver/guide was very courteous and knowledgeable about things of the country and the sites that we visited. Would recommend Fernando for any tour.
Thank you for your wonderful review of the Manuel Antonio National Park; Beach & Sightseeing Day Trip from San Jose! We're so happy to hear that Fernando provided such excellent service, combining his knowledge of Costa Rica with a courteous and professional attitude. We truly appreciate your recommendation, and we look forward to assisting you on your next Costa Rican adventure!
