Region Guide
Manuel Antonio
Costa Rica's most beloved little national park, where rainforest wildlife spills right onto Pacific beaches.
- National parkrainforest + coast
- White-sand beachesbeside the trails
- Sloths & monkeysreliably spotted
- Catamaran & seaafternoon sailings
About Manuel Antonio
Where the rainforest meets the Pacific
Manuel Antonio National Park covers barely 1,983 hectares, smaller than most farms, yet it packs in 109 mammal species and 184 bird species and pulls more visitors than any other park in Costa Rica. That density is exactly why planning here is confusing: park entry now requires an advance online SINAC reservation with a strict daily cap, guides are optional but heavily pushed, and half a dozen boat and mangrove tours all compete for the same afternoon slot.
We break down the park entry system, the boat tours, and the sloth-sighting question in the guides below, rather than repeating a generic “things to do” list.
Sloths napping over the trail, monkeys in the canopy, and the jungle running straight down to the sand.
Top experiences in Manuel Antonio
Featured guides for Manuel Antonio
- Arenal (La Fortuna) vs Manuel Antonio: Volcano or Beach?Volcano country or a coastal national park: here's what actually separates La Fortuna/Arenal from Manuel Antonio, how far apart they really are, and which to pick first.
- Best Manuel Antonio Catamaran Tours: Morning vs SunsetMorning catamarans mean snorkeling at Playa Biesanz and better dolphin odds. Sunset sails trade the reef for cocktails and the coastline lighting up gold. Here's which to book.
- Best Sloth Tours in Manuel Antonio: Wild Park vs SanctuaryA national park guide with a scope, or a wildlife sanctuary that guarantees the sighting? Here's the real tradeoff between spotting a wild sloth and meeting a rescued one.
- Damas Island Mangrove Tour vs Manuel Antonio National ParkThe mangrove tour isn't inside the national park, it's a separate estuary 10 minutes away. Here's what actually differs, and why most visitors do both rather than pick one.
- Manuel Antonio National Park: Best Tours, Guided vs Self-GuidedEntry now requires an advance SINAC reservation, and the park is closed Tuesdays. Here's how the ticket system actually works, and which guided tours are worth booking on top of it.
Not sure where to start?
Browse live, bookable Manuel Antonio tours and check current prices below.