Costa Rica has culture, surfing, touristy spots, secluded spots, jungles, rivers, beaches, volcanoes, and monkeys…what else do you need!?!
Experiencing Costa Rica is a great first trip to Central America or any Spanish speaking country. The people are friendly and generally speak as much English as you need them to. Speaking spanish is fun though so we recommend you give it a try.
Manual Antonio has a beautiful National Park with hiking trails, scenic beaches, and plenty of wildlife including birds, bats, sloths and of course monkeys. If you want to zipline through the jungle with howler monkeys there is no better place than right here.
If you’re looking for more seclusion we would recommend you head south to Corcovado or up north to Nicaragua. And if you don’t like humidity you should probably head to Hawaii.
Why we love Manuel Antonio:
- Manuel Antonio National Park is crawling with monkeys in every direction.
- Rainforest and the beach, perfect combination!
- Laid back vibe where everyone stays true to living the Pura Vida.
Things to do:
- Zipline through the rainforest
- Hike in the park
- Surfing / body surfing
Eat:
- There are lots of casual places to eat in Manuel Antonio. If you’re not looking for the Ritz, you can’t go wrong anywhere.
- Cafe Milagro has a nice little patio for an outdoor breakfast, lunch, or just a cup of Costa Rican coffee.
- Agua Azul is a fun place to hang out for happy hour and stay until the sun sets.
Stay:
- Si Como No is a fun hotel with a great pool and slide for kids, a nice happy hour menu (try the guac and sangria), a great buffet breakfast and the best breakfast view we’ve ever had!
Extra Tips:
- PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE MONKEYS. Don’t be one of the tourists who pretends they can’t read signs.
- If you’re looking to spend your whole vacation here, you can hire a driver to take you from the airport. It’s nice not to have to worry about a rental car. If you’re really adventurous you can take a bus from San Jose. All tours will pick you up at your hotel.
- Enjoy the fresh fruit sold on the street or beach. Also, try drinking [real] coconut water.
