Manuel Antonio is a national park, located on the mid-Pacific coast, close to the town of Quepos. The park is open daily, except on Mondays, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and is one of the most popular national parks in Costa Rica. It’s advisable to plan your visit early in the day. Entrance to the park costs US$10 and you can hire a guide to show you around.

Before reading about what you can do in Manuel Antonio, make sure to also read about the Things to do in Quepos , as this is where you’ll most likely be looking for accommodation.

Here is a list of some of the things to do while visiting Manuel Antonio

Spend some time at the beach

There are quite a lot of beaches within the national park where you can spend your time but Playa Manuel Antonio is ,by far, the best within the park The waves are gentle and the current is not strong. You can spend some time soaking up the sun or enjoying a picnic after you’ve hiked in the jungle. Just make sure that someone is guarding the backpack all the time as the coatimundi really like to try to get to any food you might carry.

Hike in the jungle

There are four short trails (1-3 km) which can be tackled easily by anyone. Just make sure you wear comfortable and appropriate shoes.

Take a wildlife watching tour

Such tours cost from US$20 per person and the guide will tell you more about the animals you spot.

However, it is possible to see the animals on your own. The Capuchine Monkeys are known to move fast from one place to another , while the arboreal porcupines are high in the palm trees (use the zoom option for best photos). You may even spot some iguanas in some logs near the beaches.

Try some water sports

You can book an adventure trip and enjoy whitewater rafting on Rio Savegre or Rio Naranjo. Or if you’d rather stay away from the extreme sports, try snorkeling or sea kayaking.

Take a horse ride on the beach…or mountain

Horse riding on the beach can be a lovely, romantic way to explore the nature. While riding a horse on a mountain gives the opportunity to see views you might have not experienced otherwise.
There is a ranch located about 40 km from the park where you can book such tours. You don’t even need to have riding experience to try this.

A day at the spa

There are quite a lot of spas to choose from , all located close to the National Park. After a day exploring the park, you can invest some money for you own pleasure and relaxation.

Learn to surf

Kids and adults alike will have a lot of fun learning to surf. There are several companies which offer surf lessons.

Sport fishing

If you like to spend your time waiting for a fish to bite, then the park is a perfect place to nail a marlin or a sailfish. There are tour companies which offer sport fishing options.

Sunset Sail

There are companies which offer the possibility of sailing at sunset. The boat makes a stop along the way and you can swim or snorkel in the calm waters. The sunset sail also includes dinner. So you can easily turn this activity into a romantic escape with your loved one. Such a sunset cruise costs US$75 for an adult.

Ziplining in the rainforest

There are four companies which offer such activities. For example, Canopy Safari’s adventure includes 17 platforms, 19 zip lines and 3 rappels. The 5 hour safari costs US$75 for both adults and children. A meal is included in the price. Along the safari you’ll be able to spot different tropical birds, plants and flowers. A visit to the butterfly farm and serpentarium are also included in the price.

Photo credits:Playa Manuel Antonio , Wildlife , Horse ride on the beach , Surf lesson , Zip line

Original article can be found here: Things to Do in Manuel Antonio

One of the major sports that drive visitors to Costa Rica is surfing. Everyone from pro surfers to those who wish to learn how to surf flock to Costa Rica year round. Because surfing in Costa Rica is so popular, it is no surprise that there are a number of hostel that cater to surf minded travelers. If you are looking for hostel that are near popular surf spots and are home to a number of other surfers of all skill levels, check out our list of the top surf hostels in Costa Rica.

Hostel Solo Bueno

This cozy surf hostel, hidden within the jungle at Playa Guiones on the Nicoya Peninsula is a ten-minute stroll to the beach and a short distance to a number of area restaurants and bars. There are hot showers, two dorm rooms with bunk beds and fans, and a communal kitchen for shared meals. Guests looking to save even more money should note that the Hostel Solo Bueno is also equipped with a campground complete with a set of newly built bathrooms and dining area. Daily rates for Hostel Solo Bueno average up to $ 25 (US) during high season.

Cuesta Arriba Hostel

Nestled away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Santa Teresa, the Spanish colonial influenced Cuesta Arriba is one of the more invitingly located surf hostels in Costa Rica. Guests feel as if they have stepped into paradise surrounded by lush palm trees complete with swinging hammocks. Just off the shore, the La Lora break boasts of being one of the best surfing hot spots. This cozy hostel offers spacious coed rooms that can house up to six guests at a time. Each room has a private bathroom, individual surf racks, safety boxes and fans. Complementary coffee and toast offered daily and Cuesta Arriba is equipped with a large communal kitchen. The lounge area has cable TV, a DVD player and a wide selection of movies. The daily rate is $12 (US) per person. Group rates are available as well.

La Botella De Leche

La Botlla De Leche is a family-owned and operated hostel with two locations within Costa Rica. One is located in the northwestern beach town of Tamarindo and the other in San Jose. The cost is the same in both locations. Guests can choose from either the shared dorm with bunk beds for $10 (US) per person, a single occupancy room for $15 (US), or a double room for $24 (US). Guests can mingle in the sitting area and share meals in the kitchen. If you are in the mood for a game of basketball, there is a court outside along with a ping-pong table if you prefer. Free Internet access is available to all lodgers.

La Lora Hostel

A family run Hostel designed with the adventurous in mind. Located in the heart of Belen, and just minutes from Juan Santamaria Airport. La Lora offers three bedrooms, each with a double bed, one bedroom with a twin; one with a single bunk bed and another that features two bunk beds. The hostel public areas include the kitchen, living and dining area. La Lora offers daily maid service, but does not include breakfast. However, the facility is conveniently located within walking distance of restaurants, markets and taxis. If you are looking for clean, comfortable accommodations and a friendly atmosphere, La Lora is committed to making your visit a memorable one. Daily rates run between $ 20 – $ 40 (US).

>>Make a reservation at the La Lora Hostel

Wavetrotter Hostel

A tropical garden surrounds Wavetrotter Hostel with beauty, which is one of the qualities that make this an ideal accommodation for Surfers. The Hostel offers a welcoming lounge area, four rooms with bunk beds, some with balconies, nice bathrooms with twenty-four hour showers and plenty of hot water. A fully equipped kitchen is also available for the guest’s convenience. For only $ 10 (US), guests enjoy the warm and friendly atmosphere, excellent service, clean bath and bedrooms, and staying just two hundred meters from the most consistent beach break of Costa Rica. Wavetrotter Hostel is located in Playa Santa Teresa.

Casa del Mar Hostel

Casa Del Mar Hostel is located a hundred meters from the sandy beaches of Santa Teresa and surrounded by nature and in front of one of the best surf spots of Nicoya, Peninsula at the Northern Pacific of Costa Rica. The facility is equipped with three dorm rooms: two coed and one female, satellite TV, laundry service, a nice lounge area for socializing and making new friends. There is also a BBQ area and 24 hour security. Included in the daily rate, which ranges between $ 9 – $12 (US) is linen and Internet access. Guests can take surf lessons or rent snorkeling equipment. Once a week they offer a tour of the area.

Original article can be found here: Surf Hostels in Costa Rica

Mal Pais is a really small, but really cool place to visit. It is kind of a secret spot that only those in the surfing community really know about. Combine the lack of tourist information about there are with how hard it is to get there and you are blessed with a small town that is pretty unspoiled by modern development. Aside from the wealth of surf shops, everything here is pretty “local.” There are only a few places to eat, one club, and a handful of accommodations. There are however, plenty of things to do in the area, here are some of the most popular things to do.

Canopy and Zip Line Tours

One very popular activity for tourists while visiting Mal Pais is the canopy tours. Accompanied by an experienced tour guide, people can strap themselves into a safety harnesses and get ready for an absolutely thrilling adventure they will likely not forget. Climbing up the trees into the canopy to a platform in the tropical forest, a maze of zip lines awaits the thrill seeker. The individual will coast through the canopy of the forest, experiencing the ecosystem from a whole new point of view. Moving from platform to platform on top of the forest, the guides will educate the group on the diversity of plant and animal life in the area. A variety of local wildlife can be seen while on these tours including howler monkeys, coati, bats, iguanas, long-tailed manikins, coyotes, armadillo, opossum, marmot, parrots, birds and many more animals. There will be opportunities for people to take pictures and ask questions, all while taking in the amazing scenery of Costa Rica’s tropical forests with the occasional glimpse of the Pacific Ocean below in the distance. This is definitely one activity that should not be passed up while visiting Mal Pais. It combines thrill, adventure and nature into an exciting, action-packed afternoon.

Fishing

Many people travel to Mal Pais, Costa Rica for the fishing alone. Often times, people’s entire vacations will revolve around fishing on the Pacific for an entire week. Whether someone is an avid fisherman, or just wants to try and experience the life for a day, there is a tour available. There are a variety of fishing tours and charters available in Mal Pais. Go with the experienced local fisherman to the best spots and reel in the fish all day long. They can adapt the trip to your preferences or needs. They can use live bait, dead bait or even lures and can arrange for deep water fishing as well as shallow and flats fishing voyages. There are a variety of fish to be caught including yellow fin tuna, amberjack, Wahoo, sailfish, marlin, rooster fish, lady fish and many more. Whatever the individual’s delight, the local fisherman can arrange for it.

Surfing

One of the most popular surfing destinations in Costa Rica is Mal Pais. With the town’s shores located between the Central Pacific area and Guanacaste, the surfers in the area greatly benefit from the big swells associated with the wet season and winds. Add to this the absence of large crowds that would otherwise clog the area, and it is a surfer’s paradise. There are several spots in Mal Pais to catch a wave including Playa Hermosa, El Carmen, Santa Teresa, Playa de Los Suecos and Punta Barrigona.

ATV Tours

A great way to spend the afternoon exploring the jungles and beaches is by taking a half-day all terrain vehicle, or ATV, on a self-guided tour. The best part about these tours is that an individual can decide what they want to see and do at their own pace, without the worries of holding up a larger group. Self-guided tours also allow time for the riders to stop and enjoy the scenery as they feel necessary. Some riders will go through the jungle, spotting many different animals in their natural environment. Other people will choose to ride their ATV’s down to the beach for the afternoon and take a dip in the pristine waters of the Pacific ocean. There are always guided tours available for those who wish to experience an ATV that way. All terrain vehicles are exciting and can fulfill even the most adventurous tourists’ needs. The level of difficulty involved with riding these vehicles depends on the course of travel you choose.

Snorkeling and Diving

Many people travel to Mal Pais in order to get to Tortuga Island, one of the best diving spots in Costa Rica. This is a very famous diving spot, likely due to the fact that it is the only area in Central America with three sand banks. Only a half hour’s ride from the mainland, some of the most beautiful diving areas await the avid divers and snorkeling enthusiasts of all levels. Whether one prefers to dive the reefs or gigantic volcanic formations, during day or night, this place has it all. A variety of whales, sharks, rays, turtles, fish and crustaceans are plentiful in the area, making the experience unforgettable.

Original article can be found here: Things to Do in Mal Pais

Manuel Antonio is a popular spot for visitors who are interested in the eco travel that made Costa Rica famous. However, there are plenty of other types of activities just outside of Manuel Antonio. If you have seen everything there is to see in Manuel Antonio, make your way out of town on some of our suggested day trips. Everything listed below can easily be done in a day and give you plenty of time to get back to your lodging in Manuel Antonio.

Be sure to check out: Fincas Naturales Manuel Antonio

If you are on a budget, check out these free things to do in Costa Rica.

If you have any other suggestions for day trips from Manuel Antonio, please leave a comment in the section below the post!

Highway 34 to Dominical and Beyond

Going south of Manuel Antonio reveals miles upon miles of paved road that winds through beautiful palm oil plantations. The sights and sounds along this route will take visitors back in time where cars are replaced by cycles and people are unaware of anything called Internet. This tricky road is better traversed with the help of a 4WD. Just be careful to replenish fuel at every gas station.

Just 26 km from Manuel Antonio is the town of Dominical which is popular for its deserted beaches covered by thousand years old virgin rain forests. It is a town where tides crash into the nearby rugged cliff face. If you leave early then make it a point to spend a couple of hours at famous beaches just a few miles farther south. These beaches are relatively calm and abound in natural beauty. Along the way, you can stop at numerous coves, waterfalls and other picnic spots. It is best to hire a local guide who is well aware of the local places and will make sure that you get back in time for dinner. If you ever get late, stay at one of the comfortable budget lodgings and do not try to get back after dark.

Ballena Whale National Park

The park is home to one of the largest coral reefs in this part of the World. It will take a little more than an hour to reach this marine wonderland. The park provides ample opportunities to see Green Iguanas who feed on the abundant algae. Bottle nosed dolphins and hawksbill turtles are frequent visitors to the mainland. It is among the few places on earth where humans can come close to the breeding packs of humpback whales which congregate in large numbers near Las Tres Hermanas. The best time to see these giant mammals is from January to April.

To enjoy all that this park has on offer, try hiring a boat to take you to the remote fishing hamlets or ask someone to arrange a trip to Isla Ballena coral reef where you will be able to savor the splendors of sea caves and a large variety of migratory birds. Come equipped with all the camping facilities and fill up bottles of water at the Ranger station. The guides are available at nominal prices in and around Palmar, Uvita and Dominical. Just be careful who you wish to accompany as guide jobs are mostly unregulated.

>> Check out our review of Ballena Whale National PArk

White Water at Rio Naranjo

For adventurous and brave at heart, no side trip is better than facing the thrill of riding a class III or IV rapid along the winding stretches of Rio Naranjo River. The only pre-requisite to such tour is to have a little experience of rafting because elevation along the route can swiftly change from shallow pounds to fast moving currents. The best time to visit is between June and October when the season is ripe for riding along the most treacherous but rewarding patches of Naranjo.

Most tours operate from the town of Manuel Antonio where participants have a chance to select from half or full day journeys. The trips usually stop at halfway point near the tiny village of Londres which allows rafters to enjoy a well prepared meal and interact with native inhabitants. Due to the sheer competition, each company may provide other side trips free of cost. Feel lucky if your group stops at one of the lovely shallow lagoons to drench under the multi colored waterfalls. You should be physically fit to undertake this journey and be able to spend a little extra cash on buying accessories which may not be readily available with all tour operators.

Jaco

Jaco is the party capital of Costa Rica. If you ask locals, they will definitely tell not to visit the town as it is infested with beautiful prostitutes, drugs and many crazy people. While some of it is true, most westerners are tempted by the variety it offers to its international clientele. There are all those fine delicacies which are attributed to local cuisine. For the most delicious and low cost meal try the ever popular Gallo Pinto made of rice, onions, coriander and beans. For meat lovers, rice served with steak or pork with a fine blend of fried plantains, beans and salad is a Must.

For surfers, it is a paradise which provides safe year round surf and for sunbathers there is not a better place than lounging by warm waters. You can easily find a secluded spot on the beach even in the most crowded months. All along the beach and town center, numerous gift shops sell antiques not available anywhere else in Costa Rica. Things are usually expansive therefore beware of tourist traps and haggle on everything from Taxi ride to buying a Horcheta at seaside stalls. Once there, do not forget to take a romantic horse ride to the beautiful natural habitats north of the town.

Original article can be found here: Day Trips from Manuel Antonio

Being the ecological hot spot that Costa Rica is, there is no shortage of amazing things to see and do. In fact, the only real problem with Costa Rica is that there is too much to see and do. Short of backpacking around the country for several months, there is almost no way to see everything Costa Rica has to offer. For this very reason, many travelers look to organized tours to help them maximize their time abroad. The Costa Rica Explorer Tour is one such tour.

Why Use the Costa Rica Explorer Tour?
For the price and amount of activities involved, the Costa Rica Explorer Tour is a steal. It is 15 days of pure adventure and excitement. Minus the two days spent in San Jose, the rest of the trip includes some sort of Costa Rican adventure, activities, and popular tourist attractions on every day of the trip. From jungle tours to horseback riding, this tour offers just about everything you could want to do in Costa Rica.

If you only have a short time to see the country, the Costa Rica Explorer Tour is the way to go. It may not cover the entire country, but it covers the main tourist hot spots and wont leave you disappointed.

Included Activities

• Sea Turtle Viewing
• Wildlife Viewing
• Boat Trips
• Arenal Volcano
• Whitewater River Rafting
• Mountain biking
• Caving
• Horseback riding
• Lava Fields
• Hot Springs
• Coffee Plantation Tour
• Sky Walk
• Butterfly garden
• Zip line canopy tour
• Surfing
• Snorkeling

Peace of Mind
Another great reason the Costa Rica Explorer Tour is such a great deal is because it takes the headache out of planning a vacation. Not having to worry about taxis, bus schedules, hotel reservations, and booking tours is a true Godsend. If you were trying to plan this vacation yourself, you would undoubtedly spend half of your vacation waiting for buses,taxis, and boats. While the other half would be spent making reservations.

If you have two weeks in Costa Rica, use them well by booking the Costa Rica Explorer Tour.

Original article can be found here: Costa Rica Explorer Tour