I took a public bus from La Fortuna to Manuel Antonio to explore the Manuel Antonio National Park. I could have taken a private shuttle, but it was almost $80 USD for one person, so I decided to take the public bus (I had to transfer the bus 4 times but it only costed $14.32 USD).
Itinerary
5:40am La Fortuna to San Ramon (2600 Colones)
8:05 am Arrived in San Ramon
8:49am San Ramon to Puntarenas (1545 Colones)
10:19am Arrived in Puntarenas
11am Puntarenas to Quepos (3000 Colones)
14:03pm Arrived in Quepos
Quick lunch break in Quepos
14:50pm Quepos to the hostel (located half way between Quepos and Manuel Antonio) (380 Colones)
Travel Mate
I met a friend from California in Puntarenas (her name is Cheyenne) and we got close while waiting for the bus. We exchanged our numbers and decided to stay in touch to explore Manuel Antonio National Park together. She was a wildlife educator in the US and she had binoculars with her, so exploring the park with her was interesting. We looked up some wildlife online and educated ourselves while at the park. We didn't book a tour, so we enjoyed having the freedom of how much time we would want to stay at each viewpoint inside the park. If you are a first-time visitor and would like to get to know the park, I think it would be nice to book a tour or explore with a guide so you know what to look out for.
Entry & Reservation
Online reservation is needed to explore the national park. I was there during the low season, so I didn't have issues booking online one day before I wanted to visit. During peak season, make sure to book couple of weeks in advance as tickets do sell out pretty quickly. There are time slots that you can book for, but it doesn't matter as long as you are booked for the day you want to visit. You can enter a bit earlier than the time you are booked, just make sure the date you want to visit is correct.
How to book online
Google "Sinac Reservation online" and it will take you to an online national park reservation system in Costa Rica. Register on the website and book online for Manuel Antonio National Park.
+ Things to note:
- Can't bring food inside. There is a cafe inside the park where you can grab snacks.
- Can't bring plastic water bottles. Make sure to bring your water bottles.
- Go early. Beat the crowd and humidity.
-Bring a swimsuit. There is a beach inside the park, where you can enjoy swimming for free!
Wildlife
We saw tons of wildlife when we were there:
Agouti
white-faced capuchin monkey
Hummingbird
Chestnut-backed antbird
White-tailed Deer
Land Crab species
Bats
Central American reptile-lizard
Spine tailed iguana
Two-toed sloth
Coati and the list goes on!
I loved the monkeys- they were everywhere and it was nice to see them up close!
I highly recommend visiting Manuel Antonio National Park if you are looking for a place to watch wildlife. There are also good hiking places inside the park, and it was nice to walk around after spotting some wildlife. We didn't bring a swimsuit so we couldn't swim, but if you are looking to get a dip in the water after spending some time in the park, don't forget to bring extra clothes and swimwear to explore the park to the fullest!
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