Manuel Antonio/Quepos Travel Tips: Where to Stay, Eat, Hike, Surf, & See Animals
Today is more traditional travel blog where I tell you my tips for navigating the Manuel Antonio/Quepos area in Costa Rica. A lot of people only come here a night or two to go to the national park and the beach and then leave. But I was here a month and absolutely LOVED it. If you have the time, I recommend you linger a little longer. During my time here, I collected some valuable tips that will hopefully save some future fellow travelers a few headaches. I also met some really lovely people during my stay here and would love to give them a shoutout. Because the low season (rainy season) can be tough on an economy that relies so heavily on tourism, I also wanted to use this opportunity to help promote the people and businesses that made my time here so enjoyable.
Ready for my recommendations? Here we go….
1/ Favorite hike - From Quepos, near the beautiful Nahomi park, you can begin the Rota Mae, a trail that if done correctly and during the dry season, will take you all the way to Manuel Antonio beach (or so I am told). On the way, you’ll pass 5+ or so secluded beaches such as Playa La Macha, Playa La Vaca, and Biesanz. For the first half, you should be able to follow the pink ribbons to get by. Unfortunately, I never made it past Playa La Vaca because I couldn’t see the ribbons and I was going through some precarious-looking croc soup terrain so turned back. But it’s worth the trip for the beach and jungle hike nonetheless. The starting point can be found on Google Maps. From there follow the trail/pink ribbons. Eventually, you’ll stumble upon Playa La Macha and if you are lucky, no one will be there and you’ll be able to swim naked. After getting lost with another traveler, one day, we somehow ended up at Casa Lamia which had a great view and delicious smoothies (more on that later). Maybe you’ll be as fortunate!
2/ Favorite activity - surfing! - You can walk up and down Manuel Antonio beach and take your chance on taking lessons from one of the many surf schools or surfers. But I recommend contacting Ricardo Costes, a professional body boarder and certified instructor, for an appointment instead. With his help and expertise, I managed to stand up for my first time in the water. After only a few lessons and without having any prior experience, I was able to ride waves on my own. The best way to reach him is through his Instagram, -@ricardo.costes - Pricing depends on low and high seasons and how many people are in your party, but will certainly be more cost-effective than going through one of the schools. I also learned that if you go through one of the schools, the instructors only earn $15-$20 per lesson, even though the lesson costs $60 which is a big rip-off. So why not cut out the middleman? Oh, and don’t forget to tip!! I didn’t realize I had to but it is customary, especially if you enjoyed yourself.
3/ Favorite place to stay - For the entire month, I stayed at Casa Huéspedes Pura Vida. The owners, Jorge and Pamela, are an absolute delight to be around. Though the location is a bit outside of Quepos which can make it tricky to get to and from Manuel Antonio area, especially at night, I absolutely LOVED the grounds. If you stay in one of the tiny houses as I did, you’ll overlook a small river which obviously attracts a lot of critters like a river otter, cool birds, and iguanas GALORE. The scenery made me feel like I was in Jurassic Park. To walk to town and nearby shops it takes about 20 minutes but it’s a nice peaceful walk. From there you can catch the local bus and pay around $1 USD. I also really loved the community kitchen and living space which allowed me to meet and connect with other travelers. I didn’t have a car during my stay but I almost always managed to catch a ride with others who did when I needed to go to town.
4/ Favorite place to buy groceries- To save costs, I mostly cook for myself when traveling. But food can be pricey here especially if you don’t know where to look. Pali happens to be the least inexpensive grocery store option (that I found) but I mostly used it for buying fruits/vegetables (although not always the best quality) and basics like beans and rice. Otherwise, I would buy my specialty items like almond milk, almonds, and chocolate at the Mini Price store. Be prepared to pay high dollar there though. During the month my meals looked like this: Breakfast - Oatmeal with almonds and fresh fruit (mango or apple) + Hot Cacao with honey and almond milk, Lunch - I usually packed a fresh salad with protein (two boiled eggs or canned tuna) and carried it with me to the beach or national park in a metal camping bowl I brought with me.) For dinner, I would make lentils, rice and veggies, egg tacos, or occasionally eat out.
5/ Favorite places to eat out - Though my Airbnb gave me a list of restaurants to eat out, like Soda Sanchez, I felt that he was giving me the names of places he thought tourists would like vs. places he actually liked. Luckily a new friend introduced me to Restaurant El Pollito in Quepos near the boardwalk. And I must say WOW. It’s the typical casado-style dish (chicken, rice, beans, salad, vegetables, and pasta) but the difference is that it costs half the price of anywhere else in town. Normally that dish would cost you around $10 (which is still a good deal) but here this dish was only $5! I love a good bargain, especially when it comes to food. Otherwise, I can recommend Vista Verde Restaurant for its ceviche and delicious beans. Dishes will run you $10 and up, however. Avion (the famous restaurant with a plane) has a great view, but I’d skip the food. Just order a drink and enjoy the scenery.
6/ Favorite way to get around - I recommend walking and using the local bus (~$1). You’ll see SO many critters on your walk and get to connect with some of the pure-hearted locals and sleepy stray dogs on your way. Otherwise Uber is pretty affordable here. A 20-minute ride from Casa Huespedes to Manuel Antonio Park ran me about $7. The problem is that at night sometimes the Uber drivers would refuse my ride or I wouldn’t be able to find a driver. Then I was stuck hailing a taxi which doubled the price (and required cash). Another option is jumping in a collectivo (a locally run taxi) which is slightly more expensive than the bus but will bring you directly to your place. They’ll usually cruise by a bus stop, toot their horn, and then you’ll jump in with a few others. I only did this when I was with my local friend for obvious reasons, but if you are feeling adventurous (and speak a little Spanish) you’ll be alright.
7/ Favorite tour guide at Manuel Antonio Park - If you visit the national park (which is probably why you are here in the first place) I HIGHLY recommend a tour guide. The reason is that they are trained to see animals you would never be able to see. All the guides also work together and alert each other when there is an animal around. They also have telescopes that will allow you to see the animals (like sloths) up close and personal. If you book the tour with Mauro through Airbnb you’ll only pay $30 per person (plus entry to the park) vs. $60. Mauro was super knowledgeable and you could tell he LOVED animals which made it fun every time he would spot another one. If you don’t want to splurge on the tour, you might be able to get away with following behind a tour. But you won’t be able to see the animals up close through the telescope.
8/ Favorite beach - Aside from swimming nude at Playa La Macha, I absolutely loved Biesanz Beach. To get there you’ll have to walk through a jungle. Once you’re there the beach is in a little nook surrounded by jungle which means the waves are fairly calm. You can rent chairs, kayaks, and paddleboards. There is also a bar where you can buy drinks, food, and fresh coconuts!!
9/ Miscellaneous favorites - I LOVED the fresh fruit smoothies blended with water (or milk if you prefer). You can find them at almost every restaurant and in various flavors. But pineapple or strawberry were my go-to’s. Speaking of fruit - the fresh pineapple and mango here are TO DIE FOR. I am even considering moving here and one of the reasons is to be able to have the most delicious fruit daily. LOL. I also loved the coconut vendors on the beach that roll by occasionally. You can get a fresh coconut with a straw for only $2! After you finish slurping you can ask them to cut it open for you so you can eat the coconut meat.
That’s it for now. If I think of more, I’ll be sure to add them to the list. Otherwise, let me know if you end up using any of these tips!! I absolutely fell in love with this little area - the critters, the people, and the FRUIT MY GOD and wanted to share the love with as many folks as possible. Enjoy!!
Feel free to share your own Manuel Antonio/Quepos favorites in the comments below!
Yesterday I Was Happy, Today I Am Successful
Every so often I give myself a hard time. I make myself feel bad about not developing enough sellable skills that will make me more successful in the eyes of capitalism or spending all my money on plane tickets. Or I beat myself up about not having a 401k, a Master’s degree, or an age-appropriate wardrobe.
But today - today I feel successful. Let me tell you why.
After walking an hour towards a secret beach, I had to turn around and walk back in the same direction. The final twenty minutes of the journey happened to be alongside a swampy river I deemed “Crocodile Soup River” for its ominous overgrowth and precarious nature - and I just didn’t feel safe enough to venture onward. When I finally reached the main pathway to Quepos, a no-frills working-class city outside of the touristic zone and national park, I decided to take a break and sat down on a concrete bench overlooking the beach. I was on the second day of my period and bleeding quite heavily. In fact, I had already bled through my jean shorts. Normally I take it easy on the first few days of my flow for this exact reason but alas, I was in Costa Rica and wanted to explore every nook and cranny while I could (except for maybe the Crock Soup River.)
As I sat there and looked out at the horizon, I began to contemplate my life and felt overcome with happiness at the dream I had made a reality. I had been fantasizing about coming to Costa Rica for a while and in true Nicole fashion I could not just go for one or two weeks. I had to stay there for at least a month so I could feel like I truly lived there. And oh how much fun I had already been having just one week in.
Just as I began to scribble my happy thoughts in my journal, however, two adolescent girls, probably 11 or 12 sat down right next to me. I found it odd considering the bench directly next to us was completely empty. But then, I realized that they were actually acting very nervous. They were constantly glancing towards the right and then talking rapidly to one another.
I sensed their nervousness and said, “Are you ok?” They responded, in Spanish, that they didn’t speak any English. With my little knowledge of Spanish, I gathered that they were trying to hide from the man in a blue shirt, who happened to be sitting several benches down. My mama bear instinct kicked in and I quickly pulled out my translator app out and typed out, “Do you need me to walk you somewhere?”
“No, we are waiting for our ride,” one of the girls mentioned. At least that’s what I understood. Then one of them received a phone call and I inferred that their ride was close by. A few minutes later they stood up to leave and they said goodbye. I made eye contact and blew them an affirmative kiss. Though we couldn’t speak the same language they seemed to understand that I was telling them to be safe.
I already had plans to go to dinner so I stood up after them. That’s when I saw a man in a blue shirt a few benches down also stand up and begin following them from a distance.
So I did what any mama bear would do and I began to follow the man in the blue shirt who was following the girls. Though he was creepy I didn’t feel afraid of him. I could have easily kicked him in the nutsack and been on my merry way. My priority was on making sure the girls got to wherever they were going.
I had my phone clutched in my right hand as I sauntered slowly behind the blue-shirt man. Though my battery was low and I had no idea what the emergency hotline was in Costa Rica, I felt safe with my phone clutched tightly. I guess the blue shirt man started to suspect I was following him and perhaps he thought I was calling for backup. I didn’t want any trouble so I quickly crossed the street, my eye still on the girls far in front of me. The man glanced at me several times before stopping completely and sitting on a concrete slab in front of the bus station.
The girls were far enough ahead that I felt confident enough to let them continue on their own. I tucked away into the restaurant and let myself process what just happened.
What just happened is that two young girls, who could have been my children had I chosen to have them at a young age, felt that I was a safe haven for them, a place where they could seek shelter from a creepy man. And I must say I felt rather accomplished with this awareness.
Sure I don’t own a house. Every cent I save goes to fund my next adventure. I’ve been called every version of cheap you can imagine but I’ve seen more countries in the last year than most Americans will see in their entire lives. I also don’t have a family of my own. I never really wanted kids in my 20s because I was afraid they’d interfere with my nomadic lifestyle. A few years ago, however, like many women in their late thirties, I began wondering if I should have children. When my long-term partnership ended last year, I had to come to terms with the fact that I may never become a mom. And I’m not going to lie, it makes me sad sometimes, but I think that’s only because I haven’t heard of many (or any) women in their late thirties, or early forties who are living amazing lives, who are thriving, are fit and glowing and feeling fulfilled - and don’t have children.
But what I learned today is that though I am not a mom of my own kids, I can be a mom to the world. I can be a safe haven for anyone who needs reprieve at the moment. I can be that for others because I have learned to be that for myself. Traveling the world has built a kind of inner resilience and strength that is hard to come by otherwise. So while I may not own a house or have a pension, I know how to get myself and others out of some precarious situations, like avoiding becoming a Crocodile’s soufflé of the day or um, getting kidnapped.
I also know how to live.
Yesterday I hiked to several beaches before landing at one that was straight out of a magazine. As I was laying in the sand praying that I was not bleeding through my swimsuit onto the towel I snuck from my Airbnb, these words popped into my head, “This is the happiest day of my life, I am so happy right now.”
And it was true. Pura vida.