Manuel Antonio and Quepos are within 3-4 hours of San Jose and easily reachable. It is great area to spend 3-4 days or more. It offers wonderful beaches, fishing, tours, a National Park, a wide range of places to stay, and some nightlife in the small town of Quepos. Quepos has found renewed growth through being the gateway to visitors heading for the Manuel Antonio National Park 7 km south, and for sport fishermen. Quepos is an active local tourism destination, with plenty of bars, restaurants, hotels, and shops, but its beaches cannot be compared with those of Manuel Antonio.

attractions
The Manuel Antonio National Park is diminutive, at 682ha (soon to be enlarged to 1,800ha), but for visitors it offers the key elements: stunning beauty and offshore islands, beaches which epitomise tropical beaches, exuberant rainforest, a network of simple trails, and visible wildlife. The only problem is that this is the most visited park in the country, with over 150,000 visitors annually, and this is causing concern. It is not only a park for taking trails and watching out for animals, but also for enjoying the beautiful beaches.

Fishing is outstanding, and Quepos has become a strong centre for this. For marlin and sailfish, the advantage compared with the Guanacaste area of the north is protection from the heavy winds wind which restrict fishing there. The peak season is December to August. Inshore reefs also favour fishing for wahoo, tuna, snapper, and amberjack.

Other activities possible:-
* white water rafting (Rio Naranjo, Savegre, Parrita)
* sea kayaking
* canopy tours (3 to choose from)
* canyoning tours
* jet ski tours
* butterfly & botanical gardens
* dolphin watching
* Spanish language schools
* island tours (for example Damas) and snorkeling
* horse riding
* hiking
* mountain biking
* cruises
* diving

visitor info
Any time is a good time to visit, as the area is always lively. The best times to see animals and birds in the reserve is early morning and late afternoon. A good time of the year is February-April, when weather and birdwatching is at the best. The wet season, June-November, has the advantage of being much less visited.

There are plenty of hotels of all categories from Quepos right up to the start of the the national park. There is also a good choice of restaurants and cafes scattered around, and plenty of shops where you can buy books, arts and crafts, beachwear, souvenirs and so on. 
There are a couple of internet cafes available.

Although you can manage without a car once there, whether by walking, catching buses and shuttles or ordering taxis, we recommend you have your own rental car for greatest flexibility and mobility. You can either pick this up in San Jose and drive down, or pick up from agencies in Quepos.

During the peak periods of the high season, you may find that there are queues into the national park, particularly given that the park limits the number of visitors. Many are going to relax on the beaches, so you can beat these by going early. 

getting there
The drive there from San Jose takes 3 1/2-4 hours. Some of the hotels can organize shuttles. You can go by Gray Line bus, by taxi, take a domestic flight to the airport of Quepos, or drive by rented car (the trip down the mountain is very attractive).  4x4 is not needed for these main roads, but is recommended if you intend to try out some of the gravel roads, or continue driving south as the road becomes gravel.