4 BEST Manuel Antonio Tours from San Jose (Which One to Book!)
Looking for the best tours of Manuel Antonio National Park from San Jose? Well, we’ve compared the top-rated tours right here for you!
We’ve spent time living in Costa Rica (and even more time traveling all over the country), and Manuel Antonio National Park is one of those places we always come back to. With wildlife, adventure activities, and beautiful beaches, it encapsulates everything we love about Costa Rica.
But with so much to offer, it’s really important to choose the right tour, especially if you’ve only got a day to spend here. And having tried many of them, we know how to spot the good ones. So to make it easy, we’ve broken down the best tours for you – who knows, maybe we’ll see you there!
Don’t miss out!
Our Top Choice
The tour we loved the most and suggest booking ASAP is this one!
Our FAVORITE Manuel Antonio tour from San Jose is this all-inclusive tour! Not only do you visit Manuel Antonio to see a ton of wildlife, but you’ll also visit the iconic Crocodile Bridge and enjoy some delicious Costa Rican meals.
Manuel Antonio Tours
- Our Top Choice
- 1. Affordable Manuel Antonio Group Tour
- Click here to snag this great deal!
- 2. All-Inclusive Manuel Antonio Tour with Crocodile Bridge
- This tour often sells out, so click here to secure your spot!
- 3. Family-friendly Small Group Tour
- Book this small-group tour for your friends or family today!
- 4. Manuel Antonio National Park and Catamaran Combo Tour
- Reserve this Catamaran and National Park Tour online here!
- Other Activities to do while You're in San José
- Pura Vida!
- Why We Book Tours with Viator
- Getting Around Costa Rica
- AIRALO e-SIM Up To 15% Off With Code "DTRAVEL15"
- What’s an eSIM?
1. Affordable Manuel Antonio Group Tour
Tour Details
We think that this tour of Manuel Antonio offers the best value for money! The price includes park entry, transport, breakfast, and lunch, so there’s really nothing else to worry about. We find that all-inclusive packages are so convenient and give us peace of mind when it comes to budgeting – after all, no one likes hidden costs.
One thing that we really like about this tour is that you get to choose how to spend your day in the park. The guided nature walk through the park is fantastic because Roberto, the guide, is so friendly and enthusiastic about wildlife, but you can also choose to relax on the beach if that’s more your speed.
You get to spend a total of about 5 hours in the park before grabbing lunch at a local restaurant and heading back to the city. Although you could easily spend multiple days exploring the park, this is enough time to get a taste of its beauty and biodiversity.
This tour lasts nearly 13 hours and is only available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, so we would definitely recommend booking in advance if you’re planning to visit during peak season!
Related Read: Another great nature experience you can do from San Jose is to visit Tortuguero!
2. All-Inclusive Manuel Antonio Tour with Crocodile Bridge
Tour Details
What really made this full-day tour stand out for us were the extra stops along the way. Of course, Manuel Antonio National Park is incredible on its own, and our guide Ricardo was amazing at spotting wildlife—but it was all the little surprises that made the day feel special.
After a breakfast stop, we crossed the famous Tárcoles Bridge (aka the Crocodile Bridge), where there were massive crocodiles just hanging out below. We also stopped at Tárcoles Beach to see scarlet macaws flying overhead, which was such a cool experience and not something we expected at all. Plus, these stops did a great job of breaking up the long drive to the park.
Inside Manuel Antonio National Park, we did a guided rainforest walk where Ricardo pointed out howler monkeys, toucans, and even a sloth tucked up in the trees. After that, we had a few hours of free time to explore on our own—whether that meant more hiking, swimming at the beach, or just relaxing in the sun.
Lunch was another highlight, served at a restaurant with jaw-dropping views over the jungle and ocean. Great food, amazing scenery, and yes—excellent cocktails if you feel like treating yourself!
With transportation, entry fees, and two meals included, this tour is completely hassle-free. It’s easy to see why it has hundreds of 5-star reviews—just make sure you book ahead because it definitely fills up!
3. Family-friendly Small Group Tour
Tour Details
I think that this Manual Antonio tour is perfect for families, or anyone who wants a personal, small-group experience. There’s a maximum group size of 20 people, and the tour only requires two bookings to run, so it doesn’t feel too busy.
We also think that the itinerary is really well-planned. There’s a guided nature walk and time to swim in the bright blue waters, so you get plenty of time to spot amazing wildlife in the rainforest and enjoy the gorgeous beaches. And trust us, a refreshing swim will be very welcome after walking through the rainforest! Our tip would be to bring a snorkel mask with you so that you can check out some of the fantastic marine life and coral, too.
The tour runs every day except Tuesday since the park is closed, so it tends to have better availability than some of the other tours we’ve mentioned. But that said, it does still sell out pretty fast, so we would recommend booking in advance, as you’ll get free cancellation until 24 hours beforehand anyway.
Why We Book Tours with Viator
Viator is a trusted online booking system for tours around the world! We almost always book our tours using Viator for a couple of reasons:
4. Manuel Antonio National Park and Catamaran Combo Tour
Tour Details
Manuel Antonio is a coastal national park, so cruising around on a catamaran is one of the best ways to see it! I find the beaches here to be some of the most beautiful in the whole of Costa Rica, and they look even more stunning when viewed from out on the turquoise sea.
I love that this tour is geared toward anyone who loves sailing and wildlife (like me!). Plus, it includes snorkeling, as there’s so much fantastic marine life here, from reef sharks and sea turtles to seahorses and parrot fish. The cruise is also a fantastic opportunity to spot the resident dolphins who live in the park year-round, and to see whales between June and October. Oh, and did I mention there are free drinks on board?!
Of course, you wouldn’t want to miss the chance to explore the park on foot, either. Luckily, this tour also includes a guided 1.5-kilometer (0.9-mile) hike through the rainforests. It’s almost guaranteed that you’ll spot some of Costa Rica’s fascinating wildlife here – Manuel Antonio has certainly never let me down!
The tour costs $237 USD per person, which includes breakfast and lunch, but do note that you have to book for at least two people at a time. I think that this is such a fun and relaxing way to experience Manuel Antonio National Park – and isn’t that what vacation should be all about?
Related Read: For more great activities to do in San Jose, check out our top ten favorite things to do here!
Other Activities to do while You’re in San José
There are plenty of things to do in San Jose! But if you’re having trouble filling that itinerary, I’ve highlighted some of my favorites below.
- Visit Poas Volcano – Poas Volcano is a very active volcano and it’s only about an hour and a half drive from San José city center. Seeing this huge acid-blue lake crater is mesmerizing, and this specific tour covers entry and guarantees you skip the long lines.
- Explore La Paz Waterfall Gardens – La Paz Waterfall Gardens is one of the best day trips from San Jose because it’s one of the biggest private wildlife sanctuaries in the country. It’s only a 45-minute drive, but if you don’t have a rental car, join this organized tour from San Jose, which covers transport, lunch, and a guided walk around the property.
- Take a coffee tour – You can’t leave Costa Rica without trying their world-renowned coffee! There are literally hundreds of coffee farms around Costa Rica, but some of the most famous are located only a short drive from San José. And on this Britt Coffee tour, you’ll try some of my favorite coffee and chocolate in the world!
- Go whitewater rafting – There are some awesome places for whitewater rafting in Costa Rica, including the Pacuare River near San Jose. If you love adventure like me, you have to go on a guided rafting tour! This tour had fantastic guides and included lunch after the rafting, as well as transportation.
Related Read: Want to make the most of your time in the capital? Our 2-day San José itinerary lays out the perfect way to explore San José with ease.
Getting Around Costa Rica
How you choose to get around Costa Rica is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make when planning your holiday here! How you do it depends on your budget, travel style, and comfort level.
Renting a Car
Without a doubt, the number one way to explore Costa Rica is in a rental car. We book rental cars on the Discover Cars website as we have had good experiences with them in the past.
One of the things you need to watch for when renting a car in Costa Rica is the mandatory insurance that the government requires you to have. There are a lot of very cheap rentals that don’t include this mandatory insurance (TPL) in the original booking price, but there are also ones that do. To avoid additional surprise charges when you pick up your rental car, be sure to rent a car that includes the mandatory insurance when you book.
Thankfully, on Discover Cars it’s easy to tell apart the companies that include the mandatory insurance and those that don’t. The trick is you can’t pick any car on their website. In the picture below, you can see this rental car, with pick up in Jaco, includes the TPL. That means the mandatory insurance is included in the price. Any cover you get above that is extra.
Of course, I still suggest getting the full coverage offered by Discover Cars, which covers you even more.
You can browse cars on Discover Cars here.
Book Shuttles
If renting a car isn’t in your budget, you don’t feel comfortable driving in Costa Rica, or you just don’t like driving, shuttles are the next best option. There are hundreds of shuttle routes available all over the country, and they are very affordable.
Shuttles in Costa Rica are specifically for tourists and often include pick up and drop off at your selected hotels and airports. The drivers also speak some English, and the vehicles have air conditioning. You’ll also be guaranteed a seat when you book a shuttle (which isn’t the case with the public bus system.)
To get the best price, use the website Bookaway. They compare all the offers and prices of shuttle companies in Costa Rica so you get the best price! Honestly, we have saved so much money using Bookaway!
You can search for shuttles online on Bookaway here.
Public Bus
Lastly, you can use the public bus system. On short journeys, such as from San Jose to La Fortuna or Uvita to Manuel Antonio, this system is great. However, the longer the journey the more hassle and time spent on a bus. It’s undoubtedly best to save the public bus in Costa Rica for short and straightforward trips!
The public buses are definitely the cheapest way to get around Costa Rica, but they are not always very reliable and schedules often change without notice and delays are to be expected. The buses can also be very crowded and hot – so just be prepared!
It’s also good to speak some Spanish if you plan on riding the public bus since most drivers and ticket booth operators don’t speak English.
AIRALO e-SIM Up To 15% Off With Code “DTRAVEL15”
What’s an eSIM?
An eSIM is a digital version of a SIM card. Instead of buying a little plastic chip and swapping it into your phone, you just download it. It connects your phone to a local network in whatever country you’re visiting — no stores, no waiting, and no fiddling with tiny cards.
In simple terms, it’s the easiest way to get data and stay connected while traveling.
We’ve tested a bunch of eSIMs in North America, and after a few frustrating experiences, we’ve found our favorite — Airalo. It’s fast, reliable, and incredibly easy to use. You can set it up in minutes (even my mom managed it solo on her first try!), and the prices are some of the best out there.
🔥 Hot Tip: Choose the Latin America-wide eSIM! It works across 17 countries, so you can hop from Costa Rica to Panama to Nicaragua without ever losing connection. One download, endless adventures.
Bonus: We’ve got an exclusive 15% discount for our readers. Use the codes:
Pura Vida!
Nature lovers can’t miss Manuel Antonio National Park – and visiting from San Jose is so easy! There are so many tours, but we can personally vouch for the ones we listed. Plus, they all cover roundtrip transport as well as meals, so your day is pretty much sorted.
We hope you find a tour you like and have an incredible time at the park. If you want to read more content, check out our Costa Rica blog. We’ve traveled all over the country and even lived here for a while, and we’re happy to help you do the same! Thanks for reading.
How to Visit Poas Volcano from San Jose (3 Best Ways!)
How to Get from San Jose to La Fortuna + 11 BEST Places to Stop
