South of San José along paved Route 27 and Route 34, Manuel Antonio pairs protected rainforest wildlife trails with calm white-sand coves (2.5–3 hours from SJO), while the Costa Ballena towns of Dominical, Uvita, and Ojochal (3.5 hours from SJO) offer dramatic ocean-ridge views, Nauyaca Waterfalls, and humpback whale watching at Marino Ballena National Park.
While northern Guanacaste is famed for its sunny dry-forest bays and flat walkable towns, the Central and Southern Pacific offers a more dramatic, humid rainforest-meets-ocean topography.
1. Manuel Antonio & Quepos
Manuel Antonio National Park protects a forested peninsula flanked by twin crescent beaches where sloths, squirrel monkeys, and white-faced capuchins inhabit the trees steps from the sand. Just fifteen minutes north, Marina Pez Vela in Quepos anchors world-class offshore sportfishing and waterfront dining. Note: Manuel Antonio National Park is closed on Tuesdays and requires advance online ticket booking through the official SINAC system or a guided naturalist tour.
2. Dominical, Uvita (Costa Ballena) & the Osa Peninsula
Forty-five minutes south of Quepos, the Fila Costeña mountains rise steeply directly behind the beach. Dominical is a laid-back river-mouth surf village near the two-tiered Nauyaca Waterfalls; Uvita is home to the natural whale's-tail sandbar at Marino Ballena National Park (a prime nursery for migrating humpback whales); and further south, Drake Bay and Corcovado National Park on the Osa Peninsula protect one of the most biodiverse wilderness ecosystems on earth.
Joshua ten Brink has spent more than two decades living, photographing, and developing residential communities in Costa Rica. Through WildPhotography.com he documents Costa Rica's wildlife, coastlines, cloud forests, and everyday life across Guanacaste, the Central Valley, Arenal, Monteverde, and the Southern Pacific.
Common Questions About Southern Pacific, Manuel Antonio & Osa Guide
Do I need advance tickets for Manuel Antonio National Park?
Yes. Manuel Antonio National Park does not sell tickets at the gate; all entries must be booked online in advance via SINAC or included in a certified naturalist guided walk, and the park is closed every Tuesday.
Bookable Tours & Excursions Mentioned in This Guide
Explore verified small-group and private excursions in this region via Viator and GetYourGuide.
Manuel Antonio National Park Small-Group Naturalist Walk with Spotting Scope
Official park entry ticket (pre-secured), ICT-certified biologist/naturalist guide with HD telescope for sloths, monkeys, and toucans, plus time at Playa Manuel Antonio cove.
Departure: Manuel Antonio National Park main entrance or hotel pickup in Quepos / Manuel Antonio
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