Los Congos appears on SINAC’s park trail map. Ask which paths are currently open and choose a walk for your group’s fitness and the weather. Notice different layers of vegetation, keeping voices low and staying on the marked route.
Caring for Manuel Antonio’s Coast
Forest, beaches and the town all share the effects of visitor choices. Carry a reusable bottle, use designated paths and keep rubbish secured. Inside the national park, follow current rules on food and containers, and give every wild animal room to move.
Manuel Antonio
Explore Manuel Antonio and nearby Quepos through rainforest walks, coastal discoveries, mangroves and thoughtful family outings.
Santa Teresa
Explore Santa Teresa and the southern Nicoya coast through surf, beach discoveries, coastal wildlife and thoughtful family outings.
Playa Carmen
Between Santa Teresa and Mal País, Carmen is a useful place to understand how the neighboring communities connect. Watch surfers and notice the beach’s changing sand patterns. Use permitted access paths and keep clear of river mouths.
Playa Hermosa – Santa Teresa
North of Santa Teresa, Hermosa offers another broad beach setting backed by coastal trees. Surf schools often use this area, but conditions determine the suitable spot and activity. This is the Hermosa near Santa Teresa, not the beaches with the same name elsewhere.
Mal País
South of Playa Carmen, Mal País has a quieter coastal character, rocky stretches and fishing activity. Look for differences in the shoreline as you explore from permitted paths. A nearby reserve boundary is not permission to enter protected land.
Playa Manzanillo – Cóbano
Farther north along the Santa Teresa coast, Manzanillo brings a smaller community and a different stretch of Pacific shoreline into view. Check the current route and tide locally. This is the Manzanillo in Cóbano, not the Caribbean destination.
Playa Cuevas / Los Suecos
At the southern end of the Mal País road, this small cove sits beside the Cabo Blanco protected area. Notice sand, rocks and forest from authorized beach access. It is not a public entrance into the reserve; avoid caves and wave-washed rocks.
Piedra Colorada
North of Montezuma, a small river meets the coast among colorful stones and woodland. Observe the meeting of fresh water and sea without moving or collecting rocks. Check access and recent rain locally; a natural pool is not automatically a suitable swimming spot.