If you plan on visiting Manuel Antonio National Park, I recommend you stay in Quepos. Read on to find out why....
Quepos is a beautiful coastal town on the western edge of the country. It is accessible by bus from San Juan (contact me for details on how to travel there!) and very cheap to stay in. The views are unparalleled and it is far less crowded and more walkable than Manuel Antonio. The bus station is located directly in the center of town, so you can arrive and leave with ease.
We stayed at a beautiful property on a high hill that overlooked the marina. The accommodations had everything we needed on top of a pool, bar, and monkeys on the balcony. It was a beautiful and affordable location, with the only downside being that it was on top of a hill that was steep to walk up (you could take a taxi for 300 colones if you were feeling lazy). I've put the link to the complex here. You can choose from a handful of properties owned by the same couple. The host is super attentive and gives you a helpful rundown of the area and things to do when you first get there. There is housekeeping daily which was an awesome bonus as well!
Once you get settled in, you might want to go explore. There are a good amount of restaurants with fun happy hours to try in the town. You can sit above the shore watch the tide come in and out. You can stop by the casino in town. You can go to a Yoga class or get a massage. You can head to the beach in Manuel Antonio. You can go to the up-scale marina for fresh seafood. You can get groceries at the store or wait for the farmers market on the weekend. Honestly, there is a lot to do for a little town, and it is almost all in walking distance.
Here are the things we did while in Quepos...
1. The Airbnb
The Airbnb was an adventure in and of itself. We watched monkeys jump through trees and lizards bask in the sun. The was a lot of wildlife surrounding us, which was fun. Additionally, we used the TV at nights when it was too dark to be outside. We also bought groceries to make breakfast each morning and pack lunches for our hikes, and the place had all of the required cooking equipment, which was nice.
Of all the great things about the Airbnb, there was a lovely pool that overlooks the Marina. We spent a good part of the day sprawled on the lounge chairs, feeling the sun's warmth and cooling off in the blue water in between. It was very relaxing and the property had an outdoor bar next to the pool where you could order drinks. Most of the time, my partner and I had the entire space to ourselves.
2. Marina Pez Vela
The Marina in Quepos had a different vibe from the rest of the town. The restaurants were significantly more expensive, and the line of private boats docked in the well-designed shopping center gave the whole thing a more "upscale" feel. We ate dinner here twice, at the same restaurant both times (yes it was that good!). It was called Runaway Grill and the view was just as good as the food. The marina also has cute souvenir shops, dessert shops, and boat tours. It is something you have to do if you visit Quepos, but don't spend all of your time there. It is overpriced and feels a lot less "local" than the other restaurants in town.
3. Restaurants & Souvenirs
There are a ton of restaurants in Quepos to suit any taste. They are relatively cheap and have good food and even better drink specials. You will find a mix of tourists and locals eating there, but I honestly found there to be more locals (perhaps it is because it was the rainy season). I would recommend eating in Quepos over Manuel Antonio. We found the restaurants there had worse food and higher prices alongside more tourists.
There are also a handful of cute souvenir shops in Quepos. You can find something for everyone to bring back home at an affordable price. We bought all of our souvenirs here as opposed to in San Juan or Manuel Antonio where prices were higher for less selection.
As a yoga practitioner, I was super excited to attend a yoga class in Costa Rica. I researched a few places, and saw many pop up in Manuel Antonio, but eventually settled on Raindrop Spa in Quepos. Originally, we walked there in hopes of attending the weekly "pay what you want" yoga class that we had discovered online. We had tried to call ahead to reserve our place but ran into some connectivity issues. We set out in the morning in hopes that we would be able to attend anyway.
When we got there, we learned the Spa was under construction, so yoga classes were not being held due to the noise level. The woman we met was very kind and didn't want our trip there to be for naught, so she offered to open for a couples massage at a discounted price in the evening after the construction workers went home. We booked with her and went back later in the day.
When we arrived again, there were beautiful silk robes waiting for us. A glass of fresh juice was given to us while we filled out consent forms. Then, we were led into a beautiful room with an open wall facing the most peaceful garden, backed by forest. The sounds of nature (birds and insects, and flowing water) filled the room. I honestly thought it was a nature soundtrack for the first few minutes before I realized this was the real deal.
My partner and I got the most thorough, relaxing massages side-by-side in the most serene setting. He agrees with me that it might have been even better than the yoga class we planned to go to! The chocolate scrub at the end was the icing on the cake. Our skin was left so soft and smelled delicious. After they were done, they left the room for us to shower off the chocolate and re-dress. The price was unreasonably cheap for the quality, and I'm very glad for the serendipity that was Raindrop Spa.
6. Playa Espadilla
This is the free beach located right outside of Manuel Antonio National Park. There are many neat restaurants and shops around, and the bus from Quepos to the beach is only a few colones. When we were here, the tide was in and it looked like a good place for surfing. While we didn't use the beach, we did eat dinner there once and we could see lots of people enjoying it. There are also a bunch of monkeys here, so maybe hold on to your belongings. As we walked down the streets, we saw them jumping to and from cables throughout the town.
One Warning: One night, while walking along the edge of the beach, a man approached us and offered to sell us cocaine or marijuana. It was uncomfortable as he approached us out of the blue, but we kindly said no thank you and continued on our way. He didn't press us past that, but it was an odd experience nonetheless.
7. Playa Biesanz
This beach is truly a must do if you can deal with the short hike and difficult to find location. To get here, we hired a taxi in the center of town and asked to go to Playa Biesanz. We drove from Quepos in the direction of Manuel Antonio, but we soon were in unfamiliar neighborhoods. Eventually, the taxi stopped outside of the woods. He said, "walk down this path and you will get there". We looked at him apprehensively as we stepped out of the car. After he pulled off, we began to walk through the trees and mud down in the direction of the beach. There were monkeys along the trail who watched us innocently and I was grateful we'd chosen to travel light with just a sling bag each. Eventually, we made it.
Playa Biesanz is beautiful. It is a small alcove between two cliffs with warm water and soft sand. We rented lounge chairs and an umbrella for $10 USD/each and had them to ourselves for the entire day. We felt comfortable enough to leave our belongings under the chair while we dipped in the ocean (the beach is small enough that you can see everything, and the only way out is back up the hiking trail). There were jet skis to rent and food and drinks we could order. Though we packed our own food, we did indulge in some Pina Coladas to help us beat the heat. The beach is truly a hidden gem with a very local feel.
As the day wound down and we became ready to return to Quepos, we had to find our way back. Because Biesanz is so hidden and it is off the side of a winding road, there are no taxi's waiting outside to bring people back. We felt like we were in the middle of nowhere, so once we emerged from the trees, we just began walking in the direction our taxi had arrived from earlier that day.
We walked for a while but the sun was so warm, we needed a break. We found our way into a resort that was some way up the road with the intention of asking for directions. The employees there mistook us for guests and offered to call a taxi for us. They told us it was a flat rate and waited with us for the taxi. Even though they thought we were staying at the resort, I have a feeling they would have helped us regardless - that's just the friendliness Costa Ricans carry. Eventually, the taxi came and dropped us back off in Quepos to conclude our very fun (and free!) day at Biesanz.
8. Watch the Sunset
Does this sound corny? I don't care. And honestly, if you witness the Costa Rican sunsets I'm talking about, you won't care either. You simply cannot take your eyes off of them. In fact, when I reflect on my time in Costa Rica, the first thing that pops up in my mind is watching the sunset over the ocean from a bench in Quepos.
Birds were rustling the leaves above our heads and the waves pulled in and out of the coast with effortless grace. The sun turned the sky from blue to the most vibrant red, then orange, then pink, then purple, and then the deepest, darkest blue enveloped the town in peaceful darkness. Sitting on that bench with my partner watching the waves move in rhythm with our hearts was like sitting in a moment of blissful eternity. In some ways, it felt like the sunlight left us much to soon, but at the same time, it gave us the most beautiful parting gift. Moments like these are free of cost, but the experience is truly priceless. So, no, I don't care if you think "watch the sunset" sounds corny because it is such a restorative, incredible thing to experience no matter where you are in the world. Costa Rica just happens to be one of the best stages I've ever seen this nightly show play out on.
This is a general overview of my time in Quepos. Overall, I think it is an amazing place to stay and that it is super friendly to pedestrian visitors in ways Manuel Antonio is not. Stayed tuned for another blog post that talks all about my time in Manuel Antonio and my two days in the amazing national park, which is coming soon!
Until then,
Thank You :)
Pictures outstanding , Like the flow of information, kept me engaged💪👌