Manuel Antonio National Park is open Wednesday through Monday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., closed Tuesdays. Tickets are sold only online through SINAC's system — there is no ticket booth at the gate, so buy before you go.

SINAC's registers run to approximately 352 species of birds and 109 species of mammals inside this small coastal park, with the titi (squirrel) monkey as its emblem species.

Quepos is the sportfishing hub of this coast, and Marina Pez Vela is where the fleet ties up — about six kilometers from Manuel Antonio National Park, with 250 slips, fuel supply and a repair yard. The offshore fishery is built around billfish: sailfish and blue, black and striped marlin.

Playa Espadilla runs along the north boundary of the national park and is the area's working beach. Espadilla Norte is the stretch most used for swimming and water sports — surfing, kayaking, boat trips and jet skiing all launch from here, no park ticket required.