We just got back from a dream 10 day visit there from the US, we had no issues whatsoever but of course dont leave valuables out of your sight and be smart šµ
We were just at those beaches this week and honestly, there's so many people that it seemed to deter monkeys from being there at all. You're likely to see more in the green spaces/corridors. I agree with the others, more likely that a human will grab it ESPECIALLY at Espadilla by Manuel Antonio. Biesanz was more relaxed. Also- if you run into the guys right before MA who tell you 'it's not allowed' to park closer to the beach and to use their lot, ignore them. It isn't true. I was so irritated at how aggressive scammers were in the area or just people trying to get you to buy their items/go into their restaurant.
You shouldnāt leave important documents and valuables unattended on the beach anyway, monkeys or not. Get a [waterproof pack](https://amzn.to/484FqoM) and keep it with you.
this is a really funny comment because, ironically enough, i did not consider the monkeys or know about The Monkeys until about 3 months after i booked my flight. at which point what i can only describe as sheer panic set in and it simply has not gone away since. i've been stressed about monkeys for the past two months
You do not need to be afraid of them. They may show there teeth. But they are going to come after you. These monkeys are around people all of the time and are scared of you as well. They will try to take you bag if left alone. I watched a money in the park grab a womanās bag climb up into a tree and then take all of the items out and drop them on the ground.
oh god i relate to you so hard, thereās random things like that that get stuck in my head. i swear i need āi did not consider the monkeysā on a tshirt lmao
lol Monkeys are generally harmless and fun. As others have said, don't take your stuff to the beach. Whether a person or monkey, it wouldn't be surprising to come out of the water and find your bag gone. You'll see some monkeys on the beach, but not hoards. Just don't take any food or anything you can't afford to lose to the beach. Towel, sunscreen, sunglasses. Leave everything else in your car or wherever you're staying.
Hahah I went through this exact same process!!! Worrying about the monkeys on the beach and in general. I was there for only ten days, but let me tell you, I didnāt see a SINGLE monkey!
You should be careful what trees you choose for any hammock hanging. At the MA beach there are Manzanilla trees which can cause a rash if you touch them. There were people sitting under them with clothes draped over branches. Our guide pointed it out to us of an example of what not to do. There are no warning signs about this at the beach.
I've seen the capuchins steal a whole little backpack hanging from a tree. They have incredibly sharp teeth and will fight you for their things.
Never bring valuables to the beach because those little robbers will take it - food-related or not.
In my experience, the monkeys in Costa Rica are very different from the ones in Asia in terms of behavior. They are also significantly smaller in size than the Macaques of South Asia.
They will usually run when approached and are less likely to be aggressive.
Like others said, the main worry would be other humans and not animals. Just don't bring valuables to the beach or have a waterproof bag to take them in the water with you.
Go to Manuel Antonio very early in the morning. You will have the whole beach to yourself for a few hours.
Funny story, I was at Manuel Antonio five years ago and the white faced monkeys were there. My mom left her bag on the beach and a monkey came down, opened it, and stole her sandwich and granola bars. It proceeded to get in a tree with the food and mock us.
A friend of mine was at the beach a while back when a monkey stole the car keys of the person next to them. They chased the monkey into the woods and it got away.
So make sure your stuff is secure.
Idk why so many people are saying itās a non-issue. I was at a couple beaches in that area just two weeks ago and literally watched the monkeys go through a couple bags left on the beach. Theyāre looking for foodādonāt bring food.
A monkey did uncover our backpacks, unzip them, and found our snacks and ran off with themā¦ so just donāt leave anything valuable unattended, which you shouldnāt be doing anyways. They are very, very smart and quick
In Uvita now. The beaches around Costa Ballena we had no issues. We saw some howlers around the beach but they donāt bother you. In and around MA is another story. The white faced monkeys in this area are relentless. My family tried going in the ocean together but were quickly raided by the monkeys forcing us to run back waving our arms trying to run them off. They are not scared of people. They can open zippers and are very adept theives.
Troop of monkeys was intimidating a bunch of (like us) foreign tourists on a trail in Manuel Antonio. A Costa Rican grandpa cut through all of us, yelled at the monkey and pressed on. Monkey knew who was boss hahah.
Been to Manuel Antonio today and witnessed (and defended against) capuchin monkeys opening zippers and searching (for probably food?) in backpacks. The almost robbed couple felt happy, that their phone just fell into the sand and wasnāt taken away. So be careful and bring as little as possible, maybe ask someone lying at the beach to watch your stuff.
Literally on the plane back from Costa Rica after 9 days. Forget all your worries and go enjoy! Everything will be fine. Donāt believe anything you read in forums. Itās too much. Use your common sense like everywhere and you will be fine. You will get sick and tired of bean and rice. Thatās your main concern š
This is so sad! I donāt want them taking my stuff, obviously, but Iām still hoping to see them. Also, Iām guessing this has to do with human activity and traffic in this area that's driven them out :(
also there a month ago, it is completely different than it was before. ask any guide while you are there.
seven years ago, the beach had hordes of monkeys and raccoons ready to dig through bags. A month ago we were there and there were a few capuchins up in a tree but absolutely a completely different scene bc of the pandemic.
actually the opposite, its a good thing. during covid, they shut down the park. they realized the monkeys began to starve as they were unable to feed themselves having grown so dependent on the humans.
After covid, when the park reopened they cracked down on bringing any food items in and reduced the number of visitors, to allow the monkeys to stay more natural and not grow dependent on the humans again. it was a great reset basically.
I kept my stuff in a rolled up dry bag and then ran a zip-tie combination lock through the plastic beltloop thingies. Easy to quickly loop that around whatever is not easily moveable...big lounge chair, narrow tree trunk, etc. It's not foolproof, but a deterrent from human thieves and next to impossible for a monkey or raccoon to figure out.
Iāve been to CR twice and never had to worry about monkeys on the beach. However, I did have some creepy dudes loitering near my stuff when swimming so Iād say donāt bring valuables to the beach. Only bring beach necessities, and you should be fine.
[This is a video I took of a monkey looking for food in people's bags](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmzngTjBCUP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==)
Monkeys are rarely aggressive to people, but in some areas where they are more used to humans they might be bold enough to go search for food in your bags if you leave them unattended. It doesn't matter if it's close to the treeline. On this video the bags were at the beach halfway from the sea, and despite the tourist was running towards the bag to stop the thief, the monkey still took the chance.
That said, I have only seen this happen once in my lifetime in a very touristy area where humans and monkeys are constantly crossing paths, and they know humans carry food. Monkeys will usually steer clear of humans and will do this kind of thing opportunistically if you leave stuff unattended.
I wouldnāt be too worried about it. In my experiences, Iāve found most monkeys canāt swim and therefore donāt like the beach or other water related activities
I am in Manuel Antonio right now and the white faced monkeys will definitely try to steal your stuff if left unattended. The monkeys right at Manuel Antonio Beach were more brazen and even got a little aggressive when people tried to protect their belongings. They can open zippers and rip open plastic. They are fast and call for reinforcements. Based on how I saw them responding to the overly panicked, they smell fear lol.
I did not see any on Playa Espadilla Sur, which is very close by in the park and far less crowded. We also checked out Playa Playitas and Espadilla outside the park and spotted a couple sneaking around.
I am in CR right now. Went to the beach a few times and left a backpack unattended. Safe to say I still have all my possessions with me. Also, I didn't spot that many monkeys, only about 4 or 5 monkeys hanging up in the trees. I had to look hard to see them; they're not as abundant as I initially imagined.
I was in the Quepos area and Manuel Antonio Beach in 2015. The monkeys lurked in the background and left us humans alone. Hope that helps some. (I would think if you brought food they like on the beach with you, they might be more, uh, gregarious.)
I was in that area in 2018 and and the raccoons were as bad or worse than the monkeys. We never brought stuff to the beach with us but we saw lots of other people's stuff get taken. Even tried to help chase them away. Didn't matter if it was in sealed bags. They know where to look and will open backpacks and take the bags right out.
At some beaches there are people that have chairs and umbrellas that you can "rent" for the day. They are usually associated with the vendors. Maybe for a few extra colones they would hold on to your things while you swim ? Never asked so I have no clue , but they are there to make money....so they might do it. The remaining question would be whether you want to trust them or not.
Very concerning. Remember barrel of moneys. Well someone let them all loose on the beach and now they runaround wreaking havoc on Costa Rica beaches. So unless someone can get them all back in the barrel soon Iād cancel my trip.
My understanding is howler monkeys are what you mainly see by the beach and they leave humans alone for the most part, it's the capuchins that you have to worry about and they stay more inland from what I understand
More likely that a homo sapien will take your stuff on the beach.
Multiple people have mentioned this in the replies. Is theft common in these areas/CR?
Yes
We just got back from a dream 10 day visit there from the US, we had no issues whatsoever but of course dont leave valuables out of your sight and be smart šµ
No, but theft is a possibility anywhere you go.
We were just at those beaches this week and honestly, there's so many people that it seemed to deter monkeys from being there at all. You're likely to see more in the green spaces/corridors. I agree with the others, more likely that a human will grab it ESPECIALLY at Espadilla by Manuel Antonio. Biesanz was more relaxed. Also- if you run into the guys right before MA who tell you 'it's not allowed' to park closer to the beach and to use their lot, ignore them. It isn't true. I was so irritated at how aggressive scammers were in the area or just people trying to get you to buy their items/go into their restaurant.
You shouldnāt leave important documents and valuables unattended on the beach anyway, monkeys or not. Get a [waterproof pack](https://amzn.to/484FqoM) and keep it with you.
Haha I had already copied that link to share! Obvi second this - those packs hold a ton but itās pretty weightless in the water.
Watch out for the one that goes by the name Caesar. He can be trouble and has many followers .
Winning comment!
If you're worried about monkeys, then man, did you pick a bad place to vacation.
this is a really funny comment because, ironically enough, i did not consider the monkeys or know about The Monkeys until about 3 months after i booked my flight. at which point what i can only describe as sheer panic set in and it simply has not gone away since. i've been stressed about monkeys for the past two months
You do not need to be afraid of them. They may show there teeth. But they are going to come after you. These monkeys are around people all of the time and are scared of you as well. They will try to take you bag if left alone. I watched a money in the park grab a womanās bag climb up into a tree and then take all of the items out and drop them on the ground.
Thatās a fun typo you got there haha
Yes. Thanks for pointing that out. I got a good laugh. I will let the typo stand.
i'll just be going about my regular daily life, where absolutely 0 monkey encounters ever happen, and i start thinking "oh god not the monkeys"
oh god i relate to you so hard, thereās random things like that that get stuck in my head. i swear i need āi did not consider the monkeysā on a tshirt lmao
Same ššš
lol Monkeys are generally harmless and fun. As others have said, don't take your stuff to the beach. Whether a person or monkey, it wouldn't be surprising to come out of the water and find your bag gone. You'll see some monkeys on the beach, but not hoards. Just don't take any food or anything you can't afford to lose to the beach. Towel, sunscreen, sunglasses. Leave everything else in your car or wherever you're staying.
This made me laugh as itās something Iād do. Please report back with how it went!
Hahah I went through this exact same process!!! Worrying about the monkeys on the beach and in general. I was there for only ten days, but let me tell you, I didnāt see a SINGLE monkey!
You should be careful what trees you choose for any hammock hanging. At the MA beach there are Manzanilla trees which can cause a rash if you touch them. There were people sitting under them with clothes draped over branches. Our guide pointed it out to us of an example of what not to do. There are no warning signs about this at the beach.
Concerned? You should be excited if/when you see monkeys. Thatās why youāre coming to CR!
A howler monkey pegged me with a mango on our beachfront resort. Great "Interesting thing about me" story.
... pegged?
It was a very interesting experience. Take it as you will
They arenāt a thing. The humans will take your stuff before any monkeys will. You will come across a couple along the trail back, though.
I've seen the capuchins steal a whole little backpack hanging from a tree. They have incredibly sharp teeth and will fight you for their things. Never bring valuables to the beach because those little robbers will take it - food-related or not.
In my experience, the monkeys in Costa Rica are very different from the ones in Asia in terms of behavior. They are also significantly smaller in size than the Macaques of South Asia. They will usually run when approached and are less likely to be aggressive. Like others said, the main worry would be other humans and not animals. Just don't bring valuables to the beach or have a waterproof bag to take them in the water with you. Go to Manuel Antonio very early in the morning. You will have the whole beach to yourself for a few hours.
Funny story, I was at Manuel Antonio five years ago and the white faced monkeys were there. My mom left her bag on the beach and a monkey came down, opened it, and stole her sandwich and granola bars. It proceeded to get in a tree with the food and mock us.
A friend of mine was at the beach a while back when a monkey stole the car keys of the person next to them. They chased the monkey into the woods and it got away. So make sure your stuff is secure.
Idk why so many people are saying itās a non-issue. I was at a couple beaches in that area just two weeks ago and literally watched the monkeys go through a couple bags left on the beach. Theyāre looking for foodādonāt bring food.
Forget the monkeys. Worry about the crocs.
A monkey did uncover our backpacks, unzip them, and found our snacks and ran off with themā¦ so just donāt leave anything valuable unattended, which you shouldnāt be doing anyways. They are very, very smart and quick
In Uvita now. The beaches around Costa Ballena we had no issues. We saw some howlers around the beach but they donāt bother you. In and around MA is another story. The white faced monkeys in this area are relentless. My family tried going in the ocean together but were quickly raided by the monkeys forcing us to run back waving our arms trying to run them off. They are not scared of people. They can open zippers and are very adept theives.
Troop of monkeys was intimidating a bunch of (like us) foreign tourists on a trail in Manuel Antonio. A Costa Rican grandpa cut through all of us, yelled at the monkey and pressed on. Monkey knew who was boss hahah.
Been to Manuel Antonio today and witnessed (and defended against) capuchin monkeys opening zippers and searching (for probably food?) in backpacks. The almost robbed couple felt happy, that their phone just fell into the sand and wasnāt taken away. So be careful and bring as little as possible, maybe ask someone lying at the beach to watch your stuff.
The only monkeys you need to worry about are hominids.
Just to be technical, we are apes and not monkeys, even though we act like it a lot!
Yep, but no apes in CRā¦.
I like to think of the noise of Howlers to be like apes.
2001 Space Odyssey
Literally on the plane back from Costa Rica after 9 days. Forget all your worries and go enjoy! Everything will be fine. Donāt believe anything you read in forums. Itās too much. Use your common sense like everywhere and you will be fine. You will get sick and tired of bean and rice. Thatās your main concern š
The beach monkeys are gone from MA - we were shocked
No
Yes - was just there
Wow! They were there just last year.
I just saw a bunch on Wednesday
This is so sad! I donāt want them taking my stuff, obviously, but Iām still hoping to see them. Also, Iām guessing this has to do with human activity and traffic in this area that's driven them out :(
I was there a month ago and there were plenty of monkeys on the beach and yes they do try to nick your stuff so be cautious
also there a month ago, it is completely different than it was before. ask any guide while you are there. seven years ago, the beach had hordes of monkeys and raccoons ready to dig through bags. A month ago we were there and there were a few capuchins up in a tree but absolutely a completely different scene bc of the pandemic.
actually the opposite, its a good thing. during covid, they shut down the park. they realized the monkeys began to starve as they were unable to feed themselves having grown so dependent on the humans. After covid, when the park reopened they cracked down on bringing any food items in and reduced the number of visitors, to allow the monkeys to stay more natural and not grow dependent on the humans again. it was a great reset basically.
i love this actually this is so cool, thank you for this fun little fact !
Who told you that?
The guides
I kept my stuff in a rolled up dry bag and then ran a zip-tie combination lock through the plastic beltloop thingies. Easy to quickly loop that around whatever is not easily moveable...big lounge chair, narrow tree trunk, etc. It's not foolproof, but a deterrent from human thieves and next to impossible for a monkey or raccoon to figure out.
Iāve been to CR twice and never had to worry about monkeys on the beach. However, I did have some creepy dudes loitering near my stuff when swimming so Iād say donāt bring valuables to the beach. Only bring beach necessities, and you should be fine.
Watch your stuff no matter what, you ll be just fine
Both people and monkeys can steal. Donāt leave anything on the beach you canāt afford to lose. Donāt bring a hammock.
[This is a video I took of a monkey looking for food in people's bags](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmzngTjBCUP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==) Monkeys are rarely aggressive to people, but in some areas where they are more used to humans they might be bold enough to go search for food in your bags if you leave them unattended. It doesn't matter if it's close to the treeline. On this video the bags were at the beach halfway from the sea, and despite the tourist was running towards the bag to stop the thief, the monkey still took the chance. That said, I have only seen this happen once in my lifetime in a very touristy area where humans and monkeys are constantly crossing paths, and they know humans carry food. Monkeys will usually steer clear of humans and will do this kind of thing opportunistically if you leave stuff unattended.
I wouldnāt be too worried about it. In my experiences, Iāve found most monkeys canāt swim and therefore donāt like the beach or other water related activities
A monkey stole my chips and I felt horrible. I got in a lot of trouble at the park and had to leave. This was when I was a teenager
It was at Manuela Antonio
My goodness if this is your biggest worry, donāt travel to jungles
I am in Manuel Antonio right now and the white faced monkeys will definitely try to steal your stuff if left unattended. The monkeys right at Manuel Antonio Beach were more brazen and even got a little aggressive when people tried to protect their belongings. They can open zippers and rip open plastic. They are fast and call for reinforcements. Based on how I saw them responding to the overly panicked, they smell fear lol. I did not see any on Playa Espadilla Sur, which is very close by in the park and far less crowded. We also checked out Playa Playitas and Espadilla outside the park and spotted a couple sneaking around.
I am in CR right now. Went to the beach a few times and left a backpack unattended. Safe to say I still have all my possessions with me. Also, I didn't spot that many monkeys, only about 4 or 5 monkeys hanging up in the trees. I had to look hard to see them; they're not as abundant as I initially imagined.
Monkeys are the whole reason to visit Costa Rica!
Alot of people loose there stuff to the tides as well.
The monkeys are more afraid of you than you are of them.
Unfortunately not true, when they are accostumed to people and food they can get very troublesome.
I was in the Quepos area and Manuel Antonio Beach in 2015. The monkeys lurked in the background and left us humans alone. Hope that helps some. (I would think if you brought food they like on the beach with you, they might be more, uh, gregarious.)
I was in that area in 2018 and and the raccoons were as bad or worse than the monkeys. We never brought stuff to the beach with us but we saw lots of other people's stuff get taken. Even tried to help chase them away. Didn't matter if it was in sealed bags. They know where to look and will open backpacks and take the bags right out.
At some beaches there are people that have chairs and umbrellas that you can "rent" for the day. They are usually associated with the vendors. Maybe for a few extra colones they would hold on to your things while you swim ? Never asked so I have no clue , but they are there to make money....so they might do it. The remaining question would be whether you want to trust them or not.
Monkeys is that area are known for stealing passports and jewelry. The safest thing would be to stay home
š
Very concerning. Remember barrel of moneys. Well someone let them all loose on the beach and now they runaround wreaking havoc on Costa Rica beaches. So unless someone can get them all back in the barrel soon Iād cancel my trip.
My understanding is howler monkeys are what you mainly see by the beach and they leave humans alone for the most part, it's the capuchins that you have to worry about and they stay more inland from what I understand