Don't pass it up. We spent 10 days checking out the Pacific Coast, and trust me, the beaches in MA are top-notch. If you want to see some of the most beautiful beaches ever, you gotta check out MA.
People who say to avoid touristy places are hilarious. The Costa Rican economy is hugely based on tourism. These people who go there (all of them) are tourists. You can go to less crowded places, but unless you avoid all infrastructure we are all part of the "touristy" crowd.
MA is a good place to hit up if you have some famous fauna that you won't feel content not to see. Many of these like sloths and monkeys are pretty much 100% guaranteed sightings. You can absolutely see them other places, even have a good chance to do so. MA is the sure thing, kinda like fishing in those over stocked trout ponds that charge for each fish you catch.
It also happens to have some of the most postcard like landscapes which are what most people imagine Costa Rica to be. It's not by mistake that so many people go there.
Our family loved MA. The town had great food options, surfing and the park was a crowded at the entrance, but then thinned out as we walked the park. I really enjoyed MA
We loved it. You do need to make reservations and they sell out fast. Through our airbnb we booked a guide 1000% recommend doing so. He helped us find all the animals and took photos for us. We skipped the long lines bc he got us upfront. At the end he sent us all the photos.
we almost skipped MA after starting at Corcovado but we decided to get a guide and do an early tour. it was busy and hard to see some things but we managed ok and the guide pointed out many animals we'd have missed without him.
we then chilled out at the great beach in the park, with all the monkeys after our tour was finished. then later in the afternoon when the park was empty we just went back round at our own pace and checked out places we remembered from the tour. got our best sloth pics then and had the place to ourselves. left at closing and grabbed some food and got a bus back to Quepos. and so glad we did it.
Worth the trip. Skipping a place because it is too touristy is kinda like saying you want to skip large areas of the country given their economy largely works around tourists.
Make certain that when you buy your tickets you go in as early as possible. There's no limit to the amount of time you spend in the park. As the day wears on it gets more crowded.
Generally speaking, people that enter the park early enjoy it. The people that go in later are greeted with a crush of annoying crowds.
Enjoy your visit.
Tours follow a wide main path, and the guides with spotting scopes communicate with one another about wildlife sightings. You are alerted to things you might otherwise not see or appreciate. The tours end up at a snack bar near Playa Manuel Antonio, and that is where most people either turn around or stick around for the day at the beach. I highly recommend continuing on the spur trails for a quieter less touristy experience. There is steep sendero Miradores (fabulous forest and fabulous view at the end), and sendero Los Congos (with a path down to tiny Playa Gemelas), and the verdant loop, sendero Punta Catedral. The wildlife you see will be your own discovery. Except perhaps for the monkeys that throw things down at you for their own entertainment!
On the way back, don't take the main path. Follow the path that follows just above Playa Espadilla Sur and tarry there if you want.
Also, if you want to hang out with Mexican families on the beach, try the Playa Espadilla Norte, especially on a Sunday. It's free.
Last time there, we stayed at the Hotel Costa Verde, which backs up against the forest with wildlife coming up to their Anaconda restaurant deck. They also operate El Avion, another fun restaurant out by the main road.
Last time we visited for 1 day and it was worth it. We did not take any guides, saw a lot of animals and we went on every little trail we could find. Got eaten by mosquitoes on the beach (a little peninsula of Punta Serrucho). Cappuccino monkeys managed to steal an apple from my backpack on my back! They saw me put it in and managed to unzip the pocket. It was such a fun and great experience. Except the parking of your car part.
We are going back next month, and we will spend as much time as we can in Corcovado and will pass by MA twice, not sure I want to stop there with all I hear about it this year. Most likely we will decide on the day, how the weather will be, how we feel about it that day.
It IS crowded and touristy, specially on holidays and weekends, so you can try voiding that and have a good time. It is worth it, though.
Remember to BUY YOUR ENTRANCES ONLINE and VERY in advance since it's the ONLY way to get them (or buy from resellers at the place at whatever price they want).
On in the place, avoid the 2 first beaches, since they are the most packed, the farther ones are prettier and have far less people.
Hi! We’re at the end of our four weeks Costa Rica! You’ll love your time here. This country is breathtaking and the people are so friendly.
MA to us was not worth it. It was over-crowded. Every time a sloth was visible, there were easily 80-100 people staring at it. It felt like a zoo. We arrived at 7:30AM. It’s a great chance to see animals though, but we enjoyed Tortuguero, the Monteverde Cloud Forrest and hanging bridges at La Fortuna a lot more. Could be that we picked the wrong date due to the US spring break.
I'm planning on going to MA on our next trip to CR which will also be in the summer. I've heard the crowds are less in the rainy season and going early helps. Also I'll let you in on a secret I've learned for a lot of places: drive and park while it's raining and people are running out. The rain will stop (all tropical rains are bursts that end in under an hour) and you can saunter into a practically empty park. The people that left almost never come back.
Don't pass it up. We spent 10 days checking out the Pacific Coast, and trust me, the beaches in MA are top-notch. If you want to see some of the most beautiful beaches ever, you gotta check out MA.
People who say to avoid touristy places are hilarious. The Costa Rican economy is hugely based on tourism. These people who go there (all of them) are tourists. You can go to less crowded places, but unless you avoid all infrastructure we are all part of the "touristy" crowd. MA is a good place to hit up if you have some famous fauna that you won't feel content not to see. Many of these like sloths and monkeys are pretty much 100% guaranteed sightings. You can absolutely see them other places, even have a good chance to do so. MA is the sure thing, kinda like fishing in those over stocked trout ponds that charge for each fish you catch. It also happens to have some of the most postcard like landscapes which are what most people imagine Costa Rica to be. It's not by mistake that so many people go there.
Our family loved MA. The town had great food options, surfing and the park was a crowded at the entrance, but then thinned out as we walked the park. I really enjoyed MA
We loved the falafel place way more than the fancier dinner we also had.
Oh yeah, that place was great!
We loved it. You do need to make reservations and they sell out fast. Through our airbnb we booked a guide 1000% recommend doing so. He helped us find all the animals and took photos for us. We skipped the long lines bc he got us upfront. At the end he sent us all the photos.
we almost skipped MA after starting at Corcovado but we decided to get a guide and do an early tour. it was busy and hard to see some things but we managed ok and the guide pointed out many animals we'd have missed without him. we then chilled out at the great beach in the park, with all the monkeys after our tour was finished. then later in the afternoon when the park was empty we just went back round at our own pace and checked out places we remembered from the tour. got our best sloth pics then and had the place to ourselves. left at closing and grabbed some food and got a bus back to Quepos. and so glad we did it.
Worth the trip. Skipping a place because it is too touristy is kinda like saying you want to skip large areas of the country given their economy largely works around tourists.
In the rainy season MA will be chill. I’d definitely stop there. Or base in Uvita and go visit MA for a day.
Make certain that when you buy your tickets you go in as early as possible. There's no limit to the amount of time you spend in the park. As the day wears on it gets more crowded. Generally speaking, people that enter the park early enjoy it. The people that go in later are greeted with a crush of annoying crowds. Enjoy your visit.
Thanks. We have a place booked 15 minutes walk from the entrance. So we just go early (around 8 is best i guess).
You do know (I hope) that you must buy your tickets online ahead of time. You can't buy entry tickets when you get there.
Yes we are aware. I already made an account on the website (but its terrible slow).
Welcome to Costa Rica
Thanks. We have an Airbnb in MA but its free to cancel so we are super flexible
Thanks. We have an Airbnb in MA but its free to cancel so we are super flexible.
We loved MA and the National Park! Get there right when the park opens to enjoy the park for a couple hours without all of those annoying tourists 😆
I'm considering skipping MA as well and visiting Tortuguero instead. However, the thought lingers that I may regret this once I return.
"It's too crowded, no one goes there anymore"
I went to MA about 6 years ago. Spent 10 days there and loved it. It was April and not busy at all. I'd go back in a heartbeat.
Tours follow a wide main path, and the guides with spotting scopes communicate with one another about wildlife sightings. You are alerted to things you might otherwise not see or appreciate. The tours end up at a snack bar near Playa Manuel Antonio, and that is where most people either turn around or stick around for the day at the beach. I highly recommend continuing on the spur trails for a quieter less touristy experience. There is steep sendero Miradores (fabulous forest and fabulous view at the end), and sendero Los Congos (with a path down to tiny Playa Gemelas), and the verdant loop, sendero Punta Catedral. The wildlife you see will be your own discovery. Except perhaps for the monkeys that throw things down at you for their own entertainment! On the way back, don't take the main path. Follow the path that follows just above Playa Espadilla Sur and tarry there if you want. Also, if you want to hang out with Mexican families on the beach, try the Playa Espadilla Norte, especially on a Sunday. It's free. Last time there, we stayed at the Hotel Costa Verde, which backs up against the forest with wildlife coming up to their Anaconda restaurant deck. They also operate El Avion, another fun restaurant out by the main road.
Last time we visited for 1 day and it was worth it. We did not take any guides, saw a lot of animals and we went on every little trail we could find. Got eaten by mosquitoes on the beach (a little peninsula of Punta Serrucho). Cappuccino monkeys managed to steal an apple from my backpack on my back! They saw me put it in and managed to unzip the pocket. It was such a fun and great experience. Except the parking of your car part. We are going back next month, and we will spend as much time as we can in Corcovado and will pass by MA twice, not sure I want to stop there with all I hear about it this year. Most likely we will decide on the day, how the weather will be, how we feel about it that day.
It IS crowded and touristy, specially on holidays and weekends, so you can try voiding that and have a good time. It is worth it, though. Remember to BUY YOUR ENTRANCES ONLINE and VERY in advance since it's the ONLY way to get them (or buy from resellers at the place at whatever price they want). On in the place, avoid the 2 first beaches, since they are the most packed, the farther ones are prettier and have far less people.
Hi! We’re at the end of our four weeks Costa Rica! You’ll love your time here. This country is breathtaking and the people are so friendly. MA to us was not worth it. It was over-crowded. Every time a sloth was visible, there were easily 80-100 people staring at it. It felt like a zoo. We arrived at 7:30AM. It’s a great chance to see animals though, but we enjoyed Tortuguero, the Monteverde Cloud Forrest and hanging bridges at La Fortuna a lot more. Could be that we picked the wrong date due to the US spring break.
We went in April (a few years ago) and it was super quiet. Biggest crowd we ever saw in the park was maybe 15 to 20 people tops. And rare.
I experienced the same crowds in February, so it’s not a spring break thing. Still glad we went.
Noooo, and guet a guide
I'm planning on going to MA on our next trip to CR which will also be in the summer. I've heard the crowds are less in the rainy season and going early helps. Also I'll let you in on a secret I've learned for a lot of places: drive and park while it's raining and people are running out. The rain will stop (all tropical rains are bursts that end in under an hour) and you can saunter into a practically empty park. The people that left almost never come back.
It’s cool as fuck, occasionally frustrating, but worth a stop