Manuel Antonio Activities
 

We will be in Manuel Antonio for 4 nights with our two daughters 11/13. We will be staying at Si Como No. We plan on visiting the park but would like some suggestions on other activities. My daughters want to learn to surf and snorkel so some suggested companies would be great. We will be in Arenal, Monteverde, and Tortuguero before and will be ziplining, canyoneering, and horseback riding. We want to experience as much as possible so really want to hear about the "dont miss" activities. Thanks for your suggestions.

Debbie

Hi, Debbie - we booked a sailing and snorkeling tour through our hotel. The sailing was fun, but the snorkeling was not very good - lots of sediment in the water and low visibility. The mangrove tour gets very high marks as well.

And if your daughters like horseback riding, you might want to check out Finca Valmy. It gets great reviews.

We went with teenagers (both 19) last August (and stayed at Si Como No - which we thoroughly enjoyed BTW) and would suggest the following:

1. there's also a catamaran trip in addition to sailing. Served hot lunch on board (very good), open bar (!), and great sailing. And yes snorkling not good due the rainy season.

2. mangrove swamp tour with Iguana Tours.

3. ziplining. I mention this only because the kids couldn't stop talking about it. May be a little different (or not) than what you already have done, but worth checking out.

4. spa at the hotel. DW and girls raved about it - and they've been to quite a few.

5. the reserve and butterfly sanctuary across the road from the hotel are worth seeing.

6. make sure you go to the "middle" beach in the Park. It's the second one past the one on your right as you enter the park.

Surfing lessons and rentals are available on the public beach outside the park. We have watched people taking lessons and saw that they really were getting up on their boards.
MA Surf School (MASS) seems to be a well known place that has been around for a while. Howevr, there are others. I am posting their link not because I am endorsing them, (I have no personal experience other than watching people take lessons) but to give you an idea of one of the places that is out there.
http://www.masurfschool.com/

raquel

I was just in Manuel Antonio and we went river rafting with Amigos del Rio on the Savegre River. It was so much fun. I highly recommend it.

Also, I used Chino Tours for the Damas Island Mangrove tour. The are a smaller, family run company. We got the most personalized attention ever. The tour guide, Diego, was absolutely amazing. Best tour I did while in Costa Rica.

Wow!! thanks for all the suggestions. We are traveling at the beginning of January and hope that the snorkeling will be good. I have a question about the catamaran trip. Did you book it thru Sicomono and was it a full day or a half day.

Cant wait for our trip.

Debbie

Debbie - we booked our catamaran trip through Si Como No. It was half-day. Left around 8 (picked us up at the hotel) and returned 1 or so. FYI - they usually run an afternoon trip as well, but during the rainy season (when we were there) they only had the morning trip - which is true with a lot of tours.