How to Get from San Jose to Manuel Antonio

Driving your own car is a great way to travel around Costa Rica. You’ll have more control of your time and you can make as many stops along the way. You’ll want to do that a lot on the picturesque drive from San Jose to Manuel Antonio.

With daily rental rates starting from , renting a car can also be cheaper than taking a shuttle van or a private transfer when you’re travelling in a group. But keep in mind that you’ll of course spend money on gas, and sometimes tolls.

Travel time when driving from San Jose to Manuel Antonio takes , depending on which route you take and how many stops you make.

Driving directions from San Jose to Manuel Antonio

The best part about driving this route is the views. You can choose from two routes: along the coast or through the mountains.

Route 1: Along the coast

For coastal views, take Route 27 through Alajuela Province and then transfer to Route 34 as you leave Coyolar. This road will lead you to the vibrant surf town of Jaco. You can stay a few hours or a few days in Jaco (depending on how much time you have) before moving on to Manuel Antonio.

This route along the coast is longer (170 km), but faster because you’ll be taking the highway. Prepare some cash for tolls that cost around 5 USD.

Route 2: Through the mountains

Alternatively, you can take the route through the mountains (110 km). It’s shorter, but the travel time is longer because of heavy traffic. On the good side, the lush mountain views will keep you entertained throughout the 4-hour journey.

Take Route 214 out of San Jose and then transfer to Route 209. Take a slight left to Route 301 once you reach San Ignacio and continue for about 53 km. Turn left once you arrive at Route 34 and continue until you reach Manuel Antonio.

Where to rent a car in San Jose

There are plenty of car rental shops in Costa Rica’s capital city or at San Jose Airport. Not all rental companies allow you to drop off the car in Manuel Antonio, though. So there’s a chance you can rent a car only if you can bring it back to San Jose.

You can ask your hotel for recommendations on where to rent a car or find one online.

We normally recommend checking Skyscanner for the best car rental prices (and flights), but occasionally you might find even better prices on Kayak. Both are reliable search engines which make it easy to search for the cheapest car deals and apply relevant filters.

A one-day car rental costs about per day if you're returning the car to San José. Dropping the car off in Manuel Antonio or elsewhere in Costa Rica (where the company allows a car drop-off), significantly increases the cost, starting at 120 USD for the first day.

These rates include mandatory daily car rental insurance, which is required by law in Costa Rica.

There are no direct flights from San Jose to Manuel Antonio. You can only take a flight to Quepos and from there take a taxi or bus to Manuel Antonio. Combined rates for this option start from $123, which is more than double the cost of a shared minivan.

The flight from San Jose to Quepos takes only 30 minutes. But including the journey to and from the airport, it will take close to 2h 15m plus the waiting and check-in time at the airport.

Altogether, we think it’s a lot easier to book a cheaper and direct shuttle van that transfers you door to door. Don’t mind the extra transfers to and from the airport? Read on for how to travel by plane to Manuel Antonio from San Jose.

Do you only have one day to spare for Manuel Antonio? If yes, you can consider joining a group tour from San Jose. We don’t really recommend this option because there is so much to do at the national park. Also, you’ll spend more time on the journey than in the park itself.

Still, we understand that not everyone has the luxury of time. If you’re one of those people, then you can join a day trip from San Jose to Manuel Antonio. This day trip takes and includes roundtrip transportation, breakfast, and 5 hours of free time to explore the jungle or lounge at the beach at Manuel Antonio National Park.

Rates start from when you book your day trip on GetYourGuide. That includes the entrance ticket to the national park.

Not a lot of people join day tours to Manuel Antonio from San Jose so this option is usually only available from Friday to Sunday.

Travelling in a group? A private transfer is a faster option at 2h 30m - 4h 30m because you don’t need to wait for other passengers.

Rates start from $198 for a -seater private car from San Jose to Manuel Antonio. That’s about per person if you are in a group of — cheaper than a shared minivan.

The private transfer will pick you up and drop you off at your hotels in San Jose and Manuel Antonio. Some minivans depart from San Jose Airport. Private transfers are also available for larger groups of up to 18 people.