Is Manuel Antonio part of your Costa Rica travel itinerary? Does your trip start or end in San Jose?
If you answered yes and yes to the two questions, an essential part of your Costa Rica trip planning will be to deicide how to get from San Jose to Manuel Antonio.
Given that Manuel Antonio is one of the most popular travel destinations in the country, and San Jose is served by one of the two international airports in Costa Rica, there are several transportation options between the two destinations.
Now, choosing the right transportation method from San Jose to Manuel Antonio will depend on your preferences, budget, and travel style.
So, in this guide, we are going to share all the detailed information about the various ways of how to get from San Jose to Manuel Antonio, and what to expect from each of those, helping you pick the one that best suits your needs and choices.
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San Jose to Manuel Antonio: Summary
🏁 Depending upon your itinerary, you may start your trip to Manuel Antonio from either of these two:
- Directly from San Jose Airport
- The city of San Jose
Note: San Jose Airport is not located in the city of San Jose, but in Alajuela.
If you do not have time to read the entire thing now, check the summary table below, and pin this article for later 📌
For details about each mode of transport from San Jose to Manuel Antonio, continue reading.
| Mode of Transport | Highlights | How |
|---|---|---|
| 🚘 Rental Car | ✅ Flexibility of schedule and routes ✅ Value for money for families and groups ✔️ Orientation needed for driving on Costa Rica roads | Get 10% discount and other freebies → |
| 🚐 Shuttle Shared or Private | ✅ Comfort, hassle-free ✅ Door to door transfers | Book shuttle transfer → |
| 🚌 Public Bus | ✅ Budget option ✔️ Need to make your way to the bus station | Check bus schedule → |
| 🛩️ Domestic Flight | ✅ Fastest ✔️ Limited baggage allowance | Check airfare → |
🏨 If you need to spend a night near the airport, after arriving or before departing, check out these hotels near SJO airport.
How to Get from San Jose to Manuel Antonio: 4 Different Ways
Whether you opt for the flexibility of a self-drive rental car, the comfort of a shuttle service, the affordability of a public bus, or the speed of a domestic flight, each option has its own advantages.
In the following sections, know about the details of the four different modes of transport from San Jose to Manuel Antonio, what to expect from each of them and how the journey pans out.
Self-drive Rental Car
✨ Opting for a rental car is one of the most flexible and convenient ways to travel from San Jose to Manuel Antonio.
It gives you the freedom to define your own schedule, explore at your own pace and make spontaneous stops along the scenic route.
🛬 Upon arrival in Costa Rica, you can pickup the rental car directly at Juan Santamaría Airport.
🏢 However, if you plan to spend couple of days in San Jose and do not need the car during those days, then rent the car from San Jose downtown.
✅ Recommended: Adobe Rent A Car, a 100% Costa Rican company with transparent pricing. Reserve here and get 10% discount and other freebies
🚗 Other options: Compare deals on Rentalcars.com by Booking.com
Read this: Should you rent a car in Costa Rica?
Planning the Route
To get to Manuel Antonio, take the Route 27 towards the coast, then take the exit towards Tarcoles-Jaco and continue along the coastal highway, Route 34.
Upon reaching the town of Quepos, follow the signs to drive for another 10 minutes to arrive in Manuel Antonio.
The distance is 158 KM (98 miles) and the drive takes about 3 hours with no traffic and no stops.
But I bet, you will want to stop along the way. It is such a pretty route.
🌟 Driving is our personal favorite way of traveling from San Jose to Manuel Antonio.
Popular Stops en Route to Manuel Antonio
🐊 Tarcoles Bridge, also known as Crocodile Bridge – as you can guess, this is where you can get down from the car and see crocodiles. Dozens of them!
Do not worry. It is safe. You will be on the bridge, taking in bird’s eye views of the crocodiles who are hanging out down there in the Tarcoles river.
🌊 Mirador de Jaco – a nice lookout point with views of the Pacific Ocean and the beachside town of Jaco.
🚘 Not just San Jose to Manuel Antonio, we recommend you to get the rental car for your entire Costa Rica trip.
Shuttle Service to Manuel Antonio
✨ Shuttle services offer a comfortable and hassle-free option for traveling from San Jose to Manuel Antonio.
We like the door-to-door transfers offered by these shuttle services, directly to your hotel in Manuel Antonio, starting from either SJO airport, or your hotel in San Jose.
⚠️ When booking the shuttle, make sure you book the right one, according to your desired pick up location.
For example,
🏨 this shuttle offers pick up from hotels in San Jose, whereas
You can choose between a shared shuttle transfer and a private shuttle transfer.
While a shared shuttle is a good enough option for a comfortable transfer from San Jose to Manuel Antonio, a private shuttle provides added comfort and convenience, particularly if you are traveling in a group or have a lot of luggage.
Here are some key differences between shared and private shuttle transfers:
| Shared Shuttle | Private Shuttle |
|---|---|
| Fixed schedule | Flexible schedule |
| 50-60 USD | 80-150 USD |
| ~ 4 hours, with one rest stop | 3-4 hours (flexible stops) |
| Book shared shuttle → | Book private shuttle → |
⏳ Shuttle services need to be booked in advance, either online or through your hotel.
Book Your Shuttle Transfer from San Jose to Manuel Antonio →
Public Bus from San Jose to Manuel Antonio
✨ Traveling by public bus is the most budget-friendly option for getting from San Jose to Manuel Antonio.
The bus company Tracopa runs direct buses daily from San Jose to Manuel Antonio, starting at 6:00 am. The last bus departs from San Jose at 7:30 pm.
📍 Tracopa Bus Terminal in San Jose
🚕 Note that, from SJO Airport, or from you hotel in San Jose, you need to make your own way to the bus terminal.
Bus ticket costs 5600 CRC (~ 11 USD), making this the cheapest way to travel from San Jose to Manuel Antonio.
The journey time is 4.5-5 hours, but be prepared for potential delays.
Although there are multiple buses per day, we recommend you to purchase your ticket in advance, especially during peak tourist seasons.
While buses are less flexible and comfortable compared to other options, they offer a glimpse into local life and are an excellent way to travel sustainably.
Domestic Flight to Quepos
✨ Flying domestic from San Jose to Quepos, and taking a taxi to your hotel, is the quickest way of getting from San Jose to Manuel Antonio.
Fly Sansa runs multiple flights daily from San Jose – Juan Santamaria Airport domestic terminal to La Managua Airport in Quepos.
The domestic terminal of Juan Santamaria Airport is located near the international terminal.
With one way flight tickets costing around 80-120 USD, domestic flights are an expensive mode of travel; however, they are also the fastest way to reach Manuel Antonio from San Jose.
From San Jose, the flight takes only about 25 minutes to get to Quepos, and from Quepos, it is a short 20-minute taxi or bus ride to Manuel Antonio.
You can book tickets online from Sansa website.
🌴 The domestic flights are in small aircrafts, which can feel a bit scary initially, but flying offers stunning aerial views of Costa Rica’s landscapes.
Plan Your Manuel Antonio & San Jose Trips
- 3 Days in Manuel Antonio Itinerary
- Manuel Antonio National Park Visit Guide
- 2 Days in Manuel Antonio – YouTube Video
- 2 Days in San Jose Itinerary
- Day Trips from San Jose
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Travel Planning Logistics
- Accommodation: For several years now, Booking.com has been our platform of choice for booking accommodation while traveling. You can apply all the desired filters and shortlist the ones that meet your criteria. On continued use, you will keep unlocking their Genius benefits. For long term stays, we use Airbnb. Of late, we have also started browsing Hostelworld for finding hostels.
- Tours: When traveling to new destinations, you can plan ahead and book your activities. Check for highly rated tours on Viator and Get Your Guide.
- Packing: From swimwear to sunscreen, hiking pants to insect repellents, buy your vacation packing essentials on Amazon.
- Flights: We always start our flight searches with Skyscanner and Momondo. They are aggregators that display flight options, compiling information across airlines and combinations. What we like the best about these flight aggregators is that you can put “Anywhere” as your destination, so that you find the best flight deals from your city of departure.
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