Manuel Antonio · Backpacking

The working town at the bottom of the hill has the hostels, the cheap sodas and the bus terminal; the park road is resort territory.

About 25,000–45,000 colones, roughly $48–86: dorms 8,000–12,000, casados 4,000–6,000, the shuttle bus a few hundred, park entry on top.

A local bus runs the seven kilometres between town and the park entrance every half hour for a few hundred colones, from dawn until late evening.

Playa Espadilla Norte is public and outside the park gates, and the Marina Pez Vela boardwalk is free to walk at sunset.

The bar shacks at the top of the public beach fill from late afternoon with surf-school groups and hostel crowds; cheapest beers on the hill.