An aerial view of an island in the middle of the ocean

Quepos

Quepos is a working town on Costa Rica's Pacific coast, and most travelers stay here to visit Manuel Antonio National Park.

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Quepos is a town on Costa Rica's central Pacific coast, in Puntarenas province, a short drive from Manuel Antonio National Park. Most visitors to the park base themselves here, because the town has the things a trip needs: bus stops, a small airstrip, a sport-fishing fleet and supermarkets. Park hotels are set up for guests, so buying groceries, catching a bus or booking a boat is easier in town.

Quepos suits travelers who want a practical base near the park, with boat and fishing trips arranged locally. Sport fishing is the town's best-known activity, and many of the fishing boats leave from here. The dry season, roughly December to April, is the usual time to visit the Pacific coast. A few days is enough to combine a park visit with a boat or fishing trip.

Quepos in five

Stock up in town before the park roadSINAC puts Manuel Antonio's entrance 7 km from Quepos and says the park has no vehicle parking. Buy water, sun cream and cash in town, then ride out rather than drive.Manuel Antonio National Park
Allow extra time on the park road in high seasonSINAC warns that the only road linking Quepos with Manuel Antonio is very busy in high season. Leave early for the park and keep the ride time flexible.
Arrive by Tracopa coach or SANSA flightTracopa's route list includes Quepos and Manuel Antonio among its San José services, and SANSA lists a Quepos - Manuel Antonio airstrip (XQP). Check each operator's page for your travel day.
Match the activity to the seasonICT lists sport fishing in Quepos for sailfish, marlin and roosterfish in the dry season, December to April, and white-water rafting on the Savegre and Naranjo rivers from May to November.
Take a mangrove tour on Damas IslandICT describes Damas Island as about 600 hectares of mangroves and estuary, with boat tours from Quepos and Manuel Antonio. Choose an operator that limits group size and keeps the boat engine slow.

Things to do in Quepos

See all attractions in Quepos

Park · QueposManuel Antonio National ParkBuy your ticket online before you arrive. Entry is capped each day and the park sells out weeks ahead between December and April.

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to QueposPut the places you like in Quepos on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Airport: Quepos - Manuel Antonio (XQP) via SANSA; San José (SJO) by road
Getting there: Tracopa coaches and road from San José; SINAC gives 157 km to the park
Getting around: Walkable center; taxis and local buses on the park road
Best base: Quepos for budgets and buses; the park road for beaches
Time needed: One or two nights, plus time at the park

Weather by month

Rainy days

Best
Good
Mixed
Poor

JanuaryPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh28°Low22°Dry, busy
FebruaryPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh29°Low23°Dry, hot
MarchPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh30°Low24°Driest, hot
AprilRain21 rainy daysHigh29°Low24°Transition
MayRain29 rainy daysHigh29°Low24°Rains begin
JuneRain29 rainy daysHigh28°Low23°Green season
JulyRain30 rainy daysHigh28°Low23°Rafting season
AugustRain30 rainy daysHigh28°Low23°Green season
SeptemberRain29 rainy daysHigh27°Low23°Very wet
OctoberRain30 rainy daysHigh27°Low22°Very wet
NovemberRain28 rainy daysHigh27°Low22°Rains ease
DecemberRain18 rainy daysHigh27°Low22°Dry begins

Average daily high and low in Quepos, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Right now in Quepos

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 29°
Humidity: 78%
Wind: 10 km/h
Chance of rain: 97%

Manuel Antonio National Park

04:03 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT-6

Today29°24°97%Monday: Drizzle. High 29°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 97%.
Tue29°24°94%Tuesday: Thunderstorms. High 29°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 94%.
Wed27°22°96%Wednesday: Rain. High 27°, Low 22°. Chance of rain 96%.
Thu26°23°89%Thursday: Rain. High 26°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 89%.
Fri28°23°92%Friday: Rain. High 28°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 92%.
Sat25°23°90%Saturday: Thunderstorms. High 25°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 90%.
Sun30°23°67%Sunday: Drizzle. High 30°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 67%.

Updated 12:28 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 455.4 CRC

Amount

Converted to

CRC · Costa Rican Colón

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

Day trips by train

Manuel Antonio National Parkshort ride from townBeaches and trails with sloths and monkeys; tickets are sold through SINAC.Read the guide
Damas Island mangroveshalf-day boat tourA mangrove and estuary system near Quepos; ICT lists boat tours from town.
Uvita and Marino Ballenasouth along the coast roadA tidal sandbar and humpback whale seasons; plan the park visit around low tide.Read the guide

Before you go to Quepos

Mangrove and river toursCompare Damas Island and rafting tripsCompare tours

Hotels in QueposTown stays near buses and shopsCheck availability

eSIM for the Central PacificBus times and park tickets on your phoneRead the guide

Cover for rafting and fishingCheck adventure activity exclusionsRead the guide

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Rules for Quepos, checked

SINAC lists Manuel Antonio as open Wednesday to Monday, 7am to 3pm, closed Tuesday; tickets are sold through its online service.Checked Oct 3, 2026 · Source
Manuel Antonio has no vehicle parking, and the only road from Quepos is very busy in high season; plan to ride out, not drive (SINAC).Checked Oct 3, 2026 · Source

Plan around Quepos

Manuel Antonio National Park

Timed tickets, beaches and wildlife inside the park

Read the guide Uvita and the whale tail

The marine park on the coast road south of Quepos

Read the guide Puntarenas

The port town on the highway north, with Nicoya ferries

Read the guide San José

The usual starting point for the 157 km drive south

Read the guide Jacó

North on the coastal highway: surf and nightlife.

Read the guide All of Costa Rica

Quepos among the coasts, parks and volcanoes

Read the guide

Quepos FAQ

Is Quepos worth staying in?

Yes if you want shops, buses, restaurants and lower costs than the hotels on the park road. The trade-off is a ride to the beaches, which SINAC says is a busy single road in high season.

Quepos or Manuel Antonio: where should you stay?

Quepos suits budget stays, onward bus connections and fishing or river tours. The park road suits beach days and an early park entry. Plan for the ride either way, and avoid midday traffic in high season.

How far is Quepos from San José?

SINAC puts Manuel Antonio National Park 157 km south of San José, with the entrance 7 km from Quepos. Tracopa coaches serve the route, and SANSA lists a flight to the Quepos airstrip.

Is the sea near Quepos safe for swimming?

Ask your hotel before swimming outside the park, and stay out of river mouths: crocodiles are regularly sighted on surf beaches to the north, as the Central Pacific Coast guide explains. Inside Manuel Antonio, ask rangers where the water is calm.

What is there to do in Quepos besides the park?

ICT lists dry-season sport fishing, green-season rafting on the Savegre and Naranjo rivers and mangrove boat tours on Damas Island. The town also works as a supply stop before heading south to Uvita.