The small town of Quepos is the main transport hub and access point for travellers on their way to Manuel Antonio National Park in Costa Rica.

Whether you choose to base yourself in Quepos or closer to the national park, unless you have your own rental car you're going to have to catch the regular public bus in order to arrive at the entrance to Manuel Antonio.

In this short routes post, we've shared the timetable, costs, and tips for the Quepos to Manuel Antonio bus and taxis.

The Quepos to Manuel Antonio Bus

The regular, daily public bus sets off from Quepos bus terminal (Google Maps), and snakes its way up and down the steep hill which separates the town and Manuel Antonio National Park.

The first bus of the day is supposed to be at 5.45 am, but we caught it at the bottom of the Quepos side of the hill at 5.47 am, so we'd recommend getting to the bus station for 5.30 am.

The next departure is at 6.45 am, which will be perfect to get you to the park for the first entrance slot of the day from 7.00 - 7.40 am. Subsequent departures fall roughly on the hour and half hour until 7 pm. After that, there's a departure at 8 pm and 9.30 pm from Quepos.

Travel time is about 25 minutes, depending on time of day and number of stops.

The majority of you reading this won't however catch the bus at Quepos terminal, but rather at the designated stops at the side of the steep, winding 618 road. The vast majority of hotels and hostels are located along this, and the bus regularly picks up and drops off along the way.

These stops are usually indicated by a little sign saying 'parada' and are very obvious in the busier sections. If unsure, just ask your accommodation where the nearest stop is and what time they suggest getting there; note that the bus can sometimes arrive earlier than you expect, so it's best to wait with time to spare and stick your hand out when the bus is approaching.

It's also really important to be aware that the bus will usually not stop and collect people from non-marked 'paradas' as it's 1) not safe and 2) would extend their journey time significantly.

The bus fare costs 320 colones per person, no matter the distance you're travelling. We recommend having this ready for the driver in change or small bills. If you don't have the exact money though, he does have change available.

This bus has seating capacity for approx. 50 people, and becomes very crowded in the late morning and afternoons with travellers, so you're not guaranteed a seat if boarding later on in the route from Quepos to Manuel Antonio.

The bus drops off at the end of the road by Espadrilla Norte beach (maps), and from there you simply have to walk along the small beach trail (maps) for two minutes until you arrive at the main entrance to Manuel Antonio National Park (maps).

Alternatively, you can use the same bus just hang out and have a beach bum day here on Espadrilla Norte.

Travel Better | Read 7 Things To Know Before You Visit Manuel Antonio National Park.

Bus From Manuel Antonio To Quepos

To travel from Manuel Antonio to Quepos, or your accommodation on the hill, you should wait for the bus outside the supermercado Super Joseth de la Playa (maps), next to Restaurant Marlin.

If you see the bus arrive and pick up / drop off from the other side, don't panic! You can cross the road and get on there, but the bus will simply continue on for a minute before looping back to the supermercado stop. This means you can sit nursing a drink at either Restaurant Marlin or Baru until you see the bus pass by!

The last Manuel Antonio to Quepos bus picks up at 9.30 pm; if you miss it, you’ll have to get a taxi.

On the return journey, you have ring/shout when your stop is coming up, so it's a good idea to have your phone GPS running and your accommodation marked, especially if it's dark. If unsure, advise the driver of where you're staying so he can give you a shout.

This road sees a lot of traffic and is pitch black in some sections, so please be super careful and aware when walking back to your accommodation, especially at night (put on your mobile phone torch so oncoming drivers can see you).

Taxis from Quepos to Manuel Antonio (and vice-versa)

A regular, private taxi will cost in the region of $5-8 USD. For the return journey, you may be quoted at the higher end of this, especially if you've missed the last bus.

Note that drivers here won't use the meter, so you have to negotiate and agree the final price before getting in the car. If travelling with luggage, it’s definitely worth confirming that it’s been factored into the final price!

Colectivo (shared) taxis are cheaper, but more difficult to find.

Most taxi drivers also won't discount the rate for shorter distances up the hill on the return journey from Manuel Antonio. For large groups, you can also find a shuttle available on Bookaway.

We should also point out here that, unless your accommodation is right near the end of the Manuel Antonio side of the hill / 618 road, we absolutely do not recommend walking along this road or between the two locations.

The steep, narrow, twisting road sees so much traffic due to the popularity of Manuel Antonio National park, that it is unsafe and irresponsible to walk it for any great distance. As we mentioned, much of it is shrouded in darkness too, so do not attempt to walk it at night unless it's just from the bus drop-off to your accommodation.