Manuel Antonio Premium Tour and Croc Skywalk from San Jose

Most visitors arrive at Manuel Antonio by tour bus, meet it on a crowded trail, and leave soon after midday. This day is built to slow it down. You head out from San José for the central Pacific and stop first at the Croc Skywalk, where a walkway crosses the Tárcoles River and wild crocodiles rest on the banks below, scarlet macaws passing overhead.

Then comes Manuel Antonio National Park, home to a beach Tripadvisor ranks among the world's top 25. A sloth hangs off the trail, monkeys cross above you, and the forest opens onto white sand and calm water. A short detour reaches Playa Las Gemelas, a cove most people miss, and the day closes in Jacó as the sun drops into the sea.

The group stays small and personal, so your local host sets the pace, points out what you would miss on your own, and keeps the day yours, not a timetable. Whether you come as a solo traveler, a couple, a family, or a group of friends, you'll have the wildlife you came for and a local host by your side.