Douglas’s guidebook
Neighborhoods
Matapalo is a quiet town and beach that comes to life during Costa Rican holidays. In the town itself, there are a few places to eat and a couple of stores for groceries. A local rancher offers horseback tours of the beach, the estuary, and mountains. The very popular Manuel Antonio national park is down the road. You can enjoy everything Manuel Antonio and Quepos has to offer and then escape back to the peace and quiet of Matapalo.
Matapalo
Matapalo is a quiet town and beach that comes to life during Costa Rican holidays. In the town itself, there are a few places to eat and a couple of stores for groceries. A local rancher offers horseback tours of the beach, the estuary, and mountains. The very popular Manuel Antonio national park is down the road. You can enjoy everything Manuel Antonio and Quepos has to offer and then escape back to the peace and quiet of Matapalo.
Sightseeing
Sea turtles arrive every year to lay their eggs on Matapalo beach. Peak arrival time is August to October.
ASVPA Matapalo Sea Turtle Conservation
Camino Quepos - TarrazúSea turtles arrive every year to lay their eggs on Matapalo beach. Peak arrival time is August to October.
Nationaal park Manuel Antonio
A great place to hike and see wildlife.
If you are interested in fishing, scuba diving, catamaran tours, and snorkeling, this marina has you covered. They also have a gelato shop, and a private clinic/pharmacy/dentist for your health needs.
117 locals raden deze aan
Marina Pez Vela
If you are interested in fishing, scuba diving, catamaran tours, and snorkeling, this marina has you covered. They also have a gelato shop, and a private clinic/pharmacy/dentist for your health needs.
A great waterfall. The hike is long and hard, but you can hire horses or ride in the back of a 4*4 truck.
201 locals raden deze aan
Nauyaca-watervallen
Dominical - San Isidro PZA great waterfall. The hike is long and hard, but you can hire horses or ride in the back of a 4*4 truck.
Rainmaker
Red Vial Cantonal 100A fun hike with a series of hanging bridges.
Portalon cataratas
A great swimming spot that is not too easy to get to.
The waterfall is much easier to access than Nauyaca. There is a fun cliff jump into a canyon.
56 locals raden deze aan
Eco Chontales Waterfall
The waterfall is much easier to access than Nauyaca. There is a fun cliff jump into a canyon.
Food scene
Down the road in Dominical, this is a good place to stop for lunch after exploring the area. We like the boat of assorted sushi.
29 locals raden deze aan
Dominical Sushi
Down the road in Dominical, this is a good place to stop for lunch after exploring the area. We like the boat of assorted sushi.
Less than 5 minutes away, this place has great seafood. We like the mariscada, a big plate of lobsters, fish, crabs, shellfish, calamari, and octopus cooked in butter and spices, intended to be shared family-style.
34 locals raden deze aan
La Langosta Feliz
Less than 5 minutes away, this place has great seafood. We like the mariscada, a big plate of lobsters, fish, crabs, shellfish, calamari, and octopus cooked in butter and spices, intended to be shared family-style.
If you are in Manuel Antonio, this place has a great view of the Pacific. My favorite dish is the seafood curry.
44 locals raden deze aan
El Avion
If you are in Manuel Antonio, this place has a great view of the Pacific. My favorite dish is the seafood curry.
Stadsadvies
Vervoersmogelijkheden
Surf
Matapalo beach is a consistent, open beach break with lots of space. Dominical is a popular spot 10m down the road. If Matapalo and Dominical are too big, check out Playa Dominicalito. It is a smaller, more gentle wave.
Vervoersmogelijkheden
Public Transport
The public buses are an easy way to travel between Quepos, Manuel Antonio, and Dominical for day trips. The bus trip to Quepos is 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on traffic. Dominical is about 20 minutes. There are also buses to and from San José if you decide not to rent a car. A ticket costs about $15 and the trips lasts 3-4 hours with a bathroom and snack break about halfway. At Tracopacr.com you can look up the bus routes and schedules to Matapalo from San José. Another option for traveling to/from San José is using a shuttle service like Monkey Ride.
Vervoersmogelijkheden
Hiking
There are a couple of options for hiking in the area. For an easy hike, walk south down the beach to an estuary. There is also a path in the trees if you want to stay off the sand and out of the sun. Look up, there are often sloths in the trees. For a moderate hike, you can follow the dirt road up into the mountains. Along the way, you will get some scenic views. When you get to a bridge, leave the road, and follow the stream (left) down to a swimming hole with a small waterfall. For a difficult hike, you can walk north along the beach to the portalón river mouth and mangroves.
Vervoersmogelijkheden
Biking
Bikes are a great way to explore the area. There are a couple of options for mountain biking down backroads. An easy trip follows the beach road north to the Portalón river mangroves. The asphalt gives way to dirt and sand about 1/4 of the way there. A moderate trip follows the highway north for ~10 minutes, then follows a rough backroad through the mountains to the cazuela waterfall. A more difficult trip goes to the Dos Bocas waterfalls and hot springs.
Wat je mee moet nemen
Preparing for the weather
Our rainy season is from May to November, with October being the rainiest month. During this season, it can rain every afternoon, which fortunately cools the temperature. Rain ponchos, umbrellas, and waterproof shoes are good items to bring. January to March can be very hot and dry. The afternoons at the beach are beautiful during this time of year. Despite the lack of rain, mosquitos are prevalent at sunrise and sunset, so bring bug spray if you intend to walk along the beach at these times.