Gosh this was such a fun trip to plan and we went with 4 other couples. For starters, my best friend got engaged on this trip!
We began this trip by flying into San Jose. There we rented two SUVs to drive down to Quepos. The drive is about 3 hours and is really scenic. I’d recommend stopping by some of the little bar and restaurants on the way, the less signs the better the place. I’d also suggest stopping by Crocodile Bridge which is really cool and creepy to peer over!
Our first Airbnb was the most luxurious and beautiful place in Quepos I swear! Had the most amazing view and everything was too notch. While we were here, we swam in the infinity pool and enjoyed the toucans in the tree next door every morning.
My favorite night at this location however, we hired a private chef and stayed in! Chef Paige (Instagram @solprivatechef) was the absolute best. She allowed us to customize our own menu and prepared everything with the utmost perfection. We used a local site where I found her, but I would imagine if you message her on Instagram to inquire about your dinner she will let you know the best way to arrange her services! (Tell her I sent you 😉) I would do questionable things to have her heart of palms ceviche again.
Our first outing, I took the group to Nauyaca Falls on a horseback tour Skyler and I took exactly 4 years ago. Just like the first time I went, it was incredible. If you are adventurous go for the horses, if you are timid around large animals or scared of riding this may not be the best first time for you but they have a truck option as well!
This tour takes you to and from the falls and provides a traditional Costa Rican lunch. If you are super adventurous and an adrenaline seeker you can have the guide help you climb the front if this waterfall and jump off!
We transferred to a second Airbnb that was right in the middle of Quepos a few nights in so that we could explore some without needing to drive or taxi! I also wanted to try this place because of the reviews on wildlife visiting the balcony and my goodness it did not disappoint. Though it wasn’t nearly as luxurious as our first, they provide breakfast and the view was also incredible. Every morning and afternoon you could hear the howler monkeys from Manuel Antonio National Park! Personally, while we were very close, I did not want to visit Manuel Antonio for this trip. Skyler and I went 4 years ago and it was a lot of walking for only seeing 1 sloth. Everyone has different experiences but we have seen more wildlife at airbnbs and restaurants. It does however have a stunning beach!
But the best part of this stay was by far our visitors on our last afternoon in town. Throughout our stay we saw toucans, caviomorpha, iguanas, capuchin monkeys and squirrel monkeys. The squirrel monkeys came in the dozens one afternoon and ate the local mango right out of our hands. It was an experience of a lifetime!
The last big outing we chose was a boat day! Now, Quepos is the fishing capital of the world so nearly all the charters are fishing. It took me a lot of digging to find a good leisure charter. There are other options than this, but they don’t offer a better boat. The other options I found were fishing boats offering to take us out for fun and well, fishing boats aren’t built for leisure. So Catch & Relax is who I would recommend. They cooked us lunch and snacks and offer a half or full day! We opted for full and it was a blast.
Some of the restaurants we went to while in Quepos / Manuel Antonio are:
- Agua Azul- my personal favorite! The view, the food, the service 10/10
- Emilio’s Cafe – Great view and atmosphere, food was awesome. Went for dinner & breakfast and both were great! Easiest place to sit for 10 people that we went to. I even saw howler monkeys from the balcony here.
- The pizza place right beside Emilio’s ( I can’t remember the name)
- El Avion– this is one I’m not sure I would dine at necessarily, it is good and a cool place to see but pricy for what it is. I think its a great place to go and have a drink so that you can see the Plane!
- Anaconda– the quickest way to see a monkey. Seriously, every time I’ve been here we see capuchin monkeys everywhere before the car is even parked! They also have a gorgeous view and a plane they rent for a hotel room.
- Ronny’s Place- very good food, less of a vibe than the others I’ve listed!
My full itinerary I used is pictured below! I hope my post helps you in some way if you are looking to plan a trip, as as they would say in Costa Rica, Pura Vida!
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