Travel

Flight

Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)

Please keep in mind that Manuel Antonio is a 2.5 hour drive from the airport.

Travel Note

Arranging ground transportation

Our wedding planner Karen Ogden is able to help arrange ground transport to/from Manuel Antonio. She can fit guests that are arriving around the same timeframe within the same van rental to help with costs. Feel free to contact her to coordinate at karen@tropicaloccasions.com.

Rental Car

Info about car rentals

There are many different rental car services to use in Costa Rica. Some top companies include Budget, Avis, and Adobe. Please keep in mind that a certain level of insurance coverage is required by Costa Rican law, and they generally do not allow you to utilize your credit card's car insurance benefits to waive this. The mandatory insurance required is called "Liability insurance" and the other coverage that can be waived if you would like is "CDW or LDW" (collision damage waiver or loss damage waiver). Therefore the cost for renting a car tends to be higher due to mandatory insurance requirements. Car rentals also freeze $1,000-$1,500 on the credit card as a security deposit. Another FYI, please keep in mind that the default tends to be a standard/manual transmission car, so if you only drive automatic, make sure to specify that at the time of booking!

Hotel

Arenas Del Mar

This is where we will be having our ceremony and reception, though we will be staying at a house nearby. However, feel free to stay at this amazing resort if you can! The rooms are pretty pricey, but it is a beautiful luxury hotel with its own beach access and two pools.

Hotel

Tulemar Resort

We toured Tulemar during our last trip and it is an amazing resort! It is the #1 Hotel in the World in the 2019 TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Awards. It feels like a gated community which is nice, though means you cannot have outside guests come in. They have their own beach, multiple pools, and a great restaurant we tried that was delicious! They also have a daily sloth walk.

Hotel

The Falls Resort at Manuel Antonio

Recommended by our wedding planner Karen The Falls is a cute and affordable boutique hotel that is super close to all of the activities!

Hotel

Shana By The Beach Hotel

Recommended by our wedding planner Karen Shana Hotel is one of the larger hotels in the area. It has a nature trail down to one of the smaller beaches, Biesanz Beach.

Hotel

Parador Resort & Spa Manuel Antonio

Also recommended by our wedding planner.. This is one of the larger resorts in the area that overlooks the ocean. It has multiple pools and a spa! It's about a 10 minute walk to one of the smaller beaches in the area.

House Or Rental

Villa / House Rentals

There are many awesome houses in the area that actually tend to be more affordable than some of the hotels. We stayed in an Airbnb during our last trip here (Casa Luna de Plata). If you are looking into this as an option, please consider contacting our wedding planner, Karen Ogden, to make sure it is a good spot! (email: karen@tropicaloccasions.com) Aside from using Airbnb or Vrbo, here are some other reputable sites to find villas: https://www.villascostarica.com/destinations/manuel-antonio/ https://www.manuelantoniovacationrentals.com https://www.myvacationcostarica.com https://www.crvacationproperties.com

Travel Note

We hope you make your Costa Rica trip an adventure!

Our first trip together was to Costa Rica, and we loved it so much that we want to share our experience with you this time! We have spent over a week in Manuel Antonio alone and there is so much to do and see! (Having a car helps). Though it is beautiful, there is also SO much to see throughout the country. If possible, we highly recommend checking out some other spots if you have time. Other amazing locations include Monteverde Cloud Forest, Arenal Volcano National Park, Parque Nacional Tortuguero (park known for nesting green & leatherback turtles), among many others! Click the link below to see more suggestions.