Costa Rica Travel Forum

I have 5 days to spend in Manuel Antonio in 6/2 first and last day are driving. What can do there? River rafting? how good is the river there compare to other locations ? Diving, is there good place to dive? And what else can I do? do you think I should take some tour package that includes everything. Any cheap lodge? how far/bad is the drive from san jose?
I hope I get some good tips
thank you

I can help you with some of your questions: the drive from San Jose to MA is not bad. There is some construction from Jaco to MA (this will slow you down since the roads there are bad due to construction), but you will be OK if you drive carefully. We drove from San Jose/Alajuela to MA close to the end of April 2008 and the drive was not bad. We reached MA in about 3.5 hours.

Lodging: we did not sleep in MA, but we noticed Villas Nicolas while we were there. We checked them out and we liked what we saw. The prices are good, the location is good: http://www.villasnicolas.com/

Plenty of cheap lodging in the village of Manuel Antonio and along the road between Quepos and Manuel Antonio. Don't need reservations this time of year, just find a place that looks good and stop and check the prices. There's a place just as you get into the village, last place on your left before the road runs along the beach, that costs around $10 US dollars a night, with a path right to the beach. For a little more money you can get a place with hot water and AC. Diving this time of year around MA is not really good because it's the rainy season and the water, albeit nice and blue, has low visibility levels.