EnglishDeutschFrançaisItalianoPortuguês日本語

Manuel Antonio National Park

COSI - Classes

The Beach and Rainforest Program

Classes are held in Manuel Antonio National Park which has one of the best beaches on Costa Rica´s Pacific coast for swimming and snorkeling. The park is also wonderful for short walks or full-day hikes. In the Manuel Antonio National Park, there is a rare natural land formation called a tombolo which is the most perfect in the world. A tombolo is a strip of land made of sand that joins a former island to the shore. It takes thousands of years for a tombolo to form. This park is a combination of rain forest, beautiful white sand beaches abounding in flora and fauna and great views. You can see howler, squirrel, and white-faced monkeys; two-toed sloths, coatimundis, racoons, iguanas and over 350 species of birds and other animal species. In Manuel Antonio, the mountains meet the ocean. It is paradise. COSI's facilities have a great view of the ocean and are just 2 miles from the beach across the street from the Manuel Antonio escuela publica.

Beach inside Manuel Antonio National Park

Location of Manuel Antonio (map)
Location of Quepos (map)

Host families in Manuel Antonio

It is possible to live with a host family in Manuel Antonio. The standard of the houses in Manuel Antonio is lower than in San José. For a luxurious stay, you may want to consider staying in a hotel.

Hotel Accommodations

There are many hotels to choose from in Manuel Antonio. For those who want to stay in a hotel, COSI will make all the arrangements necessary at the best prices available. Please note that the busy season is from December to April. During this time, hotel reservations should be made in advance. During the rest of the year, hotel prices are usually 20-40% cheaper and reservations can be made more easily.

Transportation:

Students travel to Manuel Antonio by public bus. Buses leave San José every day at 6AM, 12:00 noon and 6 PM. It is a 3 and a half hour bus ride. COSI buys the bus tickets in advance for your trip. If you choose to fly into Manuel Antonio or to rent a car, we will be happy to assist you in making any arrangements. It is recommended that participants arrive in San José on or before the Saturday prior to the start of classes, stay the first night in San José, and travel the following day to Manuel Antonio. COSI can arrange for your stay in San José, either with a host family or in a hotel.

Manuel Antonio school

Services in Manuel Antonio

In Manuel Antonio, there are many different types of stores, hotels and restaurants. In addition, communicative services such telephones, faxes and internet access are available. Public transportation is inexpensive with buses and taxis.

Optional activities:

In Manuel Antonio, students can fish, snorkel, dive, rent boogie and surf boards and go white water rafting. They can also kayak, rent jet skis, go dolphin watching, go on a sunset cruise, go horseback riding or go on a canopy tour. It is also possible to rent a car.