Manzanillo Costa Rica Solo Trip Vacation Caribbean Coast

Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast was my solo travel destination for relaxation and rejuvenation in the tiny village of Manzanillo a few years ago in August.

The beaches of Costa Rica look gorgeous in all the photographs.

And the opportunity for wildlife viewing in Costa Rica is outstanding. From howler monkeys to toucans you are in for a treat when you go to Costa Rica.

My plan was to do almost nothing in Costa Rica. I wanted to relax and take long walks along the beach and do some snorkeling. If I couldn’t walk or swim to it – I wasn’t going to see it. I wanted to enjoy leisurely meals, read all afternoon long and simply enjoy observing my surroundings. The flora and fauna in Costa Rica is spectacular.

I started my research on the internet and checked out several Costa Rica travel guides from the library. I had difficulty deciding where I wanted to go. The guide books were divided into sections covering each region and I became enamored with each one.

Rainy Season in Costa Rica

Gradually I concluded the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica would be my destination because it was still rainy season on the Pacific coast.

Dry season on the Pacific coast runs from December to April and May through November is the Green Season or rainy season.

The Caribbean coast doesn’t have rainy and dry seasons but the driest months are September and October. Visiting in the latter half of August I reckoned I would have decent weather for my vacation in Costa Rica.

Manzanillo Costa Rica

Manzanillo is a small town which marks the end of the coastal road on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. The nearest town is Puerto Viejo 17 kilometers to the north, rainforest jungle to the west, Caribbean Sea to the east, and jungle right up to the beach to the south.

There is snorkeling right off the coast of Manzanillo and the jungle stretches right up to the beach in some places.

End of the road sleepy fishing village with great snorkeling off the coast next to the jungle? Perfect!

Manzanillo seemed like the ideal place to enjoy some chill out time.

Where to Stay in Manzanillo Costa Rica

I searched for accommodation in Manzanillo and found great reviews for Cabinas Ya Mann. This was a great place to stay. I had a gorgeous bungalow near the beach, outdoor kitchen, laundry service, and delicious morning coffee provided too!

 

In Costa Rica it is illegal to build within 50 meters (164 feet) of the beach so the first 50 meters from the sea is public property. What a beautiful concept!

Getting to Manzanillo Costa Rica

I used United Airlines frequent flyer points for my trip to Costa Rica. Instead of flying out of Austin I left from Houston because there were no flights available from Austin for the dates I wanted.

I booked one night at Hostelling International USA’s Morty Rich Hostel, a historic mansion located in a beautiful neighborhood in central Houston with free parking and Wi-Fi. For my arrival and departure dates I booked a night in San José Costa Rica.

 

Solo Trip to Manzanillo Costa Rica

I found Manzanillo to be a very safe and enjoyable location for a solo vacation. I woke up early to the sound of howler monkeys and enjoyed long walks on the beach. Mostly I wanted to relax and enjoy nature, and that included underwater too.

In Manzanillo there was great snorkeling right off the coast, with brightly colored exotic fish including lots of parrot fish. One morning I saw an amazing manta ray, so elegant and frightening all at once! I had never seen a manta ray and this one was just a few feet away from me.

I was surprised to see a manta ray so close to the shoreline but it actually makes sense given their shape. The manta ray swam out to sea but swam much too fast for me to follow along.

Awakening each morning to the howler monkeys and chorus of tropical birds at 5 am.

My morning barefoot walks along the beach for 2 hours enjoying the sunrise over the Caribbean Sea, the beauty of the coastline and the jungle.

Flora and Fauna in Manzanillo

From the toucans flying overhead, orange tanagers, grey-necked wood rails wandering the grounds, hummingbirds zipping past me every morning to rescue nectar from the hibiscus flowers, blue morpho butterflies, orange frogs, woodpeckers, blue crabs, an army of ants on a mission, Jesus lizards (they can walk on water) and iguanas – each day I saw something new and amazing in the village of Manzanillo.

Meeting Other Travelers in Manzanillo

I enjoyed evening walks along the beach to watch the sunsets, hanging out with other travelers and hearing their stories.

I met Jorge and Yolanda, visiting from San José, on one of my early morning walks. They visited Manzanillo often and showed me some of the interesting flowers and plants along our jungle walk.

I met Curinne and Simon, visiting from France and touring around Costa Rica for 6 weeks, while I was snorkeling. They paid local guide Sergio to show them some of the coral and better snorkeling spots. Sergio invited me to join them instead of swimming on my own so I gladly accepted the invitation.

The water was still very shallow even though we swam a long way out from the coast – something I wouldn’t have done on my own. We saw some interesting coral but the more interesting fish were along the reef closer to the shoreline.

There was one night the electricity went out, as I was leaving the restaurant after dinner. The whole place was in total darkness, bringing a magnificent view of the stars. I couldn’t stop staring, craning my neck to experience the thousands of stars above. I would love to see that view every night!

Looking for someplace to relax and rejuvenate? I suggest you take a trip to Manzanillo on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica!

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How to get to Manzanillo from San Jose, Costa Rica

By Car

Take Hwy 32 to Puerto Limon then Hwy 36 towards Puerto Viejo until the road ends. Total driving time is around 4 hours.

By Bus

There are public buses from San Jose to Puerto Viejo, and when I visited there was only one bus that continued direct all the way to Manzanillo. You can check the MEPE website for bus schedules and ticket info.

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