Making the most of Quepos
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
The Puerto Quepos cruise port has 6 blocks of bars, shops, hotels, restaurants and galleries. Cruise ships anchor and tender to the marina. It is just a short walk into town.
Printable map to take along.
Puerto Quepos drapes itself across a tropical inlet surrounded by primary rainforest. The village center is a delightful six-block square of restaurants, bars, hotels, bakeries, art galleries and gift shops, all fronted by the main beach and sportfishing fleet. Quepos is growing quickly yet maintains many of its sleepy and humble beginnings.
Getting around
Go catch a Pacific Sailfish or Marlin! Tours available everyday and you can rent the whole boat or split trips with others.
Take the bus in town to Manuel Antonio beach, it costs about one USD round trip and is a fun ride, every 30 mins.
If you plan to travel outside the towns: protection against mosquito bites is very important, wearing lightweight long pants, long sleeved shirts and using insect repellents with high concentrations of DEET is recommended by the CDC
Nearby places
A visit to Puerto Quepos is not complete without going to Manual Antonio National Park. $16 USD entry fee. Closed Mondays. It lies just a few minutes South of Quepos. The Manuel Antonio National Park is the smallest of Costa Rican national parks but the place is rich in wildlife and stunningly beautiful beaches.
Note that the beaches in Quepos are polluted and not recommended for swimming. Go over the hill to Manuel Antonio instead.
There is such biodiversity in Costa Rica not only because it's a land bridge between North and South America, but also because the terrain is so varied and there are weather patterns moving in from both the Pacific and Atlantic/Caribbean. There are impressive volcanoes, mountain areas, rivers, lakes, and beaches all throughout the country. There are many beautiful beaches - most of the popular ones are on the Pacific side but the Caribbean has many excellent beaches as well.
Food and shopping
Downtown Quepos is a small checkerboard of dusty streets that are lined with a mix of local- and tourist-oriented shops, businesses, markets, restaurants and cafes. A Saturday morning produce market sets up along the beach in Puerto Quepos.
Money
The local currency is Colón(es). The rate of exchange is about 575 Colones for 1 US Dollar. You can find ATMs in most places. They normally dispense US Dollars and Colones.
Staying connected
Spanish is the main language in Costa Rica. English is used widely in areas populated by international tourists.
The emergency number in Costa Rica is 911
Cafes which offer free WiFi for customers are fairly easy to find in tourist areas.
Opening Hours and
Shopping hours Mon-Sat 0900-1800/1900. There may be variations between areas.
Costa Rica is a Catholic country and it's holidays are mostly church-related. Most businesses, including banks, close on official holidays. The country closes down entirely during the biggest holiday time, Easter Holy Week, but only during Holy Thursday, Friday and Saturday, by Holy Sunday, some services might be available, but don't count on it in remote parts of the country.
Most Ticos now take the whole Christmas holiday week through New Year as an unofficial