Ask most travelers what they hope to see in Costa Rica, and monkeys are almost always on the list — right up there with sloths. The good news for anyone heading to the Central Pacific coast: Manuel Antonio is one of the best places in the entire country to see monkeys in the wild. Three different species live here, including one you can see almost nowhere else on Earth. This 2026 guide covers who they are, where to find them, and how to make sure you actually spot all three.

How Many Types of Monkeys Live in Manuel Antonio?

Manuel Antonio National Park is home to three monkey species, each with a completely different personality:

1. White-faced capuchin (Cebus imitator)

The bold, clever one. Capuchins have a black body, a bright pink-and-white face, and zero fear of humans — which is exactly why the park rangers ask you never to feed them. They travel in troops, forage along the trails and beaches, and are the monkey you’re most likely to see up close. Smart and curious, they’ve learned to open backpacks and unzip bags, so keep your snacks sealed.

2. Mantled howler monkey (Alouatta palliata)

The loud one. You’ll often hear howlers before you see them — their deep, roaring call carries over a mile through the forest and is one of the loudest sounds any land animal makes. Howlers are larger, slower, and spend most of the day resting high in the canopy munching leaves. Early morning is prime time for their dawn chorus.

3. Central American squirrel monkey — the mono tití (Saimiri oerstedii citrinellus)

The rare one, and the reason Manuel Antonio is special. The mono tití is the smallest monkey in Costa Rica — under a foot tall and barely two pounds — with an orange back, tiny hands, and a black-and-white facial mask. Here’s what most visitors don’t realize: this particular subspecies lives only in the Manuel Antonio and Quepos region on the entire planet. It is Central America’s most endangered monkey. Populations crashed from an estimated 200,000 in the 1980s to roughly 1,500 individuals today, driven by habitat loss. Seeing a troop of these little acrobats bounding through the canopy is a genuine bucket-list moment — and one that fewer and fewer people will get.

Where to See Monkeys in Manuel Antonio

Each species favors different parts of the park:

  • Capuchins: Along the main trails and near Playa Manuel Antonio beach. Impossible to miss in high season.
  • Howlers: High in the tall canopy, often near the park entrance and along the quieter loops. Listen for the roar and look up.
  • Squirrel monkeys: The mono tití moves in fast, tight troops through the mid-level branches, often in the cecropia and secondary forest. They’re smaller and quicker than the others, which makes them the hardest of the three to catch — and the most rewarding.

Best Time to See Monkeys

Timing is everything with primates:

  • Time of day: Early morning (7:00–10:00 AM) is by far the best window. Monkeys are most active feeding at dawn, before the midday heat sends them to rest in the shade.
  • Time of year: Monkeys are here year-round. The dry season (December–April) offers easier hiking and clearer canopy views, but the green season delivers just as many sightings with fewer crowds.
  • Day of the week: ⚠️ Manuel Antonio National Park is closed every Tuesday. Entry slots (7:00, 7:30, 10:00 AM, 12:30, 1:00 PM) sell out in high season, so book ahead.

Why a Guide Makes the Difference

Here’s the honest truth most travel blogs skip: solo visitors spot only a fraction of the wildlife around them. Capuchins are easy, but the endangered squirrel monkey is small, fast, and easy to miss entirely if you don’t know where and when to look.

A certified naturalist changes your odds completely. On every guided Manuel Antonio National Park tour, Wakoo guides carry a Swarovski spotting scope and know exactly which trees each troop favors that week. When a mono tití pauses on a branch, your guide frames it in the scope so you can see its tiny masked face in crisp detail — then sends you free 4K photos and video of everything you saw, no upsell and no watermark. For families and couples who want a slower pace and their own guide, the private VIP wildlife tour includes park entry and professional photography.

Beyond the Three: More Manuel Antonio Wildlife

Once you’re scanning the canopy with a guide, the monkeys are just the start. You’ll also likely spot sloths, iguanas, coatis, agoutis, and toucans overhead. Birders can go deeper on a dedicated birdwatching tour, night owls can meet the park’s nocturnal residents on a night walk, and for a totally different ecosystem, the Damas mangrove tour glides past monkeys, sloths, and caimans by boat.

See the Monkeys — and Help Protect Them

The mono tití’s story is a reminder that these forests are fragile. That’s why every Wakoo tour donates $2 per guest to local kids through Kazan Karate for Kids, supporting the community that shares its home with Central America’s rarest monkey. Come early, plan around Tuesday’s closure, and go with a local naturalist who can put all three species in the scope for you.

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