We're in Tufares de Puriscal — about 45 minutes past the town of Puriscal, roughly 2 hours from San José, and exactly 2 hours door-to-door from Manuel Antonio along a scenic rural route that we'd honestly drive for fun (more on that route here).
The last stretch is rough. You'll want a 4x4 (rentals: get one). No 4x4? We offer pickup from Puriscal or San José for a fee — just ask when booking. If you're wondering about safety more generally, we wrote a straight answer to that too.
The least-visited national park in the country: real trails, waterfalls, and a decent chance you'll have them to yourself. We'll drop you off and pick you up if you'd rather not drive.
Supplies, snacks, and a proper local meal if you want a night off from our kitchen (or your own).
Doable as a long day trip; better as your next stop.
Market, supplies, the real Costa Rica.
Under-scheduled is the recommendation.