Planning a Trip to Manuel Antonio? Meet Buddha Brothers! 🌴

Hello everyone! I'm a 10-year Manuel Antonio expat who’s turned my love for this beautiful place into a community-based vacation planning service called Buddha Brothers. I’ve lived here for a decade, and I have two target demographics and goals. Training locals to provide superior customer service without losing their authentic Pura Vida culture while pursuing financial freedom using sales in the tourism market.  AND!  To help travelers as if we were parents guiding children from making costly mistakes. These mistakes are often made because of a lack of wisdom and experience. Both that I have what seems like a life time of being a full time resident from age 30-40 here.  My dirty secret... I am a neurodivergent myself and this all comes very natural to me.  I'm incapable of offering a subpar product or experience.  I love undercutting wedding planners and price gougers, but my biggest passion is going the extra steps to ensure great vacations for families with neurodivergent children or friends. Not that helping neurotypicals isn't fulfilling in its own way, but my gosh does it feel great to see the look on guardians faces when they feel heard, understood, reassured of the importance of the special circumstance. Then you show me a person on the planet with a bigger smile than those kids when they get to experience their passion or interests in an environment they feel safe in. 

Who We Are & What We Do

Buddha Brothers is a local vacation planning hub run by folks who live and breathe Manuel Antonio. We’re not a faceless online agency or a gimmicky tour booth – we’re your friendly neighbors (literally!). Our visitor center is located at the first beach entrance, right before the main tourist zone, which means you can walk in anytime for free tips, advice, or just a chat about what to do around here. We welcome walk-ins with open arms (and often a fresh cup of Costa Rican coffee 😉).

Whether you’re a solo backpacker, a couple, or a large family/group, we’ve got you covered. In fact, we love helping big groups and families plan the perfect trip – no group is too large! We know how to keep everyone from toddlers to grandparents and especially neurodivergents entertained and safe, and we can even coordinate group transportation and scheduling so your whole crew can relax and have fun together.

Why Travelers Love Buddha Brothers

• Free Personal Vacation Consultations: Stop by our center, use WhatsApp, email, Facebook, Instagram or invite us to your air bnb and get free in-person travel planning. Ask us anything – there are no service fees, no obligations. Not in town yet? No problem, we offer nearly 24/7 phone & WhatsApp support for any questions or last-minute help. We’re basically on call whenever you need us, day or night.

• One-Stop Website for All Activities: Our website MAactivities.com has every 🡆 vetted activity in the region. Seriously, we’ve listed all the best tours and adventures Manuel Antonio offers, from zip-lining and wildlife hikes to sunset sails. Each activity on our site is hand-picked and personally vetted – we have direct relationships with over 70 local guides and 40+ tour companies, so we know exactly who will give you an amazing (and safe) experience. You can browse and compare everything in one place, knowing each option is tried-and-true.

• No Pressure, No Tourist Traps: Ever feel like some tour companies just want to sell you anything? Not us. No pressure sales tactics here – our philosophy is “help first, sell second.” If an activity isn’t right for you, we’ll tell you. If you don’t actually need a paid guide for an activity (like a simple waterfall hike), we’ll be honest and give you the info to do it on your own. The more money you save, the better our reputation and the more you can experience. We never send you to tourist traps or mediocre attractions just to make a buck. Our recommendations focus only on high-quality, ethical providers that we trust. We’d rather earn your trust through product knowledgeability and likeability than force a quick sale.

• Trusted Local Expertise: Being here 10+ years means we know all the local secrets and off-the-beaten-path gems. We’ll share tips that you won’t find on big travel sites – like which hidden beach has the best sunset, which restaurant is a genuine local spot, or how to catch the bus like a pro. Our team is part of the community, so you’ll get the authentic Manuel Antonio experience, not just the touristy stuff.

• Transparency & Peace of Mind: With Buddha Brothers, there are no hidden fees or surprise mark-ups. The price you’d pay going direct is the price you pay with us. We also stand by every recommendation – if something isn’t right, we make it right. (We even offer 100% refund guarantees on activities if a vendor cancels or things don’t go as planned.) Booking through us doesn’t cost you extra; in fact, it often means extra peace of mind because you have a local friend to call if any hiccups happen.

Community Roots & Giving Back

What truly makes us different is that Buddha Brothers is built on community and passion, not just tourism dollars. I didn’t start this just to sell tours – I started it to give back to the place I call home. A few ways we invest in our community:

• 🏐 Free Beach Volleyball & Events: We organize free beach volleyball games and tournaments for locals and visitors. It’s a blast! Anyone is welcome to join, make friends, and enjoy the pura vida lifestyle.

• 🤝 Local Job Training & Placement: We help train local young people in hospitality and English, and assist them with finding good jobs in tourism. Resume workshops, interview prep – you name it. Seeing locals succeed and share their expertise with visitors is one of our biggest rewards.

• 🌱 Volunteer & Conservation Efforts: We roll up our sleeves for beach clean-ups, support a turtle release program, and even help out with local dog and cat adoption initiatives. We believe in responsible tourism that protects nature and supports the community.

• 📚 Community Resource Center: Our visitor center doubles as a community resource hub. Locals know they can come to us for help, and travelers can too. Whether it’s letting a student use our Wi-Fi to study, offering our space for a free workshop, or simply giving free advice to anyone who asks, we’re here to help. We often give travelers honest tips (like where the ATMs are, how to use the local bus, or which soda (local eatery) has the best ceviche) without expecting anything in return.

By choosing Buddha Brothers, you’re not just getting great service – you’re also supporting a business that actively uplifts local people. We like to say we’re spreading the tourism love so that everyone benefits, not just the big tour operators. It’s our way of saying thanks to the community that’s welcomed us for the past 10 years.

No Gimmicks – Just Passionate Service

I’ll be real with you: we’re not into flashy marketing or cheesy sales pitches. You won’t see us spamming Instagram with ads or making over-the-top claims. We’re all about trust and transparency. We prefer old-school customer service – the kind where you shake hands, share stories, and treat each other like friends. When you talk to Buddha Brothers, you’re talking to a real person who genuinely cares about your trip. We’ll spend as much time as you need answering questions and tailoring plans just for you.

Travel is personal, and we believe your planning experience should be personal too. That’s why we focus on building relationships, not pushing products. Many of our happy travelers stay in touch or swing back by just to chat – and that’s the biggest compliment we could get. 😊

​​

Toys for kids: Bring a toy for local children to be given out for Christmas. Age 6+ Legos, K’nex sets, Art projects/supplies, Bluetooth headphones(Skull Candy), Tablets, Sports equipment, cleats, futbol, volleyball, frisbees.  Anything that promotes engineering, science, music and art. All can be used in a new homemade box. Wrapped with a label. These can be dropped off at the Buddha Brothers Welcome Center.  I give them out to the youth here every Christmas week. 

 

You are going to have many options. Keep it local and stay off Viator. They are leeching on our economy, by creating no new clients and only re-distributing our own back to us.  You can plan your vacation yourself, use corporate travel agents, use agents who have never been or live in this country. Or you can support and use an organization who uses their proceeds to improve the quality and options in life for the common Tico.