Frequently Asked Qustions

The Tulemar Beach is a secluded strip of beach where you can relax and enjoy the warm tropical waters, soft sandy beach, and shady palm trees. There you will find many amenities including lounge chairs, umbrellas, kayaks, boogie boards, towels, showers, and food & beverage service. Tulemar offers free shuttle service to and from the beach, or you can easily walk there on the Tulemar road.

Although Tulemar is located in the middle of the lush jungle, mosquitoes surprisingly aren’t as troublesome as many would think. If you’re worried about bites ruining your vacation fun, we have a few tips for you:

If Covid-19 or any other medical concerns arise while vacationing in Tulemar, rest assured that you will have access to wonderful medical care in Costa Rica. Tulemar partners with Dr. Kevin, a general physician and the head coordinator of Quepos Medical Center. Dr. Kevin is fluent in English and will make house calls to Tulemar, or you can visit him in the town center. Simply let your concierge know about your medical concern and they will gladly arrange a visit with Dr. Kevin.

Built on 33 acres of hilly jungle, Tulemar has plenty of roads and hiking trails to hike, walk, and jog on if you’d like to get some cardio in while you’re on vacation (Don’t worry….If cardio’s not your thing, we have a resort shuttle to drive you around within Tulemar!). While we don’t have a gym facility on site, there is a fully equipped gym and yoga studio down the street from the front gate. You can easily get there by foot (approximately a 7 minute walk to the yoga studio or 15-20 minutes to the gym) or by car or taxi (approximately a 5 minute drive).

Prefer to have a trainer come to you? We work with the best fitness instructors in town. Ask your concierge about private or group yoga or workout classes in your villa!

1 Bedroom Units – Our 1 bedroom units do not have a washer and dryer – but don’t worry! Simply leave your dirty clothes in the provided laundry bag and we’ll have them laundered and ready for you the following day. “Hotel style” service.

2 & 3 Bedroom Units – All of our 2 & 3 bedroom units have a washer and dryer that you are welcome to use at any time during your stay.

Private Villas – Sit back and relax! The daily housekeeping staff in our private villas are happy to wash, dry, and fold your dirty laundry for you at any time during your vacation or if you prefer, you can do it yourself.

And of course, if you ever have any questions about your laundry, you can always ask your personal concierge at any time!”

Whether you are wanting to soak up every second you can in your private villa, you want a romantic night in with your significant other, you have some fresh caught fish from your deep sea excursion, or you are just too tired to rally the family for a night out at a local restaurant, our private chefs are the perfect option for a relaxing and delicious night in.

For a flat fee plus the cost of groceries, one of our highly trained private chefs will grocery shop, come to your villa, cook and serve your food, and clean up before they leave! You have the option of a private chef for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even all your meals for the duration of your stay. 

To learn more about our private chef service, click here.

In Costa Rica, anything goes when it comes to clothes. There is no dress code at the resort or at local restaurants and bars. Dress comfortably and casually, and worry about nothing other than which delicious meal to order.

While Tulemar does not have a spa facility, we do provide outstanding spa services directly in your private casa, bungalow, or villa. You have the option to have just one treatment or a full spa day complete with multiple services and food & drink.

If you prefer your treatments to be done at a spa facility, your concierge will be happy to arrange an appointment at one of the local spas, too! 

To learn more about our spa services, click here.

At Tulemar, there is an abundance of wildlife to see every day. After all, our slogan is Where Nature Lives© for good reason! 

Some of the most common sightings include iguanas, agoutis, scarlet macaws, two & three-fingered sloths, capuchin monkeys, squirrel monkeys, and howler monkeys, most of which are typically seen every day inside the resort. 

While it’s always exciting to see the wildlife, please remember to never touch or feed any of the animals. 

To learn more about what animals live inside Tulemar, click here.

Because of Costa Rica’s proximity to the equator, the sun rises and sets around the same time year-round. You can expect sunrise around 5:30 AM and a breathtaking Costa Rican sunset around 5:30 PM every day…Just in time for sunset happy hour on your private villa’s deck or at one of the nearby ocean-view restaurants!

There are two international airports in Costa Rica: Liberia (LIR) and San José (SJO). The closest, easiest, and most popular airport for guests to fly into is San José, which is approximately a 2.5 to 3 hour drive from Tulemar.

Two of the most popular transportation options from San José to Tulemar are:

1.  A private shuttle arranged by your concierge. We work with a very safe and reliable private transportation company that will get you here in a comfortable air-conditioned shuttle. The friendly and English-speaking drivers are happy to make stops along the way for snacks or bathroom breaks as needed.  
2. A short 25 minutes flight with our local airline. You will land about 15 minutes from Tulemar, and from there your concierge will arrange a taxi to get you to the resort. 

Guests also have the option of independently renting a car or arranging public transportation if they wish. 

To learn more about transportation options, click here.

Not coming from San José? Talk to your concierge about transportation options from your location.

Both U.S. dollars and Costa Rican colones in the form of cash or credit card are accepted at most restaurants and shops in Manuel Antonio.

It is usually best to pay in cash with either U.S. dollars or Costa Rican colones for excursions, transportation, and tips in Manuel Antonio. 

If you are uncomfortable traveling with large sums of cash, there is an ATM within walking distance of Tulemar that dispenses both U.S dollars and Costa Rican colones so you don’t need to bring all your cash from home.

Note that there is a safe inside every Tulemar casa, bungalow, and villa for you to keep any extra cash or other valuables so you only need to carry what you need each day.

There are several grocery stores and markets within walking distance of Tulemar, which makes it very easy for you to stock up on essentials during your visit. 

If you prefer some help with your grocery shopping, you have a few options for getting groceries during your stay:

1. Provide your concierge with a grocery list and he/she will gladly do the grocery shopping for you. Your villa can be fully stocked before your arrival, or your concierge can grab anything you need throughout your stay. Please note that you must pay your concierge for your grocery bill in cash (US dollars or Costa Rica colones).

2. Have your private transportation driver stop at the store on your way into Tulemar on check-in day so you can stock up on groceries yourself.

Have your concierge escort you to the store to help you find all the items you need.

Some of Manuel Antonio’s best restaurants are walking distance from the Tulemar gates. We provide a welcome book in each casa, bungalow, and villa that lists some of the best restaurants in the area, and your concierge can make some great recommendations as well as reservations for you. 

Some of our personal favorites that offer a great variety are:

Agua Azul, Cafe Milagro, Emilio’s Cafe, El Lagarto, Ronny’s Place, and Tule Cafe inside Tulemar.

All our local restaurants are open air and many of them offer wonderful ocean views. 

If you prefer staying in, we also offer wonderful private chef services in your villa! 

For more dining information, please click here.

No! It is very important to never feed, hold, or interact with the wildlife at Tulemar. Not only is it illegal in Costa Rica to feed the wildlife, but it can be very harmful to the animals – and to you – to feed or to hold them.

Blow dryers, towels, soap, shampoo, conditioner, and lotion are provided in every Tulemar property. We also provide kitchen essentials such as cutlery, flatware, glassware, coffee, sugar, salt, and pepper. Every villa also comes equipped with a safe for your valuable belongings.

Absolutely! Towels can be found in every villa, at each resort pool, and at the Tulemar beach.

Guests are welcome to take resort towels with them on their tours and activities, but we request that they are sure to bring them back to the resort when they are finished.

The weather in Manuel Antonio is great all year round! Warm, tropical weather with sunny skies and the occasional rain shower to keep things green. 

Costa Rica has two seasons: dry season, and green season. Despite the different seasons, Costa Rica has similar temperatures year-round typically ranging from mid to high 80s (farenheit). 

Dry season is from December to April, with very little rain, lots of sunshine, and warm temperatures.

Green season – sometimes called “rainy season” – is from May to November, with sunny and warm mornings and some rain in the afternoons or evenings. It’s better to schedule your tours in the morning during these months, but even with rain, tours usually continue as normal as it’s a warm rain. 

You may see that the forecast usually shows rain every day. With so many microclimates in Costa Rica, this information is typically inaccurate, so don’t be discouraged if your forecast shows rain for your entire trip!

To learn more about the weather in Manuel Antonio, click here.

Tulemar has a very special partnership with The Sloth Institute of Costa Rica which has its Research and Release facility inside Tulemar’s gates.

The Sloth Institute’s mission is to enhance the well-being and conservation of wild and captive sloths through research and education. They work tirelessly to rescue and rehabilitate abandoned or injured sloths all throughout Costa Rica. 

In an effort to discourage human contact with the sloths, The Sloth Institute’s facility is not open to the public. However, their release of rehabilitated sloths inside Tulemar does allow for a high population of visible sloths within Tulemar, which means spotting a sloth (or many!) during your stay is very likely. 

While you cannot tour their facility, The Sloth Institute offers a daily “Sloth Walk” exclusively for Tulemar guests. On the Sloth Walk, a Sloth Institute researcher brings guests on a short guided walk through Tulemar to spot and discuss sloths and other various wildlife found in Tulemar.

To learn more about The Sloth Institute of Costa Rica, click here.