Custom home builder in Manuel Antonio
Most custom homes in Manuel Antonio go on titled hillside lots, with ocean views over the jungle toward the national park.
Projects start at $350,000 USD
Building a custom home in Manuel Antonio today
Manuel Antonio village runs along Route 618, the road of about 7 km from Quepos center to the national park entrance. Steep forested ridges rise behind the beaches, and most building sites are ocean-view jungle lots on those ridges.
The beachfront at Playa Espadilla is maritime zone, held by concession rather than title. On the ridges, heavy rain and steep ground make drainage and slope engineering part of the design from the first site visit.
- Municipality
- Municipalidad de Quepos (canton renamed from Aguirre in 2015)
- Nearest airport
- Quepos (XQP), about 30 minutes by air from SJO
- From San José
- About 104 km to Quepos via Routes 27 and 34, plus about 7 km to the park
- Typical lots
- Hillside ocean-view jungle lots; flatter lots inland around Quepos and Naranjito
- Water
- AyA Quepos-Manuel Antonio aqueduct; ASADAs in outlying communities
- Beachfront
- Playa Espadilla is ZMT, held by concession only
Getting to Manuel Antonio
By road, about 104 km from San José to Quepos center via Route 27 and Route 34 (Costanera), plus about 7 km to the park. Quepos airport (XQP) has direct flights from SJO of about 30 minutes, with SANSA listing 5 daily flights and GetJet 3.
We build here from our showroom in Altos de Flamingo, with our crews on site for the length of your project. You can visit any time by appointment.
Hillside lots above the coast
The land
Between Quepos and the park, lots sit on steep forested ridges with ocean views. Flatter lots are found inland around Quepos and Naranjito, with simpler access but fewer views.
Visit Costa Rica describes the park's forest as tropical very wet forest, and rain here can be hard on roads. In November 2020, saturated drainage during Hurricane Eta's indirect rains opened a sinkhole on Route 618 between Quepos and Manuel Antonio, which is why we engineer drainage and retaining walls carefully on every hill lot.
Whether a cantonal plan regulador covers the inland ridges was not confirmed, so we check the zoning rules that apply to each lot before design begins.
Water in Manuel Antonio
AyA runs the Quepos-Manuel Antonio aqueduct. Its first-stage improvement project was listed as finished in 2021, and the aqueduct is in AyA's 2021 to 2026 investment plan. Outlying communities are served by ASADAs, such as Londres de Aguirre, which opened new storage tanks in 2023.
A current water availability letter is needed for the building permit. Through our land and construction consulting, we confirm which supplier serves the lot and get the letter before you buy, then add storage so the house is not dependent on a single supply.
Permit checklist for Manuel Antonio
Not sure a lot will get a permit and a water letter? Our land consulting checks it before you buy, and the consulting fee (not surveys or soil studies) is credited to your build if you go ahead with us.
- Building permit from the Municipalidad de Quepos
- Current water availability letter from AyA or the local ASADA
- Titled land confirmed, since Playa Espadilla beachfront is ZMT concession land
- Zoning rules for the lot, since inland plan coverage varies
- Slope, drainage and retaining-wall engineering on hillside lots
- Access-road condition and grade for construction traffic
Why build in Manuel Antonio
Next to a famous national park
Manuel Antonio National Park is often described as Costa Rica's most visited, with about 450,000 visitors a year reported in 2019.
Short flights from San José
Scheduled flights from SJO to Quepos (XQP) take about 30 minutes, and a paved highway runs all the way.
Ocean and jungle views
The ridges between Quepos and the park look over rainforest to the Pacific.
We built a rainforest ocean-view villa here in Manuel Antonio, and Uvita is about an hour south on the Costanera. Rainforest ocean-view villa Custom homes in Uvita
Sources: Wikipedia: Quepos (canton); Visit Costa Rica (ICT): Manuel Antonio National Park; La Nación: Caos impera en zona marítimo terrestre de costa (2019); Defensoría de los Habitantes: AyA projects in Puntarenas (May 2021); Delfino: Comunidad de Quepos inaugura tanques de agua (May 2023); CRHoy: Reparar hundimiento en vía principal de Manuel Antonio (Nov 2020); FlightsFrom: Direct flights SJO to Quepos.
“We have had a great experience with Decentra. Their follow up skills are impeccable and they are a one stop shop for all phases of your build.”
“I engaged with Sean and the owner Sergio to obtain building costs for a residential project in the mountains of the Central Valley. I found them to be very welcoming, informative and accommodating.”
Questions about building in Manuel Antonio
Can I build on the beach at Playa Espadilla?
Generally no. The first 50 m from the high-tide line is public, and the next 150 m can only be held through a municipal concession under a coastal regulatory plan. In 2019 Quepos challenged properties at Espadilla held without a concession, so most private homes are built on titled hillside lots.
Who supplies water for a new home near Manuel Antonio?
In the Quepos and Manuel Antonio area it is usually AyA's aqueduct, while outlying communities use local ASADAs. A current water availability letter is needed for the permit, so we confirm it during lot due diligence.
How much does it cost to build a custom home in Manuel Antonio?
It depends on the lot, the slope, the construction system and the finishes. Our projects start at $350,000, and we price each home once we have seen the site and the design.
How long does a build take?
Our homes typically take 5 to 8 months on site. Design and permits come first, along with the water letter and slope engineering for hillside lots.
Tell us about your project
The fastest way to reach us is WhatsApp. Or send the form and we reply within one business day.
Projects start at $350,000 USD
Message us on WhatsApp- +506 8733-2930
- Phone
- +1 503-994-8017
- Showroom
- Altos de Flamingo, Playa Flamingo, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, by appointment
- Licensing
- CFIA certified under SIM SRL