Most couples who search for Costa Rica honeymoon resorts want the same thing: a place with enough going on to feel like a trip, and enough quiet to feel like a rest. Miamar is built for that balance. It has 14 suites, it is adults-only (guests must be 18 or older), and it sits directly on the sand of Playa Espadilla in Manuel Antonio. What follows is a three-day plan that leaves room for sleeping in.

A Manuel Antonio honeymoon: three slow days by the sea

Arrive after 3:00 PM, when check-in opens. Your suite has a king bed, luxury linens and a private terrace. On the ground floor, Lux Water Channel Suites open straight to a curved plunge pool shared with a few neighbors. Upstairs, Lux Balcony Suites look out over the ocean. From either terrace you may see scarlet macaws or monkeys in the trees before you have unpacked.

Dinner the first night can be simple. Yemaya, the resort restaurant, serves dinner from 6:00 to 10:00 PM: seafood, seasonal produce, Mediterranean and Latin influences. Order something light and walk the garden afterward. Your first night does not need an agenda. Travel days are long, and the best thing a honeymoon can offer on arrival is an early night with the terrace doors open to the sound of the ocean.

Day 1: Breakfast, plunge pool, beach

Breakfast at Yemaya is included with every stay and is served a la carte from 7:00 to 10:30 AM. There is no buffet line and no rush, so take the full window if you like.

Afterward, the pool is open daily from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Drinks come to you in the pool and on the beach (Miamar does not have a swim-up bar, and the pace is better for it). Past the gardens and a small mangrove, Playa Espadilla is a short walk. Go in the late morning, swim, then come back for ceviche at Yemaya, where lunch runs from noon to 5:00 PM.

Around sunset, walk to Oshun Bar, on the oceanfront, for a handcrafted cocktail. The evening yoga on the terrace is also an option, and it suits couples who have never tried yoga as much as those who have. Then dinner at Yemaya.

Day 2: The national park, then a quiet evening

Manuel Antonio National Park is minutes from the resort, and Miamar runs a complimentary shuttle to the entrance. Plan the day around the park's schedule: it closes one day a week and keeps daytime hours, so check the current days and times on the official SINAC site. Tickets are sold online in advance and can sell out in the dry season, so confirm the schedule and buy yours before you travel. Ask the concierge about a guided park tour if you want an experienced eye on the trail. For more ideas beyond these three days, see things to do in Manuel Antonio.

Go early, after breakfast, while the trails are cooler and the animals are more active. Bring water, a hat and shoes that can handle damp paths. Walk, swim at one of the park beaches, and leave by early afternoon. Back at Miamar, nothing is scheduled. The plunge pool is the right answer for tired legs.

If you would rather not leave the property again, book an in-suite massage through the concierge. It is the easiest hour of the trip to plan and the hardest to improve on.

Day 3: On the water, then the spa

Morning yoga on the terrace is a gentle way to start, followed by breakfast. The concierge, who is available 24 hours, can arrange a sunset cruise or a private charter, along with snorkeling or fishing from Marina Pez Vela if one of you is restless. For a honeymoon, a private charter at the end of the day, with the coast going soft and orange, is worth the extra planning. Ask for current options and timing, since both change with the season.

If you would rather spend the afternoon on land, Pacífica Spa is at Parador Nature Resort & Spa, Miamar's sister resort. A complimentary shuttle runs between the two properties, and as a Miamar guest you can also use Parador's trails, pools, gym and restaurants. Take the shuttle over, book a treatment for two, and come back for dinner.

Make the last dinner at Yemaya a long one. Ask for a table that suits the evening, and let the kitchen set the pace. Nobody is waiting on you, and nothing needs to be photographed.

When to go

The dry season runs roughly from December to April, with the most sun and the busiest park. The green season, May to November, brings fuller rainforest, fewer visitors and afternoon showers. Both work for a honeymoon in Costa Rica. Couples who prefer quiet often choose the green season.

Anniversaries, vow renewals and elopements

The same days suit an anniversary. Miamar also hosts vow renewals and beachfront elopements, and larger destination weddings by full resort buyout. If you are thinking about any of these, tell the team when you book so the details are ready when you arrive. For more on how the resort works for couples traveling without children, see our guide to the adults-only resort in Costa Rica, or compare Manuel Antonio hotels on the beach.