TravelIs it safe to take the coach bus from San Jose to Manuel Antonio?

Yes, it is safe. The journey should take about 4-5 hours. They usually stop for a bathroom and food break along the way so that’s why I leave an hour leeway. Be careful walking around San Jose if you don’t know the city well. There are some great parts and some not so nice parts. Uber is available and red taxis are all certified so they are safer than pirated taxis. However, the red taxi is more expensive than Uber and other taxis you may find.