Manuel Antonio National Park Tickets, Hours & How to Buy
Manuel Antonio National Park tickets are sold online only, through the official SINAC portal, and there is no ticket office at the gate. A foreign adult pays US$18.08 (tax included), children 2 to 12 pay US$5.65 and under-2s enter free. The park opens at 7 am, the last entry is at 3 pm, everyone is out by 4 pm, and it is closed every Tuesday.
Below: how to buy step by step, the full price table, what you may bring, how to reach the entrance from ECOTICA, and the small timing choices that turn a good park day into a wonderful one.
How to buy Manuel Antonio National Park tickets online
Every ticket is booked for a specific date on SINAC’s online system, called SICORE. Plan on ten minutes and a card that works for international payments.
- Open the official portal at serviciosenlinea.sinac.go.cr. This is SINAC, Costa Rica’s national system of conservation areas, and the only official seller.
- Register or sign in with your email.
- Choose Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio from the list of protected areas.
- Pick your date (any day except Tuesday) and the number of visitors in each category: non-resident adult, child, resident and so on.
- Add each visitor’s details as requested and pay by card.
- Save the confirmation with your reservation number, on your phone or printed.
At the gate, show the reservation number together with the passport or ID of the person who booked. Keep the passport in your day bag: it is part of the entry check.
One more tip: buy only through SINAC. Unofficial sellers sometimes work near the entrance, and the official portal is the simplest and safest route. Our concierge is happy to walk you through the booking if you prefer company for it.
Manuel Antonio National Park ticket prices
Official prices from SINAC, sales tax (IVA) included. Foreign visitors pay in US dollars; residents and Costa Rican nationals pay in colones.
| Visitor | Age | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Non-resident adult (foreign visitor) | Over 12 | US$18.08 |
| Non-resident child | 2 to 12 | US$5.65 |
| Non-resident child | Under 2 | Free |
| Resident or national adult | Over 12 | ₡1,808 |
| Resident or national child | 6 to 12 | ₡565 |
| Resident or national child | Under 6 | Free |
| Ciudadano de Oro (Costa Rican senior) | Senior | Free |
For a couple visiting from abroad, park entry comes to about US$36. A family of two adults and two children aged 6 and 9 pays about US$47. A naturalist guide, if you choose one, is a separate cost.
Opening days and hours
- Open: Wednesday to Monday, every week.
- Closed: every Tuesday. This has been the permanent rule since April 2021, so plan your beach or spa day for Tuesday.
- Gates open: 7:00 am.
- Last entry: 3:00 pm.
- Park closes: 4:00 pm, when every visitor heads back out.
Some older travel sites still say the park closes on Mondays. That changed years ago: today Monday is open and Tuesday is the closing day, as SINAC’s official page confirms.
Inside you will find restrooms, changing rooms, showers, lockers (7 am to 4 pm), drinking-water fountains along the main routes, a concession café and a small craft shop.
Where the entrance is and how to get there from ECOTICA
The main entrance sits at the end of the Manuel Antonio road, about 7 km east of Quepos and close to Playa Espadilla. From ECOTICA it is about 2.8 km, roughly 7 minutes by car, along the same main road the hotel sits on (Route 618). On foot it is about 3 km, around 40 minutes.
- No parking lot inside the park. Private paid lots operate near Playa Espadilla and the entrance area.
- Taxi or drop-off is the easiest choice: our front desk (open from 6 am) can call one for you, and you leave the car free in ECOTICA’s own parking.
- Arrive early in high season. Manuel Antonio has one main road, and it fills up on busy mornings from December to April.
For the wider picture of roads, buses and flights, see our guide to getting to Manuel Antonio and the Manuel Antonio map.
What you can and cannot bring
Manuel Antonio protects a remarkable concentration of wildlife on a small stretch of coast, and its rules are strict.
Bring:
- Your passport or ID and the reservation number
- Water in a reusable bottle (refill fountains are inside)
- Swimsuit, towel, sunscreen, insect repellent, a hat
- Comfortable walking shoes or sandals with grip
- Binoculars and a camera (without flash)
Leave at the hotel:
- Food and snacks: no food is allowed on the beaches or trails. Meals are only permitted at the concession café area (7:30 am to 3:30 pm).
- Single-use plastics, alcohol, cigarettes and vapes
- Drones, speakers and sound equipment (phones are fine)
- Beach chairs, umbrellas, tents, hammocks, balls and bicycles
- Pets (registered service dogs are the exception)
While you are inside: do not feed or touch the animals, no selfies with wildlife, no flash and no calls played to attract animals. Take nothing home, not even a shell. Soap and shampoo are not allowed in the park showers. Keep clear of the manzanillo (manchineel) tree near the beaches: its fruit and sap are toxic, so do not sit beneath it.
For more on watching animals kindly, read responsible wildlife watching in Manuel Antonio.
Wildlife, and do you need a guide?
Manuel Antonio is where the rainforest runs straight down to white sand. SINAC counts about 352 bird species and 109 mammal species here, and the emblem of the park is the tiny squirrel monkey, the mono tití. White-faced capuchins, howler monkeys, two- and three-toed sloths, raccoons and coatis are part of daily life along the shaded trails. Our Manuel Antonio National Park visitor guide covers the trails, beaches and wildlife in more depth.
A guide is optional. Most visitors walk the signed trails on their own, and that works beautifully. A certified naturalist guide simply helps you see more: they know where to look, often carry a spotting scope, and point out camouflaged animals you would walk straight past.
- Go on your own if you want an easy, unhurried beach day and are happy to spot what you spot.
- Take a guide if wildlife is the main reason for your visit, if you are travelling with curious children, or if it is your first time in a rainforest.
The park’s official guide concession is the association of certified tour guides of Quepos, which offers guided service Wednesday to Monday, 7 am to 2 pm. At ECOTICA, our concierge books naturalist-guided park tours, timed for the cool early hours.
See all our wildlife and nature tours.
Best time to visit, and days to plan around
- Be at the gate at 7 am. The air is coolest, the animals are most active and the trails are quiet. The busiest stretch is roughly 9 am to noon.
- Plan around Tuesday, when the park is closed.
- December to April is the busy season. This is dry season and holiday time, the park has a daily visitor limit, and tickets sell out sooner. Book as soon as your dates are fixed, especially over holidays.
- September and October are the quietest months, according to SINAC. Go early and pack a light rain layer.
- Allow a half day at least. Give yourself time for a slow walk in, a long swim and an easy walk back out.
More on seasons in our best time to visit Manuel Antonio guide and the Manuel Antonio weather guide.
Beaches inside the park (ticket) vs free beaches outside
Some of the area’s loveliest beaches are inside the park and covered by your ticket. Others sit just outside and are free and open to everyone.
| Beach | Ticket needed? | What it is like |
|---|---|---|
| Playa Manuel Antonio | Yes, inside the park | The park’s famous cove, sheltered and good for swimming, with snorkeling along the sides |
| Playa Espadilla Sur | Yes, inside the park | Long and wide at low tide, usually less crowded, surf can be stronger in some seasons |
| Playa Gemelas | Yes, inside the park | A small beach split in two by rock |
| Playa Espadilla | No, free public beach | The long public beach on the way to the park entrance, about 1.6 km from ECOTICA |
| Playa Biesanz | No, free public beach | A small sheltered cove reached by a short forest path, about 1.6 km from ECOTICA |
Park beaches clear from around 3 pm, ahead of the 4 pm closing. For a late-afternoon swim or a sunset, the free beaches are your best friends. Read more in our Playa Biesanz guide and Manuel Antonio beaches guide.
Your park morning, from a boutique hotel next door
ECOTICA is a boutique hotel in Manuel Antonio set on its own 10-acre private rainforest reserve, around the corner from the park. Many guests find the park begins before they leave: howler monkeys at first light, capuchins in the trees, toucans and scarlet macaws seen from the pool.
A park day here unfolds gently. Breakfast is included and served from 6 am at La POZA, our poolside restaurant, so you can be at the gate when it opens at 7. After a morning of beaches and wildlife, come back to the pool, settle into a treatment at the Jungle Spa (open daily 7 am to 7 pm) and end the day with dinner and live music at YOLO Social.
- Book a naturalist-guided park tour
- Ask our concierge for help with tickets, taxis and timing
- Reserve the private airport shuttle from San José (US$195 each way, up to 5 people)
Manuel Antonio National Park tickets: your questions
Where do I buy Manuel Antonio National Park tickets?
Online only, on SINAC’s official portal (serviciosenlinea.sinac.go.cr). There is no ticket office at the entrance, so book before you go and bring your passport or ID with the reservation number.
How much are Manuel Antonio National Park tickets?
US$18.08 for foreign adults over 12 and US$5.65 for children 2 to 12, tax included. Children under 2 enter free. Residents and nationals pay ₡1,808 per adult.
What day is Manuel Antonio National Park closed?
Every Tuesday. The park is open Wednesday to Monday.
What time does Manuel Antonio National Park open?
The gates open at 7 am. Last entry is at 3 pm and the park closes at 4 pm.
Can I bring food into the park?
No. Food is not allowed on the trails or beaches; it can only be eaten at the concession café area. Water in a reusable bottle is fine, and there are refill fountains inside.
Is a guide required?
No, a guide is optional and most visitors walk the signed trails on their own. A naturalist guide helps you spot far more wildlife, and the ECOTICA concierge can book one for you.
Do tickets sell out?
The park has a daily visitor limit, and from December to April tickets can sell out, especially on holidays. Book as soon as your dates are set.
Keep exploring
Keep exploring: read about your first morning in Manuel Antonio National Park, the full Manuel Antonio National Park visitor guide, the free cove at Playa Biesanz, Manuel Antonio weather and the Manuel Antonio map, or come home to ECOTICA, our boutique hotel in Manuel Antonio.
Arrive with everything ready
Tell us your dates and we will have the best of Manuel Antonio waiting for you before you land:
- Book your tours: Manuel Antonio National Park with a naturalist guide, boat trips, zip lines, rafting and more
- Reserve Jungle Spa: massages, couples treatments, facials and body rituals
- Airport transportation: a private transfer from San José, US$195 each way for up to 5 people
- Concierge requests: dinners, celebrations and anything special
- Stay at ECOTICA: check dates and rates for our bungalows and suites
Where our facts come from
- SINAC – Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio (official page)
- SINAC – Online ticket portal (SICORE)
- SINAC – Reglamento de Uso Público del PN Manuel Antonio (PDF)
- Earth Trekkers – Manuel Antonio National Park guide
Last reviewed: October 2026. Prices and opening hours can change; check the official site before you go.
