National Parks Atlas
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01 · Costa Rica · Puntarenas, near Quepos

Manuel Antonio National Park

Three beaches, rainforest down to the sea and Manuel Antonio's squirrel monkeys – on short trails south of Quepos.

Photo: Hanay ↗ · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗

Manuel Antonio at a glance · PDF, 2 pages

Manuel Antonio National Park: landscape and origins

The online ticket is the key to Manuel Antonio: no booking, no entry, and the time slot shapes your day.

You buy the ticket in the online system of the protected-areas agency. Beforehand you need the date and time slot, the number of people by residents, non-residents and children, each person's name, ID number and country of origin, and a credit or debit card.

For Manuel Antonio only one purchase per account per day is possible, with at most six tickets. The tickets are tied to the ID number; name and number cannot later be changed to another person.

At the entrance you show your booking number and ID. If you do not arrive at the booked time or fall ill, SINAC gives no refund; if the park closes because of an emergency, you can have the date changed by emailing reservaciones.sinac@sinac.go.cr.

SINAC: online purchase and booking system (SICORE), frequently asked questions ↗

The park in numbers

Sales
online only, SICORE
Fee, international
US$16
Residents
1,600 colones
Children 2–12, international
US$5
Per account and day
1 purchase, max. 6 tickets
Open
7:00–16:00
Closed
Tuesdays

Visiting Manuel Antonio National Park: beaches, rainforest and monkeys

Field book 03 · TicketsNothing is sold at the gate – no online ticket, no entry.Field book 01 · WhenOpen on Mondays since 2021, closed on Tuesdays.Field book 02 · Getting thereThere is no car park at the park itself.

02 · Places

Map: beaches, Punta Catedral and the road from Quepos

Beaches, trails and viewpoints in the park, every point referenced in OpenStreetMap.

Photo: Mark Cowell ↗ · CC BY 3.0 ↗

Map

12 places on the map

Beaches, trails and viewpoints in the park, every point referenced in OpenStreetMap.

Open map3D terrain · details and photos for every place
  • Viewpoints1
  • Mountains & rock1
  • Water5
  • Trails1
  • Nature2
  • Surroundings2

03 · Out and about

Tours & day trips: guided walks, beaches and night walks

With a guide and a spotting scope you see many more animals.

Photo: w:User:Tarrazu ↗ · Public domain ↗

“Twelve islands, three beaches and a forest that reaches the sand.”

Manuel Antonio National Park · view of the islands

Tours & day trips: guided walks, beaches and night walks

Offer photo: Manuel Antonio National Park: guided tour with entrance ticket

Steve Tours Costa Rica · Guided tour with ticket · 2 to 3 hours

Manuel Antonio National Park: guided tour with entrance ticket

The operator gets the ticket: two hours with an ICT-certified guide and spotting scope through the park, looking for sloths, monkeys and frogs, with photos through the scope. The tour ends at the beach – afterwards you stay in the park as long as you like.

4.8 out of 5 stars2,197 reviews on GetYourGuidefrom €23.63as of 4 Oct

  • 2 to 3 hours
  • Entrance ticket included
  • Certified guide
  • Ends at the beach

Departure Restaurante Donde Alex, 100 m from the park's main entrance.

According to the list of inclusions, the tour covers the entrance ticket (except in the cheapest option without ticket), the guided tour with a certified guide, optical equipment, photos and videos and time on the beach; transport, parking and tips are not included. After booking you send the details of all participants, because the ticket is issued in their names. Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.

View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 4 Oct 2026

Provider's product photo · GetYourGuide

Offer photo: Manuel Antonio: night walking tour with a naturalist guide

Xplore Manuel Antonio · Evening · 2 hours · outside the park

Manuel Antonio: night walking tour with a naturalist guide

When the park is closed, the second half of the day begins: two hours with a naturalist guide and torch through a private rainforest reserve near the national park, looking for frogs, snakes, insects and sleeping day animals. The guide sends you their photos.

4.9 out of 5 stars334 reviews on GetYourGuidefrom €48.86as of 4 Oct

  • 2 hours
  • Starts at sunset
  • Torches provided
  • Outside the park

Departure Entrance of Sukia Park near Manuel Antonio; pickup available as an option.

According to the list of inclusions, the tour covers the naturalist guide, entry to the private reserve, torches and, depending on the option, pickup and drop-off; tips are not included. Depending on the season the tour starts between 17:30 and 17:55. Closed shoes are required, touching animals is forbidden. Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.

View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 4 Oct 2026

Provider's product photo · GetYourGuide

Ad · we may earn a commission if you book through this partner link – at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the atlas. Offer details checked 4 Oct 2026. See official ticket information.

Nature in Manuel Antonio: squirrel monkeys, sloths and mangroves

Field book 04 · Where to stayThere is no visitor accommodation inside the park.Field book 05 · RulesRangers wear the uniform with the SINAC badge – and are only found inside the park.

04 · Before you go

Places nearby

Photo: Hanay ↗ · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗

Field book 07 · Sources6 sources, checked 4 Oct 2026

Field book · Manuel Antonio National Park

checked 4 Oct 2026

Manuel Antonio at a glance · PDF, 2 pages ↓

00My visit

Nothing saved yet. Every place card has a pin, and so does every place on the Map. What you save collects here, with days, notes and a preview you can share.

01Opening hours and closed day: daily except Tuesdays, 7:00–16:00

Open on Mondays since 2021, closed on Tuesdays.

Closed on Tuesdays

Since 1 April 2021 the park opens on Mondays and closes on Tuesdays for maintenance, as the environment ministry and SINAC announced through the ICT.

ICT: From 1 April Manuel Antonio opens on Mondays, closing day is Tuesday (MINAE and SINAC, 2021) ↗

7:00 to 16:00

These are the opening hours on the ICT park page. Your entry time is set by the time slot of the online ticket.

Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT): Manuel Antonio National Park – area, tickets, hours, directions ↗

High season December to April

The ICT names December to April as the park's high season.

ICT: Admission fees and hours of Costa Rica's national parks ↗

Rain is no reason for a refund

SINAC does not refund tickets for cloud or rain; conditions in the protected areas are changeable.

SINAC: online purchase and booking system (SICORE), frequently asked questions ↗

Climate through the year

Weather and climate in Manuel Antonio National Park

Best months by the climate data: December and January. Average daytime highs of 28 to 29 °C, lows of around 24 °C, 51 to 104 mm of precipitation a month. The wettest month is October (337 mm), the driest February (29 mm).

Climate chart in Manuel Antonio National ParkAverage daily highs from 27 °C to 31 °C, lows from 24 °C to 26 °C; monthly precipitation from 29 mm to 337 mm.
All monthly values as a table
Monthly averages 2001–2020, NASA POWER model
MonthHigh °CLow °CPrecipitation mm
January28.624.151
February29.824.629
March30.725.339
April30.225.5108
May28.625.2277
June27.724.9265
July27.724.7281
August27.624.6268
September27.224.5294
October26.624.3337
November27.024.0235
December27.823.9104
Year2,288

Modelled values, not a weather station: NASA POWER (MERRA-2) for a grid cell of about 55 × 70 km around the map point Sendero Catarata (9.39° N, 84.14° W), with an average cell elevation of about 260 m. Averages for 2001–2020. Higher ground and valleys can differ markedly.

Source: NASA POWER, climatology 2001–2020 ↗ · retrieved 4 Oct 2026

02How to get there: from San José via Jacó and Quepos

There is no car park at the park itself.

By car from San José

Take Route 27 towards Caldera; after the last toll at Pozón, take Route 34 towards Tárcoles and Jacó and continue for about 104 km (65 mi) to Quepos. The park is about 7 km (4.3 mi) further on, at the end of Manuel Antonio village.

Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT): Manuel Antonio National Park – area, tickets, hours, directions ↗

Show on the map

No car park at the park

According to the ICT, the national park has no car park of its own. You park on private lots in the village of Manuel Antonio.

Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT): Manuel Antonio National Park – area, tickets, hours, directions ↗

Show on the map

Day trip from San José

If you would rather not drive, take a day trip with pickup in the San José area: a drive to the coast, a guided walk through the park and time on the beach. A checked offer is listed below.

Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT): Manuel Antonio National Park – area, tickets, hours, directions ↗

La Managua airstrip

The small La Managua airstrip lies north of Quepos.

Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT): Manuel Antonio National Park – area, tickets, hours, directions ↗

Show on the map

Go Tours Costa Rica · Day trip from San José · 12 hours

From San José: Manuel Antonio National Park day trip with entry

Twelve hours from your hotel in the San José area: breakfast at the country's largest fruit market, stops at the crocodile bridge over the Río Tárcoles and the viewpoint above Jacó, then about an hour with a guide in the park and free time on the beaches, lunch included.

4.5 out of 5 stars307 reviews on GetYourGuidefrom €150.13as of 4 Oct

Departure Pickup at most hotels in the San José area.

According to the list of inclusions, the trip covers pickup and drop-off at most hotels in the San José region, a bilingual guide, the national park entrance fee, the stops on the way, breakfast and lunch; tips are not included. Minimum age 5. A drop-off in Quepos and Manuel Antonio is possible. Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.

View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 4 Oct 2026

Ad · we may earn a commission if you book through this partner link – at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the atlas. Offer details checked 4 Oct 2026. See official ticket information.

03Tickets & entrance fees: online only, US$16 for international visitors

Nothing is sold at the gate – no online ticket, no entry.

Check official fees ↗

SICORE only

According to the ICT, tickets are sold exclusively through SICORE, the online system of the protected-areas agency at serviciosenlinea.sinac.go.cr, where prices are also shown. At the entrance you show your booking number and ID.

Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT): Manuel Antonio National Park – area, tickets, hours, directions ↗

International visitors: US$16

That is the fee per entry for non-residents under the fee decree; residents pay 1,600 colones. Non-resident children aged 2 to 12 pay US$5, children under two nothing.

Executive Decree 38295-MINAE: fees for protected areas, current version (Costa Rican legal information system SCIJ) ↗

Six tickets a day at most

For Manuel Antonio, SINAC allows one account to buy at most six tickets in a single transaction per day. The ticket is issued in your name with your ID number and cannot be transferred.

SINAC: online purchase and booking system (SICORE), frequently asked questions ↗

Arrive at your booked time

The time slots spread visitors across the day; SINAC asks you to arrive at the time you chose. If you cannot go, there is no refund.

SINAC: online purchase and booking system (SICORE), frequently asked questions ↗

Ticket with a guided tour

If you would rather not do the online booking yourself, take a guided tour with entry: the operator gets the ticket and the guide shows you the wildlife. A checked offer is listed below.

Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT): Manuel Antonio National Park – area, tickets, hours, directions ↗

Free on 24 August

On National Parks Day, entry to all protected areas is free for everyone, according to the agency's FAQ.

SINAC: online purchase and booking system (SICORE), frequently asked questions ↗

04Where to stay: Manuel Antonio village or Quepos

There is no visitor accommodation inside the park.

Manuel Antonio village

Hotels and restaurants line the road from Quepos to the park entrance. From there you walk to the park.

Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT): Manuel Antonio National Park – area, tickets, hours, directions ↗

Show on the map

Quepos

The town about 7 km (4.3 mi) to the north is the nearest larger place, with shops and a harbour.

Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT): Manuel Antonio National Park – area, tickets, hours, directions ↗

Show on the map

Be there early

If you stay in the village, book one of the first morning time slots, when the animals are active.

SINAC: online purchase and booking system (SICORE), frequently asked questions ↗

05Rules in Manuel Antonio National Park: ID, no single-use plastics, no pets

Rangers wear the uniform with the SINAC badge – and are only found inside the park.

Bring ID

At the entrance you show a passport or ID card, on paper or digitally, together with your booking number.

Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT): Manuel Antonio National Park – area, tickets, hours, directions ↗

No single-use plastics

Single-use plastics are not allowed in the park, the ICT says. Pack a reusable bottle.

Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT): Manuel Antonio National Park – area, tickets, hours, directions ↗

Recognising rangers

According to the ICT, park rangers are only stationed inside the park and wear the Costa Rican flag on the right shoulder and the SINAC logo on the left. People offering tickets or parking before that are not rangers.

Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT): Manuel Antonio National Park – area, tickets, hours, directions ↗

No pets

Pets are not allowed in the protected areas.

SINAC: online purchase and booking system (SICORE), frequently asked questions ↗

Do not touch the animals

On the checked night walk, touching animals is expressly forbidden; closed shoes are required.

GetYourGuide: night walk in a private reserve near Manuel Antonio (evidence for meeting point and rules) · Ad ↗

06Frequently asked questions: Manuel Antonio National Park

How much does it cost to enter Manuel Antonio National Park?

Under the fee decree, international visitors pay US$16 and residents 1,600 colones. Non-resident children aged 2 to 12 pay US$5, children under two nothing. The final price is shown in the SICORE online system.

Executive Decree 38295-MINAE: fees for protected areas, current version (Costa Rican legal information system SCIJ) ↗

Where do I buy Manuel Antonio tickets?

Only online in SICORE, the system of the protected-areas agency, at serviciosenlinea.sinac.go.cr. No tickets are sold at the entrance. Alternatively, book a guided tour with entry.

Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT): Manuel Antonio National Park – area, tickets, hours, directions ↗

Is Manuel Antonio closed on Mondays?

No. Since 1 April 2021 the park has been open on Mondays and closed on Tuesdays for maintenance.

ICT: From 1 April Manuel Antonio opens on Mondays, closing day is Tuesday (MINAE and SINAC, 2021) ↗

What are the opening hours of Manuel Antonio National Park?

7:00 to 16:00, with the time slot of your online ticket.

Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT): Manuel Antonio National Park – area, tickets, hours, directions ↗

Where do I park at Manuel Antonio National Park?

The park has no car park of its own. You park on private lots in the village of Manuel Antonio.

Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT): Manuel Antonio National Park – area, tickets, hours, directions ↗

Do I need a guide in Manuel Antonio?

No, it is not mandatory. With a certified guide and a spotting scope you see many more animals, though, and on a tour with a ticket the operator takes care of the online booking.

Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT): Manuel Antonio National Park – area, tickets, hours, directions ↗

Can I bring food and plastic bottles?

Single-use plastics are not allowed in the park. According to the ICT there is drinking water in the park; pack a reusable bottle.

Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT): Manuel Antonio National Park – area, tickets, hours, directions ↗

07Where the information comes from

Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT), fee decree 38295-MINAE and the FAQ of the protected-areas agency SINAC.

  1. Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT): Manuel Antonio National Park – area, tickets, hours, directions ↗
  2. ICT: From 1 April Manuel Antonio opens on Mondays, closing day is Tuesday (MINAE and SINAC, 2021) ↗
  3. ICT: Admission fees and hours of Costa Rica's national parks ↗
  4. Executive Decree 38295-MINAE: fees for protected areas, current version (Costa Rican legal information system SCIJ) ↗
  5. SINAC: online purchase and booking system (SICORE), frequently asked questions ↗
  6. GetYourGuide: night walk in a private reserve near Manuel Antonio (evidence for meeting point and rules) · Ad ↗

How current is this information?

Researched 4 Oct 2026. Not a live status. Dates apply only to the year stated. A successful automatic fetch is not an editorial confirmation; outdated automatic values are hidden and replaced by the source link.

Current information from the park ↗

Image and map credits

Location sources: All points come from OpenStreetMap and are referenced individually by object number. Their position relative to the park was checked against the OpenStreetMap boundary of Manuel Antonio National Park (relation 2175048): the Manuel Antonio, Espadilla Sur, Puerto Escondido and Gemelas beaches, Punta Catedral, Punta Serrucho, the viewpoint and the waterfall trail lie inside; Playa Espadilla, the village of Manuel Antonio, Quepos and La Managua airport lie outside. Markers do not imply that access is permitted. Base map © OpenStreetMap contributors. Coastlines of the chapter map: Natural Earth.

End of the field book · Park authority ↗