Manuel Antonio National Park: hours, tickets, and how to visit

Manuel Antonio is the most visited national park in Costa Rica, and the rules for getting in have changed over the last few years. The short version: buy your ticket online before you go, arrive early, and leave the snacks at the hotel. Here is everything that trips people up.

Tickets are online only

You cannot pay at the gate anymore. Tickets are sold through the official SINAC system at serviciosenlinea.sinac.go.cr, and you reserve a specific date ahead of time. Entry for foreign visitors runs about $18 per adult. In high season, December to April and around holidays, the daily slots sell out, sometimes days in advance, so book as soon as you know your date. Bring the ID that matches your reservation; the ranger checks it against the ticket at the entrance.

If the official site gives you trouble, and it sometimes does, a licensed local guide or your hotel can handle the tickets for you, usually bundled with a guided walk.

Hours and the closed day

The park is open 7 am to 4 pm. It closes one day a week, currently Tuesday, to give the trails and the wildlife a rest. That day has shifted before, so confirm it for your own dates rather than assuming. Aim for opening time: the animals are active in the cool early hours, the heat and the crowds both build by late morning, and you want time on the beaches inside the park before the midday sun.

What you can and cannot bring

Outside food is not allowed inside the park. The rule went in to stop the monkeys and raccoons from raiding bags and to cut down on trash, and the rangers do check. Water and non-alcoholic drinks are fine. Bring sunscreen, reef-safe if you have it, plus a hat, a swimsuit, and a dry bag for the beach. There are no shops once you are on the trails.

Do you need a guide?

You can walk it on your own, and the main trail is flat and easy. But the guides earn their fee here. They carry a spotting scope and know which branches the sloths sleep on, so you end up seeing far more than you would alone: sloths, owls, snakes, and the camouflaged things most people stroll right past. If wildlife is the reason you came, take one.

The park is a half-day

Plan on a morning, not a full day. Most people are out by lunch, ready for the beach, a boat tour, or a sunset dinner on the ridge. Browse verified guides, tours, and stays on the Manuel Antonio area guide, or check today's tides before you plan a beach morning.