How to Visit Manuel Antonio National Park: Complete Guide (2025)

How to Visit Manuel Antonio National Park: Complete Guide (2025)

Manuel Antonio National Park is one of the best places in Costa Rica to see wildlife. Most people take a day trip from San Jose, Uvita, or Jaco, as the national park is easily accessible. It’s a fantastic experience that should be on your Costa Rica Itinerary, so book your ticket in advance and visit this beautiful national park.

Along the park’s well-maintained hiking trails, you will pass the lush green jungle, chill out on untouched beaches, and watch beautiful wildlife.

In this post, you can find out how to get there, the best time to visit, including entrance fees, and what to expect on your tour in Manuel Antonio National Park.

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Where is Manuel Antonio National Park?

It is located on Costa Rica’s central Pacific coast in the town of the same name (Manuel Antonio), about a 3-hour drive from San Jose.

Best Time to Visit Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

The best time to visit Costa Rica is during the dry season, which runs from December to April. But these months are the busiest time to visit Manuel Antonio, so we suggest booking tours and accommodation in advance!

Did you know that Manuel Antonio National Park is the smallest national park in Costa Rica?

We visited the Manuel Antonio National Park at the end of April. The weather was fantastic, and we saw lots of animals. To avoid crowds, visit the park as early as possible! In the morning, the temperature is pleasant for walking, and you will see many animals as the national park is still quiet.

Read our → Ultimate Costa Rica Itinerary

How to Get to Manuel Antonio National Park from San Jose

The easiest and best way to get to Manuel Antonio National Park is by car. The distance between Manuel Antonio and San Jose is about 170 km, which is 3-5 hours, depending on traffic and mode of transport.

We have a detailed post on how to get from San Jose to Manuel Antonio with all the information you need.

We arrived in Manuel Antonio by car. From San Jose, take Road 27 towards Jaco, stop at the famous Crocodile Bridge on the way, then continue on Road 34 to Manuel Antonio. You don’t need a 4×4 car to visit Manuel Antonio, as the roads are well paved.

Manuel Antonio National Park Parking

Beware of scammers! Around the entrance, there are many scammers pretending to be official guides or trying to sell overpriced parking and tours. Parking costs around 4000-5000 CRC (8-10 USD) for the day.

We parked close to the entrance and paid only 3000 colones (6 USD) for a whole day.

Unfortunately, parking is quite expensive. Alternatively, you can leave your car in Quepos and take a public bus to Manuel Antonio, which takes about 25 minutes. Tell the driver to drop you off at the corner of Restaurante Marlin, and you can walk about 10 minutes to the national park entrance. Public buses run every 20-30 minutes, and tickets cost just 0,75 USD.

TIP
Lock your car, and don’t leave valuables out of sight.

Recommended post → How to Renting a Car in Costa Rica

Manuel Antonio National Park Entrance Fee & Tickets

The entrance fee to Manuel Antonio National Park is 18.08 USD for foreign adults and 5.65 USD for foreign children (2-12 years old). The tickets include the 13% IVA tax.

There is no entry fee for children under 2.

Important note
Tickets can only be purchased online! Unfortunately, tickets cannot be purchased on arrival.

The entrance fee is 3.53 USD for adult residents and 1.10 USD for children (6-12 years old).

Tickets must be booked in advance and can only be purchased on the official website. First, you need to register and give your passport number, then choose the date and schedule of your visit to the national park. We found buying tickets online safe and easy.

On arrival, you will need to show your purchased ticket and passport!

Manuel Antonio National Park Schedule

• 07:00 AM – 07:40 AM
• 08:00 AM – 08:40 AM
• 09:00 AM – 09:40 AM
• 10:00 AM – 10:40 AM
• 11:00 AM – 11:40 AM
• 12:00 PM – 12:40 PM
• 13:00 PM – 14:30 PM

Important note
A limited number of visitors are allowed into the park each hour, so arrive at the time selected.

Manuel Antonio National Park Opening Hours

The national park is open every day (except Tuesday) from 7 AM to 4 PM.

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Tour

Although you can also visit the national park on a self-guided tour, for the best experience, we recommend joining a guided or private tour.

Guided tours start from 31 USD and last 2.5-3 hours. A private tour costs 75-85 USD. The guides near the national park are not all certified naturalists. Therefore, we recommend booking your guide online in advance!

You can save money without a guide. But if you want to be sure of seeing the animals, we recommend joining a guided tour. During the guided tour, you will learn about wildlife and plants, and the guide will show you animals you may not have noticed. Telescopes make it easy to spot hiding animals and take better photos with your phone.

Manuel Antonio National Park Information

It was established in 1972 to preserve and protect its unique rainforest ecosystems and endangered plant and animal species. The national park is home to 109 species of mammals and 184 species of birds.

This is the smallest national park in Costa Rica, although it is one of the best places to see wildlife. Walk the rainforest trails, then relax on the stunning beaches.

During your visit, you can see monkeys, sloths, raccoons, snakes, frogs, reptiles, beautiful birds, and much more.

See also → Things to Do in Uvita

Our favorite trail was the Sloth Trail, where we saw a mama sloth with a baby sloth, which was a fantastic experience. We also saw many monkeys there.

We recommend you plan at least 3-4 hours to explore Manuel Antonio National Park. But if you have enough time you can spend a whole day there. In the park, you can swim at Playa Manuel Antonio Beach and Playa Espadilla Sur Beach.

We enjoyed visiting the national park at our own pace, seeing lots of animals, and then relaxing on the beautiful beaches.

Manuel Antonio National Park Map

The trails in the national park are well-marked and easy to follow. The longest path is 9 km long. But most of the trails are short, and some sections have steps.

What to Pack for Visiting

• Osprey Small Backpack: A very lightweight, versatile, and durable backpack, perfect for day hikes.
• Light Raincoat: Packable, lightweight, and waterproof raincoat with hood perfect for travel and hiking.
• Sunscreen: You don’t have to worry about sun damage with this reef-friendly UVA/UVB sunscreen.
• Quick-dry towel: This microfibre quick-drying towel is ideal for traveling, hiking, swimming, bathing, and sports.
• Grayl Filtered Water Bottle: The Grayl filter removes viruses and bacteria and filters microplastics, chemicals, and heavy metals. Fill up your filtered water bottle anywhere and drink crystal-clear water wherever you go.
• Swimsuit
• Hat
• Mosquito repellent
• Camera gear
• Binoculars or Telephoto lens
• Plenty of water
• Passport
• Cash for parking

Good to know
Food and single-use plastic are not allowed in the national park! However, there is a coffee shop in the park where you can buy snacks and drinks.

Tips for Visiting

• Arrive as early as possible.
• Don’t take unnecessary things with you.
• Manuel Antonio National Park is closed on Tuesdays!
• Wear closed hiking shoes and lightweight, quick-dry clothes, as the weather is always warm and humid.
• Bring your refillable water bottle with you.
• As unexpected rain can happen at any time, bring a light raincoat.
• Be patient, and don’t be loud when you walk the paths.

• Always be ready to take photos, as you will see lots of wildlife in the trees and the paths.
• Don’t leave off the trail.
• Don’t feed or touch the animals.
• Drones are not allowed in the park.
• There are bathrooms, showers, changing rooms, benches, a coffee shop, and water refill stations.
• Beware of monkeys and raccoons on the beach. Always keep an eye on your valuables while swimming.

Where to Stay near the National Park

The nearest towns are Quepos and Manuel Antonio. Most people only take a day trip to the national park from San Jose, Uvita, or Jaco. But if you have more time, we recommend staying 1-2 days in Quepos or Manuel Antonio.

Although Manuel Antonio and Quepos are small towns, the accommodation options are available for all budgets. You can choose from cheap hostels to mid-range hotels and luxury resorts. These are our recommendations.

Best hotels in Manuel Antonio

• Luxury: Makanda by The Sea Hotel
• Mid-Range: Hotel San Bada Resort & Spa
• Budget: Jungle Beach Hotel

Alternatively, stay in Uvita, where accommodation is cheaper and about a 1 hour drive from the national park.

We have a detailed post on the best areas and hotels in Uvita.

We hope you found our ultimate guide to Manuel Antonio National Park useful and will inspire you to visit Costa Rica. If you have any questions or thoughts, let us know in the comment below.

Hotels – Booking.com
Car Rentals – Discover Cars
Flights – Skyscanner
eSIM – Airalo
Travel Insurance – SafetyWing
Tours & Attractions – GetYourGuide
Bus/Transfer – Bookaway

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