Home/Editorial Guides/Manuel Antonio National Park Guide 2026: SINAC Tickets, Tuesday Closure, Parking, and Food Rules
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Manuel Antonio National Park Guide 2026: SINAC Tickets, Tuesday Closure, Parking, and Food Rules
Manuel Antonio is one of Costa Rica's easiest national parks to fit into a beach trip, but the entry rules are stricter than the casual setting suggests.
ByMomentBook Editorial·Published·Updated
Manuel Antonio is one of Costa Rica's easiest national parks to fit into a beach trip, but the entry rules are stricter than the casual setting suggests. The official SINAC pages highlight the key planning points: buy online, bring identification, do not plan a Tuesday visit, and do not expect a park-run parking lot.
Use this guide before you book a Quepos hotel, a guided walk, or transport to the gate. It focuses on the official ticket, ID, food, locker, shower, and timing rules that most often affect a first visit.
What to know first
SINAC lists Manuel Antonio National Park as open Wednesday to Monday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; Tuesday is closed.
Entrance tickets are obtained only through the SINAC online services site.
Visitors must present physical or digital identification (such as a passport or ID) when showing the reservation number at the park.
The English SINAC page says the ticket is valid only once.
Official SINAC rates with VAT included list:
Non-resident adults (over 12): USD 18.08
Non-resident children (2 to 12): USD 5.65
Non-resident children (0 to 2): free
Official SINAC rates for residents list:
Resident adults (over 12): CRC 1,808
Resident children (6 to 12): CRC 565
Resident children (under 6): free
National Ciudadano de Oro visitors: free
Manuel Antonio National Park does not have a parking area.
Locker rental is listed from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; concession food and craft service is listed from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Restrooms, changing rooms, and showers are available, but soap and shampoo are not permitted.
Food and drinks are restricted under park rules; wildlife must not be fed; pets are not allowed; and single-use plastics are not allowed.
Aerial view of Manuel Antonio National Park's forest and Pacific coastline in Costa Rica
*Image source: Visit Costa Rica*
Buy through SINAC before you travel to the gate
The official SINAC pages are direct about ticketing: entries are obtained only through the SINAC online services site. That makes the ticket the first fixed part of the visit—something to arrange before you arrive in Manuel Antonio—not something to sort out on the spot.
Book using the same name and document details you will carry on the day. SINAC says visitors should present identification when showing the reservation number, and the English page notes that the ticket is valid only once. If you are coordinating a guide, a hotel shuttle, or an afternoon plan, treat the ticket time and the park's 3:00 p.m. closing time as the anchor.
Do not plan a Tuesday visit
The Spanish SINAC page lists the park open Wednesday to Monday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with Tuesday closed. This closure is easy to miss if you think of Manuel Antonio purely as a beach destination rather than a protected area with formal operating days.
For most travelers, the practical approach is to avoid making Tuesday your only Quepos day. If your itinerary is tight, schedule the park for the first workable open day and leave beaches, restaurants, or another excursion for Tuesday.
Plan transport without park parking
Both official visitor guidance and SINAC text point to the same issue: Manuel Antonio National Park does not have parking for vehicles. During busy periods, the road between Quepos and Manuel Antonio can also be congested.
So your transport plan matters. Use a hotel shuttle, taxi, bus, or a clearly agreed private drop-off rather than assuming you can drive to a simple park lot. If you do drive, expect parking offers outside the park and confirm whether they are private businesses rather than SINAC staff.
Pack for the rules, not for a picnic
Manuel Antonio is known for beaches and wildlife, but SINAC's rules are protective. Food and drinks are not generally allowed under park rules except under conditions set by the park administration, and feeding wildlife is prohibited. Pets, alcohol, smoking, weapons, tents, hammocks, balls, and umbrellas are also not permitted.
The concession food area is listed from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and food consumption is limited to the designated place. Bring a reusable water bottle for refill points, keep snacks out of your bag unless the current rules clearly allow them, and do not bring single-use plastics.
Use services without overplanning the day
The park lists locker rental from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., plus restrooms, changing rooms, and showers. Soap and shampoo are not permitted in the showers, so treat them as a rinse and changing stop rather than a full beach-shower setup.
Guided service is available through the certified guides association office inside the park, and regular guided service is listed from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. If wildlife viewing is your priority, go early, wear proper walking shoes, stay on signed trails, and follow park-ranger instructions.
