What is Manuel Antonio National Park, in one paragraph?

It is Costa Rica’s smallest national park and its most visited: rainforest trails that end at white-sand beaches, on the Pacific coast about 10–20 minutes from Quepos. You can walk the main trail in two hours. In that two hours you can see sloths, white-faced capuchins, squirrel monkeys, iguanas, coatis and toucans — which is why the park punches far above its size.

How much is the entrance and how do I get in?

The official SINAC entrance is $18.30 for adults and $5.65 for kids, reserved and paid online before you arrive. The park caps entry at 2,500 visitors per day, so in high season the slot can be gone. Parking near the entrance is about $10 on the day. Step-by-step in how to buy Manuel Antonio park tickets online.

Do I need a guide for Manuel Antonio?

You do not need one to enter. You do need one to see much. A sloth 20 meters up in a cecropia reads as a lump of leaves to a first-time visitor, and the birds stay quiet. Our Classic Group Tour is $30 per person with the entrance included and a professional spotting scope, led by Jason Solano Zamora. The long honest answer is here.

What time should I arrive?

Early. The gate opens at 7:00 AM and the first two hours are when animals move, the trail is quiet and the heat is bearable. By 11:00 AM most mammals have settled and the beach fills. We wrote the detail in best time of day to see wildlife in Manuel Antonio.

What animals will I actually see?

On a normal morning with a guide: sloths (both two-toed and three-toed), white-faced capuchin monkeys, iguanas, coatis (locals call them pizotes), agoutis, and a range of birds. Squirrel monkeys — the endangered mono titi — are the highlight when they pass. Snakes are present but rarely seen, and that is normal, not bad luck.

What should I bring?

  • Water — more than you think, it is humid year round.
  • Reef-safe sunscreen and insect repellent, applied before you enter.
  • Shoes you can walk a dirt trail in. Not flip-flops.
  • A dry bag or a plastic bag for your phone if you plan to swim.
  • Your passport or a photo of it, tied to the ticket reservation.

Leave the single-use plastic and the snacks at the hotel — food is not allowed in, and the monkeys have learned to take bags.

What is the best month to go?

Every month works; they are different. December–April is dry and busiest, May–November is green, quieter and cheaper, with rain usually in the afternoon. Whale season and the park’s closed day are covered in the month-by-month guide.

Is Manuel Antonio enough, or should I add Corcovado?

Manuel Antonio is a half day. If you have a full day and want the wildest rainforest in the country, add Corcovado — they are different experiences, not alternatives. Compared side by side in Manuel Antonio vs Corcovado.

What else is there to do nearby?

The mangroves at Damas Island by boat, a night walk for frogs and insects, and birdwatching at Playa del Rey or Esquipulas. Prices for all of them are in the 2026 Manuel Antonio tour price guide.