National Parks & Wildlife

National Park Entry

Since 2023, tickets for most national parks must be booked online via the SINAC system (sinac.go.cr). Entry prices for foreigners are 12–18 USD per person. Locals pay significantly less (1,000–1,600 CRC). Important rules:

• Online Reservation: For Manuel Antonio, Poás, and other popular parks, advance booking is mandatory. Days in advance during high season!
• Visitor Limit: Many parks limit the daily number of visitors — book early!
• Guide Requirement: In Corcovado, a certified guide is mandatory. In other parks, optional but highly recommended (animal discovery rate increases by 300%!).
• Opening Hours: Most parks open at 8:00 and close at 15:00–16:00 (last entry). Some are closed on Mondays (Manuel Antonio!).

Behavior with Wildlife

Costa Rica takes animal protection seriously, and as a visitor, you should too:

• Do NOT touch animals — not even the cute sloth babies or colorful frogs. Many are poisonous, and human contact harms all.
• Do NOT feed animals — monkeys accustomed to human food become aggressive and sick.
• Keep Distance: At least 3 meters from all wildlife. For photos: use zoom, don't get closer.
• No Selfies with Animals — the demand for "sloth selfies" has led to illegal capturing and holding of animals. Don't support this!
• Stay on Paths — for the protection of animals and your own safety (snakes!).