How much are national park fees for non-residents?
SINAC, the national conservation system, sets fees by decree and charges foreign visitors in dollars. Decree 38295-MINAE says non-resident fees may be paid in US dollars or in colones at the Banco Central de Costa Rica selling rate for the day of purchase, according to the decree text published by Área de Conservación Guanacaste.
The table below uses SINAC's own published tariff and opening-hours sheet. The sheet is undated, but its fees match the decree's amounts, for example $16 at Manuel Antonio and $15 at Poás.
| Park or sector | Non-resident | Resident | Hours on SINAC's sheet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manuel Antonio | $16 | ₡1,600 | 7 am–4 pm; closed Mondays July–November |
| Volcán Poás | $15 | ₡1,000 | 8 am–3:30 pm daily |
| Volcán Irazú (Cráteres or Prusia) | $15 | ₡1,000 | 8 am–3:30 pm daily |
| Volcán Arenal | $15 | ₡1,000 | 8 am–4 pm daily |
| Corcovado sectors | $15 | ₡1,600 | 7 am–4 pm; Sirena closed all October |
| Tortuguero | $15 | ₡1,000 | 6 am–4 pm daily |
| Rincón de la Vieja, Pailas | $15 | ₡1,000 | Tuesday–Sunday, 7 am–3 pm |
| Carara | $10 | ₡1,000 | 7 am or 8 am to 4 pm, by season |
| Cahuita, Puerto Vargas | $5 | ₡1,000 | 8 am–4 pm, except first Monday of the month |
| Chirripó | $18 | ₡4,000 | 8 am–4 pm |
On the same sheet, non-resident children aged 2 to under 12 pay $5, and resident children in that age band pay ₡500. The Cahuita Playa Blanca entrance takes a voluntary contribution instead of a fee. Tortuguero's conservation area also lists children under 2 among the groups exempt from admission, in its exemption notice.
VAT on top of the fee
The dollar amounts above are the decree's base fees. The decree's Transitorio II says the sales tax in article 10 of Law 6826 must be added to the fees. The Ministry of Finance's IVA guide gives the general rate under that law as 13%, so a $16 ticket becomes $18.08 and a $15 ticket becomes $16.95. The SINAC portal shows the final amount at checkout.
How do I book tickets on the SINAC portal?
Some parks are sold only through SINAC's online purchase and reservation system, SICORE, at serviciosenlinea.sinac.go.cr. In its FAQ, SINAC lists these parks: Poás, Manuel Antonio, Irazú (Cráter and Prusia sectors), Braulio Carrillo's Volcán Barva sector, Tapantí, Tortuguero, Isla San Lucas, Chirripó, Volcán Tenorio, Rincón de la Vieja and Carara.
On 23 September 2026, the portal's availability calendar for Manuel Antonio showed entry groups roughly every hour from 7:00 am, each with its own number of places left, and a last group entering between 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm. Popular slots can run low, so book the morning slot you want before you fix the rest of the day.
Paying: cards, deposits and parks outside the portal
Online, SINAC takes card payment only. Its terms and conditions say all sales are final and that any refund SINAC does approve goes back through your card issuer.
Parks outside the online system work differently, per the portal FAQ:
| Where you are going | How you pay |
|---|---|
| Parks on the SINAC portal | Card online, before you go |
| Other SINAC areas not on the portal | Card at the park ticket office; no bank transfer |
| Corcovado and Isla del Caño | Reserve by email first, then pay by bank deposit |
| Santa Rosa (Guanacaste) | Reserve on the ACG booking site |
The Área de Conservación Guanacaste booking site says a reservation holds your place, and most sectors are paid by card on arrival. Its Sector Marino and Horizontes need a bank deposit beforehand. The site lists Playa Naranjo as closed on Tuesdays and Sector Murciélago as closed on Wednesdays.
Worked example: a family at Manuel Antonio, then two volcanoes
Take two non-resident adults with children aged 9 and 13. The 13-year-old is above the child band of 2 to under 12, so pays the adult fee.
| Visit | Base fee | With 13% VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Manuel Antonio: 3 × $16 + 1 × $5 | $53.00 | $59.89 |
| Poás, 2 adults only: 2 × $15 | $30.00 | $33.90 |
| Irazú, 2 adults only: 2 × $15 | $30.00 | $33.90 |
The Manuel Antonio booking fits in one transaction, since the limit is 6 tickets. Remember the Monday rule: in the July to November low season, SINAC's sheet shows the park closed on Mondays. The Costa Rica Tourism Board says the park opens daily in the December to April high season. Neither source mentions May and June, so check the portal calendar for a Monday visit then.
What to do if something goes wrong
- The portal will not complete the purchase. Try a private browser window and clear the cache. If that fails, send screenshots or a video of the error, your username and email to reservaciones.sinac@sinac.go.cr.
- Your card is declined. Ask your bank first. At Manuel Antonio, the portal allows only one transaction per user per day, so get the order right before you pay.
- You were charged twice. SINAC says to ask your card issuer for a chargeback.
- The park closes for an emergency on your date. Write to reservaciones.sinac@sinac.go.cr to move your visit to another date.
- You mistyped a passport number. Email the contact given in your booking's terms and explain the error.
- You cannot go. SINAC does not refund you, and a ticket cannot be passed to another person.
If you are driving to the parks, read our guide to renting a car and Costa Rica's mandatory insurance. For Rincón de la Vieja and Santa Rosa, our Guanacaste driving guide covers the roads from Liberia. If you are only just landing, start with getting from SJO airport to San José.