FOR YOU, FOR FREE: 17 years' worth of firsthand Costa Rica trip planning and travel advice compiled into hundreds of articles, plus exclusive discounts. Created by a Costa Rican and a four-time published Costa Rica guidebook author. Welcome, amigos, and as we say in Costa Rica, pura vida!
Nikki is the CEO of Pura Vida! eh? Inc. (Costa Rica Discounts), and the author of the guidebooks Moon Costa Rica (2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025 editions) and Moon Best of Costa Rica (2022 edition) from Moon Travel Guides. Together with her Costa Rican husband, Ricky, she operates the Costa Rica Travel Blog, created the online community DIY Costa Rica, built the Costa Rica Destination Tool, oversees the brand-new (summer 2023) Costa Rica Travel Shop, and designed the Costa Rica Trip Planning 101 E-Course. Also, Nikki wrote the Costa Rica cover feature for Wanderlust Magazine's sustainability-focused Travel Green List issue, showcased Costa Rica destinations and experiences on Rick Steves' Monday Night Travel show and podcast/radio show, and served as the Costa Rica Destination Editor for Essentialist, a luxury travel brand. Want to show your appreciation for her free article below? Thank Nikki here. ❤️️
Nikki and Ricky; Arenal Volcano National Park Main SectorNikki and Ricky; Arenal Volcano National Park Peninsula SectorNikki and Ricky; Poas Volcano National ParkRicky and Nikki; Palo Verde National ParkNikki and Ricky; Rincon de la Vieja National ParkRicky and Nikki; Barra Honda National ParkRicky; Guayabo National MonumentNikki; Los Quetzales National ParkRicky; Santa Rosa National ParkRicky and Nikki; Tenorio Volcano National ParkNikki and Ricky; Carara National ParkNikki and Ricky; Cahuita National ParkNikki; Cano Negro Wildlife RefugeRicky and Nikki; Marino Las Baulas National ParkRicky; Manuel Antonio National ParkNikki; Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature ReserveNikki and Ricky; Corcovado National ParkNikki; Irazu Volcano National ParkNikki; Tortuguero National ParkRicky; Turrialba Volcano National ParkNikki; Ostional Wildlife RefugeNikki; Marino Ballena National Park
Get the Costa Rica info you need by browsing our article's TABLE OF CONTENTS:
In the charts below, we outline the current entrance fees that you’ll be charged at Costa Rica’s most popular (and a few less-visited) national parks, reserves, and refuges as a foreign visitor (lower rates apply to Costa Rican nationals). Please note that none of the rates provided below include Costa Rica’s governmental tax (13%), so be sure to keep this in mind when budgeting for your trip. For more information about tax in Costa Rica, don’t miss our related blog post What You Need To Know About The 13% VAT Tax In Costa Rica.
Where and how are Costa Rica entrance fees paid?
Costa Rica entrance fees are typically paid at an attraction’s booth, wicket, or office upon arrival. In most cases, entrance fees can be paid in cash (USD or Costa Rican colones) or by credit card (Visa and Mastercard).
Some parks, including the Poas Volcano National Park, the Corcovado National Park, the Manuel Antonio National Park, and the Chirripo National Park (plus some sectors of the Rincon de la Vieja National Park and the Santa Rosa National Park) require that the entrance fee be purchased online prior to arrival. To explore the most popular of these national parks, you’ll likely need to pay the entrance fees weeks or months before you travel (usually via the SINAC website), depending on the time of year you intend to visit.
Do guided tours include Costa Rica entrance fees?
Most tour operators automatically include the cost(s) associated with Costa Rica entrance fees in the price of their guided tour experiences. A few companies don’t, though, so it’s best to have each tour operator that you communicate with confirm whether or not you need to purchase an entrance fee separately. This is particularly true for surf tours that visit popular breaks within the Santa Rosa National Park.
Do Costa Rica entrance fees apply year-round?
Yes; however, there are a handful of national parks, biological reserves, and wildlife refuges that permit free entry at certain times of the year and charge an entrance fee during others, so in these cases, the entrance fee isn’t enforced year-round. Some attractions that normally charge an entrance fee allow Costa Rican nationals to visit for free on the second Wednesday of each month, but this loophole doesn’t apply to foreign visitors.
Which Costa Rica attractions charge an entrance fee?
Most national parks, biological reserves, and wildlife refuges require paid entry. Though Costa Rica entrance fees are subject to change at any time and without notice, our tables below display the most current adult and child entrance fee rates.
Looking for the hours of operation for Costa Rica’s national parks, biological reserves, wildlife refuges? Don’t miss our related blog post:
sometimes $5.00 USD and sometimes FREE, depending on the season
Carara National Park Entrance Fee
Per adult (age 13+), per day
$10.00 USD
Per child (age 6-12), per day
$5.00 USD
Per child (age 0-5), per day
FREE
Chirripo National Park Entrance Fee
Per person, per day
$18.00 USD
Corcovado National Park Entrance Fee
Per adult (age 13+), per day
$15.00 USD
Per child (age 2-12), per day
$5.00 USD
Per child (age 0-1), per day
FREE
Guayabo National Monument Entrance Fee
Per person (age 2-65), per day
$6.00 USD
Per child (age 0-1), per day
FREE
Isla del Cano Biological Reserve Entrance Fee
Per adult (age 13+), per day
$15.00 USD
Per child (age 2-12), per day
$5.00 USD
Per child (age 0-1), per day
FREE
Isla del Coco National Park Entrance Fee
Per person (scuba diver), per day
$70.00 USD
Per person (non-diver), per day
$50.00 USD
Marino Las Baulas National Park Entrance Fee
Per person, per day
FREE
Los Quetzales National Park Entrance Fee
Per adult (age 13+), per day
$10.00 USD
Per child (age 6-12), per day
$5.00 USD
Per child (age 0-5), per day
FREE
Manuel Antonio National Park Entrance Fee
Per adult (age 13+), per day
$16.00 USD
Per child (age 2-12), per day
$5.00 USD
Per child (age 0-1), per day
FREE
Marino Ballena National Park Entrance Fee
Per adult (age 11+), per day
$6.00 USD
Per child (age 0-10), per day
FREE
Palo Verde National Park Entrance Fee
Per person, per day
$12.00 USD
Poas Volcano National Park Entrance Fee
Per adult (age 66+), per day
FREE
Per adult (age 13-65), per day
$15.00 USD
Per child (age 2-12), per day
$5.00 USD
Per child (age 0-1), per day
FREE
Rincon de la Vieja National Park Entrance Fee
Pailas Sector
Per adult (age 13+), per day
$15.00 USD
Per child (age 2-12), per day
$5.00 USD
Per child (age 0-1), per day
FREE
Santa Maria Sector
Per adult (age 13+), per day
$15.00 USD
Per child (age 2-12), per day
$5.00 USD
Per child (age 0-1), per day
FREE
Santa Rosa National Park Entrance Fee
Santa Rosa Sector
Per adult (age 13+), per day
$15.00 USD
Per child (age 2-12), per day
$5.00 USD
Per child (age 0-1), per day
FREE
Murcielago Sector
Per adult (age 13+), per day
$15.00 USD
Per child (age 2-12), per day
$5.00 USD
Per child (age 0-1), per day
FREE
Santa Elena Sector
Per adult (age 13+), per day
$15.00 USD
Per child (age 2-12), per day
$5.00 USD
Per child (age 0-1), per day
FREE
Tenorio National Park Entrance Fee
Per adult (13+), per day
$12.00 USD
Per child (age 2-12), per day
$5.00 USD
Per child (age 0-1), per day
FREE
Tortuguero National Park Entrance Fee
Per adult (13+), per day
$15.00 USD
Per child (age 2-12), per day
$5.00 USD
Per child (age 0-1), per day
FREE
Costa Rica entrance fees for 20+ less popular sites of interest
Agua Juan Castro Blanco National Park entrance fee
$10.00 USD per person, per day
Barbilla National Park entrance fee
$5.00 USD per person, per day
Camaronal Wildlife Reserve entrance fee
$12.00 USD per person, per day
Cerro Tortuguero entrance fee
$2.00 USD per person, per day
Cipanci Wildlife Refuge entrance fee
$5.00 USD per person, per day
Diriá National Park entrance fee
$5.00 USD per person, per day
Golfito Wildlife Refuge entrance fee
$10.00 USD per person, per day
Grecia Forest Reserve (Bosque del Niño) entrance fee
$5.00 USD per person, per day
Guanacaste National Park entrance fee
$15.00 USD per person, per day
Hitoy Cerere Biological Reserve entrance fee
$5.00 USD per person, per day
Iguanita Wildlife Refuge entrance fee
$5.00 USD per person, per day
Isla San Lucas Wildlife Refuge entrance fee
$12.00 USD per person, per day
La Amistad International Park entrance fee
$10.00 USD per person, per day
La Cangreja National Park entrance fee
$10.00 USD per person, per day
Las Camelias Lagoon Wildlife Refuge entrance fee
$5.00 USD per person, per day
Maquenque Wildlife Refuge entrance fee
$5.00 USD per person, per day
Ostional Wildlife Reserve entrance fee
FREE
Piedras Blancas National Park entrance fee
$10.00 USD per person, per day
Playa Hermosa Wildlife Refuge entrance fee
$10.00 USD per person, per day
Río Macho Forest Reserve (Villa Mills) entrance fee
$5.00 USD per person, per day
Tapantí National Park (Macizo de la Muerte) entrance fee
$10.00 USD per person, per day
Tivives Protected Zone entrance fee
$5.00 USD per person, per day
Turrialba Volcano National Park entrance fee
$12.00 USD per person, per day
What if I’m looking for Costa Rica entrance fees not currently listed above?
Feel free to leave us a comment below if you’re looking for an entrance fee not yet displayed on this page. If we know the fee, or are able to obtain it from our colleagues, we’ll happily add it to this page.
Pura vida!
Do you have questions about particular national parks, biological reserves, or wildlife refuges, including their entrance fees? No problem! When you’re ready, make an appointment here to communicate with me (Nikki) privately and we can discuss these and other topics to get your questions answered fast and your Costa Rica trip poised for success. Pura vida, amigos! 🙂
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Summary
Article Name
A List Of 50+ Costa Rica Entrance Fees: How Much It Costs To Enter National Parks, Reserves, and Refuges
Description
We list adult and child rates for Costa Rica entrance fees to national parks, biological reserves, wildlife refuges, and other attractions!
The comment section of this article has moved! If you have a question or comment about our article above or Costa Rica travel in general, please post it in our Questions and Answers Forum on DIY Costa Rica, our sister website, where you can also access our private Costa Rica recommendations, our Costa Rica Destination Tool, and our Costa Rica Recommendations Map. See you there, amigos! 🙂
I have found no evidence of such, so I guess they do not exist, but is it possible to buy a pass for the national parks that covers entrance fees to multiple parks?
What a wonderful idea that would be! It certainly would help encourage further exploration of some of Costa Rica’s most prized locations.
To answer your question, I don’t believe there is such a pass for the national parks. 🙁 There’s a multi-museum pass for San Jose’s museums, though, in case you plan to spend time in the capital at all.
I’m wondering, do these fees apply to Costa Rican nationals as well? If not, would you happen to know if there is much difference in the fees for locals vs. foreigners?
The fees noted in our article are for foreign visitors. Costa Rican nationals (who can provide a valid cedula) pay less to enter national parks, reserves, and refuges. Prices for nationals vary but generally range $1-5 USD (i.e., anywhere from one-fifth to one-tenth the price paid by foreigners).
Hot spring entrance fees aren’t included in the article we wrote above because it focuses on entrance fees for national parks, reserves, and refuges but you can find out more information about hot springs in our related blog posts:
Thank you so much for reporting back about your experience! For future readers, the difference between the $11.30 that this commenter paid and the $10.00 fee that’s stated in our article above is the government’s 13% tax (i.e., $1.30).
Pura vida! 🙂
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