As
in most countries, the most populous city is the nation's
capital. About half the Ticos live there and in the surrounding central valley. For information
about exploring the capital city, click on San
José.
Following are samples of what you will find in our e-book (Portable Data File), Multi-Media e-book, and paperback. Click on the "Order Now" button above or below any page to obtain your guide.
Alajuela/Juan Santamaría International Airport (Province of Alajuela -- Central Valley)
Alajuela
is a good place to stay if you want to visit Zoo Ave, Poás Volcano, or other attractions in the area. Also, because of
its proximity to the international airport, it is a good idea
to stay in a hotel here at arrival and the night before your departure from
Costa Rica. Take:
A Station Wagon Alajuela (SWA) route 200 bus from A2/C12-C14 leaving every 5 minutes from 4:00 am until midnight and after midnight every 30 minutes from A2/ C2-C4, ¢310. Buses return on the same schedule. Tel: ( San José ) 222-7532 or 222-4650, (Alajuela) 442-3226.
Or, a Tuasa route 200 bus, 200 MB microbus, or 200BS minibus leaving from A2/C12-C14 every 5 minutes from 4:30 am until 10:45 pm , ¢310. Buses return from 4:00 am to 10:00 pm. Tel: ( San José ) 222-5325, (Alajuela) 442-6900.
Tips:
Some
buses may not stop at the airport. Ask the driver. Baggage
space is very limited; if you have many bags, take a taxi
($16 or, currently, about ¢8,000).
Buses
do not enter the airport arrivals area, they stop at a parada
on the service road off the highway. Buses to San José, Alajuela, and Heredia stop there.
Buses from Atenas to San José stop at the airport but buses returning from San José to Atenas do not stop at the airport.
The
information telephone number at the airport is 441-0744. In
Alajuela, call information on 443-2942 or call airport traffic
on 443-2682.
For flights within Costa Rica call Sansa, which operates from
Juan Santamaría Airport, reservations: 221-9414; or
call Travelair, which operates from Tobías Bolaños
Airport in Pavas, on 220-3054 or 232-7883. Buses to Pavas
at the parada on Avenida 1 outside Coca Cola connect San José
with Bolaños Airport; ¢140.
Lodging:
Pura Vida Hotel , Tel: 430-2929, info@puravidahotel.com.
Hotel Villa Real, C1/A3, Tel: 441-4856.
Hotels in San José.
Liberia (Province of Guanacaste -- Northwestern Region)
Liberia is a convenient place to stay for visiting the beaches of Guanacaste, the Santa Rosa , Guanacaste, Palo Verde , and Rincón de la Vieja National Parks, and the Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve. Pulmitan buses, routes 500 and 500SD, leave San José from the terminal at C24/A5-A7 hourly from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm and stop in Bagaces. The 8:00 am , 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm buses travel to Liberia , ¢2,135, and continue to Coco beach, ¢2,545. Buses return from the main bus station at C10-C12/A7 in Liberia hourly at 4:00 am though 7:00 am every two hours from 10:00 am through 8:00 pm . A bus returns from Playas del Coco at 8:00 am and stops in Liberia . Travel time 4 hours. Tel: ( San José ) 222-1650 / 256-9552, ( Liberia ) 666-0158 / 666-3781.
Tips:
Many International flights now arrive at Liberia Airport, a convenient destination if you are visiting the north Pacific beaches.
You can fly here from San José on Sansa, Tel:
221-9414.
Lodging:
La Ronda, Tel: 666-0417.
Hotel La Siesta, Tel: 666-0678, Fax: 2532.
Hotel Guanacaste, Tel: 666-2287, Fax: 666-0085.
Hotel Daysita, Tel: 666-0197, Fax: 666-6927.
San Isidro de El General/ Chirripó National
Park (Province of San José -- South Central Region)
This
busy, prosperous, fast-growing town is the gateway to Chirripó National Park. Call 735-5036 for reservations. To travel
to the park entrance, take the bus from the main station to
San Gerardo de Rivas at 5:00 am or 2:00 pm, returning at 7:00
am or 4:00 pm; ¢245. San Isidro is also the hub for buses traveling to southern Costa Rica. To get here, take:
A Musoc
bus, route 100 or 100SD, from the new Musoc terminal at C-Central/A22-A24,
leaving at 5:30 am, 7:30 am, 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm,
2:30 pm, 4:30 pm, and 5:00 pm; duration 3 hours, regular or
direct service ¢ ¢1,600. Buses return to San José at 5:00 am,
5:30 am, 7:30 am, 8:30 am, 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, and
4:30 pm. Tel: (San José) 222-2422 or 223-0686, (San Isidro)
771-0414 or 771-3829. Buy your ticket in advance Mondays through
Fridays. Tickets are not sold on Saturdays or Sundays. Arrive
at least 30 minutes before departure or your seat may be resold.
Or,
take an Empresa Gafeso bus, route 100 or 100SD, leaving from
C16/A1-A3 across the street from Coca Cola at 6:30 am, 8:30
am, 9:30 am, 12:30 pm, and 3:30 pm, duration 3 hours, regular
or direct service ¢1,600. Buses return at 6:30 am, 9:30 am,
12:30 pm, 2:30 pm, and 3:30 pm. Tel: (San José) 222-9763,
(San Isidro) 771-2550.
You can take any of the regular service Tracopa Ltda Zona
Sur buses from the Tracopa/Alfaro terminal on C14-C16/A5 to
Palmar Norte, Golfito, Ciudad Neily, San Vito, or Coto 47.
Get off at San Isidro de El General. Tel: (San José)
222-2666, 255-4827, or Fax: 255-2981. However, tickets are
not sold for Zona Sur buses returning to San José.
You can pay on the bus if there is space available, but you
may not have a seat.
Tip:
Buses from San José to San Isidro de El General travel
via the Carretera Internacional over the Talamanca mountain
range, climbing to an altitude of 10,000 feet (3,040 meters)
at Cierre del Muerte (the "Mountain of Death"), where travelers
once camped overnight and died of exposure. The views are
spectacular. Bring a waterproof jacket and one or more sweaters. From San Isidro, you can return to San José via the
Costanera, which follows the Pacific coastline, passing through
numerous beachfront communities. Take the Dominical or Quepos
bus from the Transportes Blanco station off Avenida 2 in San
Isidro on the last street to the right before A2 intersects
the Carretera Interamericana. You can see the mountains, then
"beach hop" back to your point of departure.
Lodging:
Hotel del
Sur, 5 km south of town on the Interamericana. Tel: 771-3033,
Fax: 771-0527.
Hotel Iguazú, Tel: 771-2571.
Hotel Chirripó, 771-0529.
Hotel
Amaneli, 771-0352.
The Chirripó hotel sidewalk cafe is a gringo hangout.
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