Costa Rica · Plan your trip
Choose the route, the airport and the final accommodation approach before deciding between a rental car, road shuttle and boat connection.
Plan your trip ↓
Make the time count
SJO serves the Central Valley near Alajuela; LIR is by Liberia in Guanacaste. The Pacific saved plan names SJO but lists Liberia on arrival day. Confirm your flight and road transfer instead of treating those airports as interchangeable.
Interbus publishes approximate shuttle journeys of four hours San José–La Fortuna, four hours San José–Monteverde, five hours San José–Puerto Viejo, 4.5 hours San José–Manuel Antonio and 1.5 hours Liberia–Tamarindo. These are operator estimates, not self-drive promises; add pickup, stops, traffic and the final hotel approach. [12]
The Tourism Board describes the La Pavona road-and-boat approach. Confirm your specific dock, last boat, parking, baggage and lodge transfer directly; allow a transfer day rather than adding a full La Fortuna hike after departure. [11]
Tamarindo is reached by road. A southern peninsula extension may use Puntarenas–Paquera or a longer road route. Naviera Tambor sells limited online vehicle spaces; vehicle payment does not include the driver, so count every passenger separately. [13]
Ask each lodge and rental company about the exact approach and current surface. Do not infer that every paved main-road trip needs 4×4, or that a 4×4 makes a flooded road or river crossing acceptable. Prefer daylight for unfamiliar mountain approaches and leave room to stop when weather changes. [2]
The lake interrupts the apparent straight-line distance. A passenger lake transfer and the road journey around the lake are different products. Confirm luggage, pickup, destination and whether your rental car remains with you; do not assume a car ferry.
Interbus’s route table lists about four hours Fortuna–Monteverde, 4.5 hours Tamarindo–Monteverde, 4.5 hours Monteverde–San José, and six hours Fortuna–Puerto Viejo. These are directional shuttle estimates; reverse routes and individual pickups can differ. Protect the transfer first, then decide whether any visit still fits. [14]
No. The saved Tamarindo-based Pacific Beach Escape uses road access. A trip to southern Nicoya is a separate extension with its own road or ferry choice.
For the La Pavona approach, the road journey ends on the mainland and a boat completes the trip. Confirm the village or lodge dock and the final departure with your provider.
No. They are approximate published Interbus shuttle journeys. A rental-car itinerary, pickup address, road conditions and stops can give a different total.
The website catalog was captured October 27, 2026. Editorial source checks were made November 5, 2026. Check current conditions, admission, room offers and transfers for your dates. The map shows saved place coordinates, not a verified driving route.
Put it into a journey
10-day default · Forest, canals & a Pacific finish
A 10-day starting plan through the Central Valley, Tortuguero, Arenal, Tamarindo and Monteverde. Choose the main outings; this is not a seven-day tour of both coasts.
Read every day →5-day default · One coast, with time to settle
Five days around Puerto Viejo and Punta Uva, followed by a San José night. Keep the arrival and return days for travel, with beach choices in between.
Read every day →5-day default · A Tamarindo base
Five days with four selected nights at Capitán Suizo. The saved plan is centered on Tamarindo, with an airport choice to resolve before booking.
Read every day →Choose a saved route, make it your own and keep the details with you in Fyno.