HOW TO GET TO SANTA TERESA
Santa Teresa is a truly amazing place but getting here can seem daunting. Fret not - it’s actually quite easy once you know your options.
Most international visitors arrive to Costa Rica through Liberia or San Jose. To get from there to Santa Teresa we recommend flying, renting a car and driving or using a shared shuttle or taxi service. In this guide we will go through each of these options and give you our recommendations on each one.
Flying
The fastest way to get here is to catch a domestic flight to Cobano airport and then a taxi from there. The flight takes about 30 minutes and the taxi ride another 30 minutes making the total trip time around 1 hour. From San Jose you have several departures a day, operated by Sansa and Costa Rica Green Airways. Sansa also offers connections from Liberia, but the schedule depends on the season. If you are staying at Mint we are happy to help you coordinate a taxi to bring you from the airport to the hotel, just send us a message! This option is the best one for visitors who have limited time and who are visiting only Santa Teresa.
Our take: Our favorite option if you are only visiting Santa Teresa
Renting a car
Renting a car and driving yourself gives you the most flexibility and is the best option if you are visiting several spots in Costa Rica. For car rentals we recommend any of the companies that have offices here in the area (just in case something happens and you need assistance). At the moment that is Alamo, National, Enterprise, Budget, Sixt, Avis, Economy, Europcar.
From Liberia you drive along route 21 pretty much all the way. It’s a paved road and the drive although pretty long, approximately 4 hours, is beautiful!
From San Jose our recommendation is to drive to Puntarenas and take the ferry from there to Paquera. The total trip takes about 4,5-5 hours, including 90 minutes on the ferry. You can find the ferry schedule here and book your ticket online here. They only release part of the tickets for online bookings but we do recommend trying to book your spot because during high season or around the weekends the ferries do fill up.
Our take: What we would choose if you want to see more of Costa Rica
Shared shuttle or taxi
The last option we would recommend is taking a shared shuttle or taxi. This option is best for the visitor who doesn’t want to drive, who is only visiting Santa Teresa and/or whose international flight doesn’t line up with the domestic flight. For shared shuttles we recommend Tropical Tours. They offer daily departures from both Liberia and San Jose. The trip from Liberia takes about 5 hours and the trip from San Jose (including the ferry ride) around 5,5 hours. If the schedule for the shared shuttles doesn’t match your international flight Tropical Tours also offers private transfers. We also work with trusted taxi drivers and can help you coordinate a private taxi from anywhere in the country.
Our take: A good alternative if the flight doesn’t fit your schedule
