Getting Here
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How to get to Mal Pais:
[1] Bus -For those on a limited budget. After you collect your luggage and pass through customs, go outside the international terminal to the bus stop. Take a bus to downtown San Jose. When the bus turns left onto Paseo Colon, [the main street of the city,] get off the bus. Take a cab to the Puntarenas bus station. [The fare is approximately $2.00] Buses leave for Puntarenas every hour on the hour. [The ticket costs $4.00] When the bus arrives in Puntarenas, take a cab to the ferry [$1.50], or walk three blocks east to the Lancha. [The Lancha is for passengers only]
The Lancha leaves for Paquera at 6am, 11:00, and 3:15 PM. [$2.50] The Ferry [for passengers and cars] leaves for Paquera at 5 am, 8:45, 12:30 p.m, 2:30, 5:00 and 8:15. [Passenger tickets - $3.00] When you arrive in Paquera on the Launcha, or on the car ferry, take a bus to Cobano, [$5.00] and then a taxi to Mal Pais. [$12.00] Or you can take the local bus that runs twice daily from Cobano to Mal Pais. [$2.50] The above times for the Ferry and the Lancha are more or less valid, but to be certain, ask for a schedule at the international airport when you arrive. The departure times for the Lancha and Ferry are often subject to change during the high season. The prices quoted above are approximate.
[2] Taxi or Van - You can hire a taxi or a van to bring you to Mal Pais. The fare can range from $ 150.00 to $ 200.00. For a group this may be the best and easiest way to get to Mal Pais, especially for surfers travelling with boards. Or you can hire a taxi to take you to Puntarenas, take the ferry to Paquera, and then go by bus or taxi from Paquera to Mal Pais. A taxi or a van from the airport to Puntarenas will cost between $ 70.00 and $100.00. A bus from Paquera to Cobano can cost $ 5.00. A taxi from Paquera to Mal Pais can range from $ 40.00 to $ 60.00. If you wish to come all the way to Mal Pais from the International Airport, either by taxi or van, please contact us at crrental@racsa.co.cr We'll get you the best price and a driver who can speak English as well as Spanish.
[3] Drive - You can rent a car and drive to Mal Pais. We recommend a 4WD. Fill out a reservation form on our Car Rental Page and send it to us. Note in the comments and questions box where you wish to pick up the car. [Airport?] Should your flight from the U.S. or Europe arrive too late in the afternoon for you to catch the last ferry to Paquera , [ you should allow 2 hours drive to Puntarenas and arrive at least 1 hour before the ferry departs] then you will have to stay overnight near the airport and drive to Puntarenas the next morning.
For accommodations near the airport we recommend the Hampton Inn and the Brilla Sol. Fill out a Reservation Form, send it to us, and we will reserve a room for you. Note in the questions and comments box of the Car Reservation Form that you are staying at the Hampton Inn or the Brilla Sol, and the car will be delivered to the hotel the next morning. When you arrive in Puntarenas, count the number of cars in line for the ferry. If you're number 40, you're going to have to wait another 2 hours for the next ferry. The ferry takes approximately 33 cars, or less if there are buses or large trucks in line. Note: The tickets for the ferry to Paquera are sold after the ferry arrives from Paquera, and is fully docked. If you're number 30 and there are a lot of cars in the line behind you, stay with your car. A person will walk along the line of cars passing out slips of paper to the first 33 cars. You take this slip of paper to the ticket office and buy your ticket.
Then you drive onto the ferry. Your passengers will have to walk onto the ferry unless they have a medical condition. The ticket you will buy is for the car, and the price includes the driver. Your passengers will have to purchase separate tickets, or you can do it for them when you buy the ticket for the car. The ferry has an air conditioned salon where you can buy sandwiches and cold drinks. The tickets for the air- conditioned salon cost a bit more than the regular tickets. The ferry takes a little more than an hour to cross from Puntarenas to Paquera. From Paquera to Mal Pais is a one and one-half hour drive.
[4] Fly - . Sansa Airlines flies twice daily to Tambor. The flight takes 20 minutes! They have a morning and a late afternoon flight. The Sansa Terminal is located next door to the International Terminal. Go to www.flysansa.com and book your flight to Tambor. After you have booked your flight, call us at 506-2640-0065, or let us know by e-mail crrental@racsa.co.cr your Sansa flight number and when you arrive in Tambor, and we'll send a cab to the Tambor airstrip to meet you. [There is no terminal in Tambor] Should your flight from the U.S. or Europe arrive too late in the day to catch the afternoon Sanasa flight, you can book a room at the Hampton Inn or the Brilla Sol by sending us a Reservation Form. Both hotels have a shuttle service and will meet your arriving flight, and will take you free of charge to the Sansa terminal the next morning. Go here for cheap flights to Costa Rica.
[5] Fly plus Rental Car - By choosing Fly plus Rental Car you will be able to get to Mal Pais relatively quickly, and while you are in Mal Pais you'll have the use of a rental car to visit the numerous beaches, restaurants and small towns in the area. [At the present time cabs are very scarce in Mal Pais; to hire a cab you have to call one from Cobano, 17 kilometers away.] This will change sometime in the future] Note: We only recommend 4Wheel drives for Mal Pais. This may change as the roads get better but for now a 4Wheel drive is a necessity.
To get to Mal Pais by Fly plus Rental Car is the least complicated way. Here's how to do it. [1] After you have booked your international flight to Costa Rica, book your Sansa Flight from San Jose to Tambor and the return flight from Tambor to San Jose. You can do it online at www.flysansa.com. Should your international flight arrive too late in the day to catch the afternoon Sansa flight to Tambor, then send us a Hampton Inn or Brilla Sol Reservation form and we'll book you a room for the night.
In the morning, the Brilla Sol or Hampton Inn will transport you to the Sansa terminal to catch the early flight to Tambor. [2] Send us a Rental Car Reservation Form. In the comments and questions box, note the date, time and flight number of your Sansa flight to Tambor, as well as your Sansa return flight to San Jose. [You will pick up the car at the Tambor airstrip and return it to the Tambor airstrip.] We need this information because the rental car will be delivered [driven] from San Jose to the airstrip in Tambor to meet your Sansa flight. [At present there are no rental car companies on the peninsula that take credit cards] Within moments of your arrival in Tambor, the driver who delivers the car will have you sign the rental contract; he will note your credit card number, and then he will get on the same plane for the return flight to San Jose. That should take less than 10 minutes! From Tambor you're only a 90-minute drive from Mal Pais. So relax and take your time. And drive carefully. We look forward to seeing you safe and sound in Mal Pais.
We recommend that you print a copy of these instructions and bring them with you as well as a copy of the "Area Map" for the location of the hotels and houses in Mal Pais.
For your driving convenience, we recommend:
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