*We keep this information as current as possible but please keep in mind prices and schedules do change
Costa Rica's 2 Int'l Airports:
Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), is near the capital of Costa Rica, San Jose.
*Each year 2 people confuse San Jose, Costa Rica with either San Jose, California or San Juan, Puerto Rico and end up having way less fun...don't be that guy. ;)Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR), is in Liberia.
Check-in: 2-8pm
Check-out: 7-11am
We strongly encourage, and will be happy to help you arrange the "Fastest & Easiest" option as it leaves the least amount for error.
FASTEST & EASIEST
BY AIR
Sansa Air and Green Air offer 30 minute flights from SJO or LIR to the Tambor Airport (TMU), 45 mins. from Cabuya.
If booking Sansa, there is the convenient option to tack on the additional $27/person shuttle to Wild Sun Jungle Resort when you buy your flight. Taxis may also be available for $60.
We recommend that you arrive at least 2 hours before your connecting domestic flight.
CONVENIENT BUDGET OPTION
By Road and Ferry
SHUTTLE WITHOUT ACCOMMODATIONS FROM SAN JOSE
High Season (Dec-Easter): 6:00 am and 2:00 pm from SJO Airport
(5:30 am and 1:30 pm from San Jose; 5:45 am and 1:45 pm from Alajuela) - $65Low Season (After Easter-Nov): 8:00 am from SJO Airport (7:30 am from SJ; 7:45 am from Alajuela) - $65
All year: Chartered afternoon shuttle from SJO Airport or San Jose - $270 ($230 if willing to change vans at ferry dock) for the first 4 people plus $10 extra per additional person.
**Important Note** Your flight must arrive 2 hours before any shuttle departure and any time before 4:00 pm if scheduling a chartered shuttle for the same day.
SHUTTLE without Accommodations from LIBERIA:
All year: Regular 5 hour shuttle service leaves from LIR at 8am and 3pm and costs $65 per person
All year: Private shuttles can be arranged at any time for $250 for 1-4 passengers +$15 per persons 5-11.
CHEAPEST
By Bus From SAN JOSE
There is daily, direct service from San Jose to Montezuma via Transportes Cobano (Tel. (506) 2519-9973; (506) 2642-0992). The trip takes ~6 hours and costs ~$15. Once in Montezuma, you can take a taxi (~$14) to Wild Sun. Having a fair handle on Spanish is essential or you may miss a changeover and get lost.
First buy your bus tickets here. Be sure to choose San Jose to Montezuma and the Puente Villa Bonita departure point. Once at SJO airport take a $6 taxi from the SJO airport to Puente Villa Bonita. Be sure to hop on the bus for the bus headed to Cobano, Mal Pais, Santa Teresa and Montezuma. Stay on your toes because after taking the ferry and hopping back on the bus, you will have to change buses in Cobano for Montezuma. Once in Montezuma, take a taxi ($14) to Wild Sun or La Escuela Del Sol (same campus).
Buses stop at Puente Villa Bonita at 6:30 am and 2:30 pm. Make sure to call ahead for any schedule changes (happens often).
By Bus From LIBERIA
There is no bus service from Liberia to Cabuya.
MOST ADVENTUROUS
By Car
If you rent a car in San Jose or Liberia, the car rental company should provide you with an adequate map. You may also request GPS navigation for additional cost, although be warned that these devices cannot tell the difference from roads in good or poor condition and may lead you toward uncrossable rivers in the rainy season. It would be better to have the route highlighted for you on a physical map before you begin your drive. For those of you who have your phones activated and are able to receive internet, you want to use the Waze App. This app will give you real time hazards as reported by other users and reroute your trip so that you may reach us in the safest and fastest way possible.
Autopista Del Sol from SAN JOSE:
This is the fastest route from San Jose to the Puntarenas. Once there, follow signs for the Paquera Ferry (schedules at http://www.navieratambor.com). Kick back and enjoy the views for an hour and a half until you reach the ferry dock. After you return to your car, you will follow signs for Tambor and then Cobano. Turn left at the bank in Cobano and follow signs to Montezuma and finally to Cabuya. The whole trip should take approximately 6 hours.
Driving from LIBERIA:
Be sure to ask for directions and a map from your car rental company. The best route for all seasons is to follow signs in order toward Nicoya, Jicaral, Playa Naranjo, Paquera, Cobano, Montezuma and finally Cabuya. The trip should take about 4.5 hours.
**Note on driving in Costa Rica**
You will encounter many unpaved and quite bumpy roads along the way. In addition, there may be a difference in road quality between the dry season (Nov-Apr), the green season (May-Aug, Nov) and the rainy season (Sept-Oct). During the green and rainy seasons especially, we recommend that you drive a 4x4. Also note that road signs are often missing or hidden behind fast growing trees or bushes. Be on your toes if driving. You may want to splurge on a GPS device to keep you going in the right direction, but be warned that as of yet, these devices will not warn of uncrossable rivers. If you don't have a smart phone with internet access in CR, a good strategy is to follow a physical map with your route highlighted by your rental agent. But the best method of all would be to use the Waze app on a smart phone, which will not only point you in the right direction, but also report in real time any road hazzards and reroute you accordingly.
YOUR FINAL DESTINATION
Once In Cabuya
If traveling by bus, ask to be dropped off at the next right hand turn after Super Chicho. From there, walk west (away from the ocean) for 700 meters. You will see our sign on the left hand side. If traveling by shuttle or taxi, be sure to give them the following address:
Wild Sun Jungle Resort or La Escuela Del Sol
Del Super Chicho
100m al sur, 700m al oeste
Cabuya
AND TO GET HOME
By Air
Sansa Air and Green Air run commuter flights from TMU ($50, 45 min. taxi from Cabuya) and take approximately 25 minutes.
By Bus
Direct buses leave from Montezuma to San Jose each day at 6:00 am and 2:00 pm and make a stop at the international airport (SJO) on the way to San Jose. The trip is approximately 6 hours. There are no direct buses to Liberia. To reach Montezuma, you may take a taxi in the morning or taxi or local bus in the afternoon.
By Shuttle
The same rates apply as above. To SJO, shuttles leave Cabuya from Dec 16th - April 30th at 6:30 am and 2:30 pm and arrive around 1-2 pm and 9-10 pm. From May 1st - Dec 15th, shuttles leave Cabuya for SJO at 8:30 am and arrive around 2-3 pm. The shuttle pack is also available to stay the night in Alajuela, near SJO.
To LIR, regular shuttles leave Cabuya at 6am and 8am and arrive around 11am and 1pm respectively, for $65 per person. Private shuttles are available on your schedule for $230 for the first 4 passengers and $15 for each additional person up to 11.
By Boat and Shuttle Package to San Jose
Shave off 2.5 hours from the trip by taking this transfer package. A boat will take you from Montezuma to Herradura where a shuttle will be waiting to take you to San Jose. Boats leave at 9:30 am and arrive around 12:30 pm at SJO International Airport. It costs approximately $85/person with a 2 person minimum. You may also take the boat and find a bus from Jaco to San Jose to save money. Speed boat costs $40. Buses cost around $10. Schedules vary but buses depart as frequently as every 2 hours.
By Car
To San Jose, follow signs out of Cabuya towards Cobano, Tambor and Paquera. Take the ferry to Puntarenas and continue driving towards Caldera, then San Jose. Be very careful to follow signs.
To Liberia, follow signs to Montezuma, then Cobano, Paquera, Naranjo, Jicaral, Nicoya and finally Liberia.