Getting There & Departing
By Plane -- Most folks come here on multiday fishing packages, and most of the lodges in this area either operate charter flights as part of their package trips or will book you a flight.
Sansa (tel. 877/767-2672 in the U.S. and Canada, or 2290-4100 in Costa Rica; www.flysansa.com) has a flight that departs at 5:45am Monday, Friday, and Saturday for Barra del Colorado from San José's Juan Santamaría International Airport. The return flight to San José leaves Barra del Colorado daily at 6:55am. Flight duration is 45 minutes; the fare is $95 (£48) each way.
Nature Air (tel. 800/235-9272 in the U.S. and Canada, or 2299-6000; www.natureair.com) has a daily flight that departs the Tobías Bolaños International Airport in Pavas at 6:25am. Flight duration is 1 hour and 35 minutes, with stops in Limón and Tortuguero en route. The fare is $96 (£48) each way. The return flight leaves Barra del Colorado at approximately 7:10am.
By Boat -- It is also possible to travel to Barra del Colorado by boat from Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí. Expect to pay $200 to $300 (£100-£150) each way for a boat that holds up to 10 people. Check at the public dock in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí. Río Colorado Lodge (tel. 800/243-9777 in the U.S. and Canada, or 2232-4063) runs its own launch between Barra del Colorado and Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí (and sometimes btw. Barra and Limón), including land transportation between Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí and San José. If you're staying at the Río Colorado Lodge, be sure to ask about this option (for at least one leg of your trip) when booking; the hotel doesn't discriminate -- you can arrange transportation even if you aren't staying there. For $198 (£99) per person, you can arrange a pickup in San José, a minibus to the boat, a trip down the river to Barra, overnight accommodations at Río Colorado Lodge, and a return trip the next day, with all meals and taxes included.
Orientation
The Río Colorado neatly divides the town of Barra del Colorado. The airstrip is in the southern half of town, as are most of the lodgings. The lodges that are farther up the canals will meet you at the airstrip with a small boat.
