Planning a Trip

Getting There & Departing

By Plane -- The nearest airport with regularly scheduled service is in Liberia. From there you can arrange a taxi to bring you the rest of the way. The ride takes about 25 minutes and should cost $40 to $50 (£20-£25).

By Car -- Follow the directions for getting to Liberia (described earlier in this chapter), and then head west toward Santa Cruz. The turnoff for the Papagayo Peninsula is prominently marked 8km (5 miles) south of the Liberia airport. At the corner here you'll see a massive Do It Center hardware store and lumber yard. If you're going on to Playa Hermosa, continue on a little farther and, just past the village of Comunidad, turn right. In about 11km (6 3/4 miles) you'll come to a fork in the road; take the right fork. The drive takes about 4 1/2 hours from San José.

If you are going to the Pagagayo Peninsula, turn at the Do It Center and follow the paved road out and around the peninsula. If you are going to Playa Panamá, you can either take the paved roads all the way, by heading first to Playa Hermosa, and continuing on to Playa Panamá. Or, you can take a dirt road shortcut that leads from a turnoff on the Papagayo Peninsula road, just beyond the Do It Center, directly to the beach here.

These roads are all relatively well marked, and a host of prominent hotel billboards should make it easy enough to find the beach or resort you are looking for.

By Bus -- A Tralapa express bus (tel. 2221-7202) leaves San José daily at 3pm from Calle 20 and Avenida 3, stopping at Playa Hermosa and Playa Panamá, 3km (1 3/4 miles) farther north. One-way fare for the 5-hour trip is $6.50 (£3.25).

Gray Line (tel. 2220-2126; www.graylinecostarica.com) has a daily bus that leaves San José at 8am for all beaches in this area. The fare is $33 (£17). Interbus (tel. 2283-5573; www.interbusonline.com) has two daily buses that leave San José at 7:45am and 2:30pm for all beaches in this area. The fare is $35 (£18). Both companies will pick you up at most San José-area hotels.

You can take a bus from San José to Liberia and then take a bus from Liberia to Playa Hermosa and Playa Panamá. Buses (tel. 2666-0042) leave Liberia for Playa Hermosa and Playa Panamá at 4:45, 7:30 and 11:30am, and 1, 3:30 and 5:30pm. The trip lasts 40 minutes because the bus stops frequently to drop off and pick up passengers. The one-way fare costs $1.75 (85p). These bus schedules change from time to time, so it's always best to check in advance. During the high season and on weekends, extra buses from Liberia are sometimes added. You can also take a bus to Playa del Coco, from which playas Hermosa and Panamá are a relatively quick taxi ride away. Taxi fare should run between $5 and $8 (£2.50-£4).

One direct bus departs for San José daily at 5am from Playa Panamá, with a stop in Playa Hermosa along the way. Buses to Liberia leave Playa Panamá at 6, 7, and 10am and 2, 5, and 7pm, stopping in Playa Hermosa a few minutes later. Ask at your hotel where to catch the bus.

Orientation

From the well-marked turnoff for the Papagayo Peninsula (near the prominent Do It Center hardware store), a paved road leads around to the Allegro Papagayo and Four Seasons resorts. If you are heading to the beaches a little farther south, continue on to the well-marked turnoff for Playa del Coco and Playa Hermosa. The road forks before reaching Playa del Coco. You'll come to Playa Hermosa first, followed by Playa Panamá a few kilometers farther along the same road. The road ends at the Hilton Papagayo Resort. There is also a connecting road between the Papagayo Peninsula road and Playa Panamá. This 11km (6 3/4-mile) stretch of road is unpaved but well maintained and it's definitely your quickest route to Playa Panamá.

Playa Hermosa is about a 450m (1,476-ft.) stretch of beach, with all the hotels laid out along this stretch. From the main road, which continues on to Playa Panamá, three access roads head off toward the beach. All the hotels are well marked, with signs pointing guests down the right access road. Playa Panamá is the least developed of the beaches out here. Somewhat longer than Playa Hermosa, it also has several access roads heading in toward the beach from the main road, which is slightly inland.