Planning a Trip

Getting There & Departing

By Car -- Head west out of San José on the Interamerican Highway, passing the airport and Alajuela, and follow the signs to Puntarenas. The drive takes between 2 and 2 1/2 hours. To reach Puntarenas from Liberia, just take the Interamerican Highway south, to the well-marked exit for Puntarenas.

By Bus -- Empresarios Unidos express buses (tel. 2222-0064) leave San José daily every hour between 6am and 8pm from Calle 16 and Avenida 12. Trip duration is 2 1/2 hours; the fare is $2.80 (£1.40). The main Puntarenas bus station is cater-cornered to the main pier on the Paseo de los Turistas. Buses to San José leave daily every hour between 5am and 8pm. The bus to Santa Elena leaves daily at 2pm from a stop across the railroad tracks from the main bus station. Buses to Quepos (Manuel Antonio) leave daily at 5 and 11am and 2:30 and 4:30pm.

By Train -- One unique option for getting here is to take the train. Although Costa Rica's train system is for the most part nonoperational, the Tico Train Tour (tel. 2233-3300; www.americatravelcr.com) runs the 87km (54-mile) stretch between San José and the nearby port city of Caldera. The train runs very infrequently, and only when there's sufficient demand, but it usually runs most weekends, especially in the high season. The 4-hour ride, including a snack and refreshments, costs $12 (£6).

Orientation

Puntarenas is built on a long, narrow sand spit that stretches 16km (10 miles) out into the Gulf of Nicoya and is marked by only five streets at its widest. The ferry docks for the Nicoya Peninsula are near the far end of town, as are the bus station and market. The north side of town faces an estuary, and the south side faces the mouth of the gulf. The Paseo de los Turistas is on the south side of town, beginning at the pier and extending out to the point.

Fast Facts

There are several banks, Internet cafes, and general markets all located within a 2-block radius of the town's small church and central park. If you need a taxi, call Coopetico (tel. 2663-2020).