Getting Around -- Economy (tel. 877/326-7368 in the U.S. and Canada, or 2582-1246 in Costa Rica) and National (tel. 2242-7878) have offices here. Because demand often outstrips supply, I recommend you reserve a car in advance. You could also rent an ATV from several operators around town, including Iguana Expeditions and Boca Nosara Tours. If you need a taxi, call  Gypsy Cab Company (tel) 8302-1903).

Village Layout -- The village of Nosara is about 5km (3 miles) inland from the beach. The small airstrip runs pretty much through the center of town; however, most hotels listed here are on or near the beach itself.

This area was originally conceived and zoned as a primarily residential community. The maze of dirt roads and lack of any single defining thoroughfare can be confusing for first-time visitors. Luckily, a host of hotel and restaurant signs spread around the area help point lost travelers in the direction of their final destination.

Getting There

By Plane: Sansa (tel. 877/767-2672 in the U.S. and Canada, or 2290-4100 in Costa Rica) has several flights daily to Nosara airport (airport code: NOB). Fares run between $99 and $150 each way.

It’s usually about a 5- to 10-minute drive from the airport to most hotels. Taxis wait for every arrival, and fares range between C4,500 and C9,000 to most hotels in Nosara.

By Car: Follow the directions for getting to Playa Sámara, but watch for a well-marked fork in the road a few kilometers before you reach that beach. The right-hand fork leads to Nosara over another 22km (14 miles) of rough dirt road.

By Bus: An Alfaro express bus (tel. 2222-2666 in San José, or 2682-0064 in Nosara; www.empresaalfaro.com) leaves San José daily at 5:30am from Avenida 5 between calles 14 and 16. The trip’s duration is 5[bf]1/2 hours; the one-way fare is around C4,900.

You can also take an Alfaro bus from San José to Nicoya and then catch a second bus from Nicoya to Nosara. Alfaro buses leave San José nearly every hour between 7:30am and 5pm. The fare is C3,950. The trip can take between 4 and 5 1/2 hours, depending on whether the bus goes via Liberia or La Amistad Bridge. The latter route is much faster and much more frequent. Empresa Rojas buses (tel. 2685-5352) leave Nicoya for Nosara daily at 4:45 and 10am, 12:30pm, and 3:30 and 5:30pm. The trip is about 2 hours, and the one-way fare is C2,800. Return buses leave Nosara for Nicoya at 5, 6, and 7am, noon and 3:30pm. A direct Alfaro bus from Nosara to San José leaves daily at 12:30pm. Buses to Nicoya leave Nosara daily at 4:45 and 10am, noon, and 3 and 5:30pm. Buses leave Nicoya for San José nearly every hour 3am to 5pm.

Fast Facts

You’ll find the post office and police station (tel. 2682-1130) right at the end of the airstrip. An EBAIS medical clinic (tel. 2682-0266) and a couple of pharmacies are in the village as well. Both Banco Popular and Banco de Costa Rica have offices in Nosara with ATMs. There’s even a tiny strip mall at the crossroads to Playa Guiones.

Spanish-Language Programs

You can brush up on or start up your Spanish at the Nosara Spanish Institute (tel. 2682-0215). It offers group and private lessons according to demand, and can coordinate week or multiweek packages.

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