An independent travel-logistics reference
Costa Rica travel logistics, researched from the operators' and authorities' own systems: shuttle and transfer times, fares, park reservation rules and fees - every figure sourced and dated.
36 field-checked guides 6 categories checked
Launched August 2026. Every figure below was read from the source named beside it, on the date shown - and new guides are added as each research pass completes.
Destinations
7 guidesWhat each place actually costs to reach, get around and enter - from the operators' own rate cards.
- La Fortuna and Arenal: What Each Thing Costs and When It Opens
La Fortuna from source: Arenal Volcano park fee, La Fortuna Waterfall and five hot springs, incl. EcoTermales at USD 49 in its own engine. Sep 2026.
Verified - Manuel Antonio and Quepos: Park Fees, Hours and the Tuesday Closure
Manuel Antonio and Quepos: park USD 18.08, online tickets only, closed Tuesdays; regulated bus fares from San José and TRACOPA's own timetable, Sep 2026.
Verified - Monteverde, Costa Rica: Getting There, What It Costs, and What Is in Town
San José to Monteverde: regulated bus CRC 3,900 (about USD 8.60) against USD 54–62 shuttles, Route 606, and canopy tour prices. Checked Sep 2026.
Verified - Nosara, Costa Rica: Getting There, and the Ostional Turtle Refuge
Nosara: USD 50 shuttle from Liberia, CRC 4,340 bus or USD 97–129 shuttles from San José, 45-min flights. Ostional refuge USD 13.56. Checked 25 Sep 2026.
Verified - San José, Costa Rica: Museum Prices, Opening Hours and What Shuts on Mondays
San José museums, on their own sites: National Museum USD 11, Gold Museum CRC 8,800, Jade Museum USD 16, theatre tour CRC 3,500, MADC free. Sep 2026.
Verified - Santa Teresa, Costa Rica: Every Way In, With Prices
Getting to Santa Teresa: shuttles from SJO or Liberia USD 60–79, the regulated bus to Mal País CRC 7,320, flights to Cóbano plus a USD 40 taxi.
Verified - Tamarindo and Guanacaste: Transfer Fares, Park Fees and the Rain Calendar
Liberia airport to Tamarindo: USD 85 private, or USD 30 a seat shared once three book. Las Baulas says turtle observation is not running. Checked Sep 2026.
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Getting There
8 guidesFares, timetables and journey times, read from the booking engines that sell the seats.
- La Fortuna to Monteverde by Jeep-Boat-Jeep: Fares and Departure Times
Jeep-boat-jeep, La Fortuna to Monteverde: USD 33–36 for the morning crossing, USD 40–50 in the afternoon, by operator, 3.5 to 4 hours. Sep 2026.
Verified - Liberia Airport (LIR) to Tamarindo: Fares, Times and the Taxi Rules
Liberia airport to Tamarindo: shared shuttle USD 30 (one needs three riders) to USD 39, private USD 85–100, public bus about USD 4. Checked 24 Sep 2026.
Verified - Puntarenas–Paquera Ferry: Timetable, Fares and Car Prices
Puntarenas–Paquera ferry: 8 sailings each way, 04:00 to 22:00. Adult CRC 810, child CRC 480, car CRC 11,400 plus IVA. Checked 25 Sep 2026.
Verified - San José to La Fortuna: Shuttle Times, Fares and the Official Bus Price
San José to La Fortuna: shared shuttles USD 54–65 from three operators, and the regulated public bus at CRC 3,920 since 4 Sep 2026. Checked Sep 2026.
Verified - San José to Manuel Antonio: Shuttle Times, Bus Fares and Which Departures Reach the Park
San José to Manuel Antonio: shared shuttles USD 59–65 or the regulated bus at CRC 4,440 to Quepos. The park shuts at 3 p.m., so go in the morning.
Verified - San José to Puerto Viejo and Cahuita: Bus and Shuttle Times and Fares, Both Directions
San José to Puerto Viejo: regulated MEPE bus CRC 6,960 (Cahuita CRC 5,980) from 4 Sep 2026; shared shuttles USD 62-69. Both directions, Sep 2026.
Verified - San José to Tamarindo (and Back): Shuttle Times, Fares and the Official Bus Price
San José–Tamarindo both ways: shared shuttles USD 54–69, regulated bus CRC 8,040 each way, stated 4½–5½ hours by road. Checked Sep 2026.
Verified - SJO or LIR? Which Costa Rica Airport to Fly Into, by Destination
SJO or LIR? Tamarindo is about 1.5 h from Liberia vs 5-5.5 h from San José; Manuel Antonio 3.5-4.5 h from SJO vs 6 h from LIR. 2026 arrivals.
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Attractions
8 guidesEntry fees, hours and the rules that govern a visit, from the authorities that set them.
- Arenal Volcano National Park and Arenal 1968: Fees, Hours and Trails
Arenal Volcano National Park (SINAC) is USD 16.95 with IVA for non-residents, 08:00–16:00; private Arenal 1968 charges USD 28. Checked 24 Sep 2026.
Verified - Corcovado National Park: Fees, Reservations, Guide Rule and Daily Quotas
Corcovado: USD 16.95 entry, booking by email and bank deposit, a guide rule on five of six sector pages, 560 places a day (660 in cruise season).
Verified - Manuel Antonio National Park: Tickets, Fees and Hours
Manuel Antonio National Park: tickets online only, non-resident adult USD 18.08 with IVA, open 07:00–15:00, closed Tuesdays. Checked at SINAC, Sep 2026.
Verified - Marino Ballena National Park: Fees, Hours, Whale Seasons and Getting to Uvita
Marino Ballena, Uvita: USD 6.78 with IVA, card only, one ticket for all four sectors. Humpbacks Dec-Apr and Jul-Nov per SINAC. Checked 25 Sep 2026.
Verified - Monteverde's Four Reserves Compared: Prices, Hours and Trails
Monteverde's four reserves compared: the Cloud Forest Preserve's USD 29 is only in its booking engine, with USD 10 national and USD 2 student rates.
Verified - Poás Volcano National Park: Tickets, Fees, Hours and the Current Restrictions
Poás Volcano: tickets only through SINAC's online system, non-resident adult USD 16.95 with IVA, open 08:00–16:00, last entry 14:00 (Spanish page).
Verified - Río Celeste: Entrance Fee, Online Tickets and the 14:00 Cut-Off
Río Celeste, Tenorio Volcano National Park: non-residents USD 13.56 with IVA, online tickets only, last entry 14:00, daily cap 1,200. Checked 24 Sep 2026.
Verified - Tortuguero National Park: Entry Fee, Hours, Turtle Season and the Boat In
Tortuguero National Park: non-resident entry USD 16.95 with IVA, open 6-12 and 1-4 daily; boat-only access, USD 8 each way from La Pavona. Sep 2026.
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Planning
5 guidesSeason, safety and budget - the published record, counted and compared.
- Best Time to Visit Costa Rica: Dry and Rainy Season, Region by Region
Costa Rica's seven IMN climate regions: dry and rainy months, rain days (136 in Guanacaste to 204 in Pacífico Sur) and rainfall, from IMN's own documents.
Verified - Costa Rica 10-Day Itinerary: Every Transport Leg, Priced and Timed
The San José–La Fortuna–Monteverde–Manuel Antonio loop leg by leg: each operator's own fare, departures and duration, and the single-departure legs.
Verified - Costa Rica Sea Temperature by Month: Pacific and Caribbean, from NOAA's Satellite Record
NOAA monthly sea temperatures for Costa Rica: Pacific 27.7086-28.7900 °C, Caribbean 26.8592-28.3900 °C, and exactly which stretch of coast each covers.
Verified - How Much a Costa Rica Trip Costs: The Official Figure, and the Prices Behind It
What a Costa Rica trip costs: ICT's USD 1,848 average spend, park fees with 13% IVA, regulated bus and fuel prices, rental, shuttle and hotel rates.
Verified - Is Costa Rica Safe? The Advisory Level, and the Official Crime Data by Area
Costa Rica's U.S. travel advisory (Level 2) and the districts Costa Rica's Justice Ministry rates high and very high for homicide, tourist towns included.
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Practical
4 guidesMoney, SIM cards and prices on the ground, checked against the companies' own pages.
- Costa Rica Currency, ATMs and Cards: What the Colón Actually Costs You
Costa Rica's Central Bank reference rate against a bank's counter board, the ATM fee a foreign card pays, and cash withdrawals down 26% since 2022.
Verified - Costa Rica Rental Car vs Shuttle: the Real Cost, Insurance Included
Rental car or shuttle in Costa Rica: the mandatory liability charge, shuttle fares, and the group size where the car wins: two in October, four in January.
Verified - Costa Rica SIM Cards and Data: Every Published Prepaid Price
Kölbi, Liberty and Claro prepaid prices from the carriers' own pages, checked Sep 2026: Kölbi's ₡12,095 SIM Turista, packs from ₡200, eSIMs compared.
Verified - Costa Rica with Kids: the Car-Seat Law, Tour Minimum Ages and What Children Pay
Costa Rica with kids: the child-seat decree's own age, weight and height table, and operators' minimum ages and child prices, re-checked 24 September 2026.
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Where to Stay
4 guidesRoom rates read from the properties' own reservation systems, priced for real dates.
- Where to Stay in La Fortuna: Rates from Four Hotels' Own Booking Engines
Four La Fortuna hotels priced on their own booking systems for 10–12 Nov 2026, re-read 24 Sep 2026: the in-town hotel now quotes the cheapest room.
Verified - Where to Stay in Manuel Antonio: Park-Road and Quepos Rates, Priced the Same Night
Manuel Antonio hotel prices for 10–12 November 2026: a US$60 room and a US$566 room on the same park road. Hotels' own engines re-read 24 Sep 2026.
Verified - Where to Stay in Monteverde: US$25 to US$437 a Night, and One Hotel Engine Above It
Monteverde hotel prices for 10–12 Nov 2026: 25 properties on Booking.com (26 Aug) and two hotels' own engines (24 Sep); the widest spread of four areas.
Verified - Where to Stay in Tamarindo: US$66 to US$488 a Night, and Why Proximity Does Not Predict It
Tamarindo hotels, 10–12 Nov 2026: 25 properties on Booking.com (26 Aug) plus the one beachfront hotel with a readable rate. Distance barely matters.
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