Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [188]
Liberia has many inexpensive sodas and Chinese take-out restaurants. If you’re yearning for gringo-style fast food, head to the Food Mall de Burger King (Interamericana). Not to be outdone, there’s a new McDonald’s at the main entrance to town.
Before you board that long bus ride, pick up cheap eats and fresh fruit and veggies at the traditional covered market (Ave 7 btwn Calles 8 & 10, 6am-7pm Mon-Sat, 6am-noon Sun), conveniently located next to Terminal Liberia. Or grab groceries at the SuperCompro (Av Central btwn Calles 2 & 4; 8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm Sat & Sun) or the humongous Maxi Bodega (Av 7 btwn Calles 8 & 10; 8am-10pm Mon-Sat, 8am-9pm Sun). For a good selection of international groceries, stop by Jumbo Supermercado (Plaza Santa Rosa) to load up on supplies before heading to the beach.
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Drinking & Entertainment
Live music and dance performances are often held at the Parque Central gazebo and at the nearby La Gobernación (cnr Av Central & Calle Central), an old municipal building. Your best chance of seeing Punto Guanacasteco is to be in town for a tope (see boxed text).
Las Tinajas (Calle 2 btwn Avs Central & 1; lunch & dinner) Sip a cold beer and nosh on some greasy fries at this parkside pub, an ideal place to watch the happenings in Parque Central. It occasionally has live music.
Liberia Supremacy (Av 1 btwn Calles 5 & 7; 4pm-late Tue-Sun) A bit of Jamaica comes to Liberia at this popular reggae bar decorated with posters of Bob Marley and Che. There’s a friendly vibe, cheap beer, an extensive Mexican bocas menu and the most uncomfortable bar stools ever made.
Morales House (2665-2490; cnr Av 1 & Interamericana; bocas ₡1500-3000; 3pm-2am) A real Guanacaste sabanero hangout, this barnlike bar with cowboy motif has bulls’ heads on the walls, blaring ranchera music and American sports on TV.
LIB (Plaza Santa Rosa; 5pm-2am Mon-Sat) The best nightspot in town, this open-air disco bathed in neon is on the 2nd floor of Plaza Santa Rosa, blaring salsa and rock music on to the masses below. There’s a good bocas menu to help soak up the alcohol. A varying cover charge applies for men on weekends.
If you’re looking for your Hollywood fix, the American-style shopping mall cinema (Centro Comercial Liberia; adult/child ₡1600/1200) has a decent offering of mainstream American films.
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Getting There & Away
AIR
Since 1993, Aeropuerto Internacional Daniel Oduber Quirós (LIR), 12km west of Liberia, has served as the country’s second international airport, providing easy access to all those beautiful beaches without the hassle of dealing with the lines and bustle of San José. It’s a tiny airport, jam-packed with increasing traffic. A new US$35 million airport terminal is currently under construction.
There are no car-rental desks at the airport; make reservations in advance, and your company will meet you at the airport with a car. You’ll find a money-exchange, cafe and gift shop. Taxis to Liberia cost ₡6000. Downtown-based Liberia Travel (2666-4383; cnr Av 25 de Julio & Calle 6;8am-6pm Mon-Fri, 8am-noon Sat) can help book flights worldwide.
The majority of international flights are through the USA, though some airlines fly directly between Liberia and the USA including American Airlines, Continental, Delta, United and US Airways. Charter airlines now fly seasonally from Canada, Belgium and the UK. Domestic airline destinations include:
NatureAir (2220-3054; www.natureair.com) To/from San José, Quepos, Fortuna, Tambor and Tamarindo.
Sansa (2668-1047; www.flysansa.com) To/from San José and Tamarindo.
BUS
Buses arrive and depart from Terminal Liberia (Av 7 btwn Calles 12 & 14) and Terminal Pulmitan (Av 5 btwn Calles 10 & 12). Routes, fares, journey times and departures are as follows:
Cañas ₡1050; 1½ hours; departs Terminal Liberia 5:30am, 6:30am, 7:30am, noon,