Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [189]
Guayabo de Bagaces ₡1000; one hour; departs Terminal Liberia 6am, 9am, 11am and 2pm.
La Cruz/Peñas Blancas ₡750; 1½ to two hours; departs Pulmitan every hour from 5am to 6pm.
Managua, Nicaragua ₡6000; five hours; departs Pulmitan 7am, 8am and noon (buy tickets one day in advance). You can also flag down Nicaragua-bound buses on the Interamericana at McDonald’s.
Nicoya, via Filadelfia & Santa Cruz ₡1000; 1½ hours; departs Terminal Liberia every 30 minutes from 4:30am to 9pm.
Potrero Bay, Playa Flamingo, Playa Brasilito ₡1000; 1½ hours; departs Terminal Liberia 4:30am, 6:10am, 11:10am and 6pm.
Playa del Coco ₡580; one hour; departs Pulmitan every hour from 5am to 11am, then 12:30pm, 2:30pm and 6:30pm.
Playa Hermosa, Playa Panamá ₡800; 1¼ hours; departs Terminal Liberia 4:30am, 4:40am, 4:50am, 7:30am, 11:30am, 1pm, 3:30pm and 5:30pm.
Playa Tamarindo ₡1180; 1½ to two hours; departs Terminal Liberia hourly between 3:50am and 6pm. Some buses take a longer route via Playa Flamingo.
Puntarenas ₡1400; three hours; eight buses from 5am to 3:30pm. It’s quicker to jump off the San José–bound bus in Puntarenas.
San José ₡2700; four hours; 11 departures from Pulmitan from 4am to 8pm.
NICA VS TICO
Ticos have a well-deserved reputation for friendliness, and it’s rare for travelers of any sex, race or creed to experience prejudice in Costa Rica. However, it’s unfortunate and at times upsetting that the mere mention of anything related to Nicaragua is enough to turn an average Tico into a stereotype-spewing anti-Nico (note that the term ‘Nica’ is used by some Ticos in a somewhat derogatory manner, so watch your language). Despite commonalities in language, culture, history and tradition, Nica versus Tico relations are at an all-time low, and rhetoric (on both sides) of la frontera (the border) isn’t likely to improve anytime soon.
Why is there so much hostility between Nicas and Ticos? The answer is as much a product of history as it is of misunderstanding, though economic disparities between both countries are largely to blame.
Though Nicaragua was wealthier than Costa Rica as little as 25 years ago, decades of civil war and a US embargo quickly bankrupted the country, and today Nicaragua is the second-poorest country in the western hemisphere (after Haiti). For example, the 2009 CIA World Factbook lists the GDP per capita purchasing power parity of Costa Rica as US$10,900, while Nicaragua is listed at only US$2800. The main problem facing Nicaragua is its heavy external debt, though debt relief programs implemented by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the free-trade zone created by the Central American Free Trade Agreement (Cafta) are both promising signs.
In the meantime, however, Nica families are crossing the border in record numbers, drawn to Costa Rica by its growing economy and impressive education and health systems. However, immigration laws in Costa Rica make it difficult for Nicas to find work, and the majority end up living in shantytowns. Also, crime is on the rise throughout Costa Rica, and though it’s difficult to say what percentage is actually attributable to Nica immigrants, some Ticos are quick to point the finger.
It’s difficult to predict whether or not relations will improve between both countries, although current signs are fairly negative. Costa Rica, whose civil guard is better funded than many countries’ militaries, has a bad habit of being caught on the Río San Juan with a patrol boat of combat troops. Nicaragua, on the other hand, recently passed a law requiring all visiting Ticos to be in possession of a valid visa. Like with all instances of deep-rooted prejudice, the solution is anything but clear.
CAR
Liberia lies on the Interamericana, 234km north of San José and 77km south of the Nicaraguan border post of Peñas Blancas. Highway 21, the main artery of the Península de Nicoya, begins in Liberia and heads southwest. A dirt road, passable to all cars in dry season (4WD is preferable),