Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [239]
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Sleeping & Eating
All places have cold showers unless otherwise stated.
Hotel Chorotega (2685-5245; s/d US$17/22, without bathroom US$6/12; ) Next to the Río Chipanzo and run by a pleasant family that keeps bare-bones rooms that could use a face-lift but are reasonably clean and neat. You won’t find a cheaper bed elsewhere.
Hotel Las Tinajas (2685-5081; Av 1; s/d US$11/17, d with air-con US$22; ) This hotel is decent and mercifully far from the noise of the plaza, though it’s on a relatively busy road. The 28 rooms are clean (although a little rough around the edges), with cable TV and bathroom.
Hotel Jenny (2685-5050; cnr Calle 1 & Av 4; s/d/tr/q US$18/25/29/37; ) This is one of the best deals in town – all 24 spic-and-span rooms have air-con, cable TV and bathroom. Try to get a room in the cooler, darker halls rather than the noisier ones facing the street.
Café Garibaldi (2685-5969; cnr Calle 1 & Av 2; items ₡500-2500;8am-5pm Mon-Fri, 8am-3pm Sat) At the southwest corner of Parque Central, this outdoor patio-cafe is a pleasant place to people-watch with a coffee, juice or sandwich.
Restaurante El Teyet (Calle 1; mains ₡1500-2800; lunch & dinner) Chinese restaurants such as this one are some of the tastiest and cheapest spots to eat in the city. Grab a seat on the patio or in the air-conditioned interior and feast on huge portions of chow mein and other noodle dishes.
Era Glacial (2675-3227; Calle 3; mains ₡1500-5000; noon-9:30pm) At the main intersection downtown, this new pizzeria has 30 types of pies cooked in a real wood-fire oven, plus pastas, meat and fish dishes, and for dessert, ice cream.
Super Compro and Palí supermarkets provide food and supplies for self-caterers. There is also a number of cheap sodas in the mercado (market) that are good for a quick bite, as well as all your favorite Costa Rican fast-food chains.
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Getting There & Away
Most buses arrive at and depart from the bus terminal southeast of Parque Central.
Liberia ₡1000; 2½ hours; departs every 30 minutes from 3:30am to 8pm.
Playa Naranjo, connects with ferry to Puntarenas ₡1300; three hours; departs 5am, 9am, 1pm and 5pm.
Playa Nosara ₡1050; 2½ hours; departs 5am, 10am, noon, 3pm and 5:30pm.
Sámara ₡850; two hours; 13 buses per day from 5am to 9pm.
San José, via Liberia (Empresas Alfaro) ₡3750; five hours; departs five times daily.
San José, via Puente La Amistad ₡3500; four hours; departs eight times daily from 3am to 5pm (Empresas Alfaro), and five times daily from 3:20am to 1:45pm (Tralapa).
Santa Ana, for Barra Honda ₡700; one hour; departs 12:30pm Monday to Saturday.
Other buses for Santa Cruz, Filadelfia and Liberia depart every 30 minutes from 3:50am to 8:30pm from the terminal northeast of the park.
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PARQUE NACIONAL DIRIá
Since 2004 Parque Nacional Diriá (2680-1820; admission US$10; 8am-4pm) covers 54 sq km, 1500 of which are primary tropical dry forest and river basins of the Ríos Diriá, Enmedio, Tigre and Verde. At its higher altitudes are stands of tropical humid forest as well. In addition to protecting these vital watersheds, the park is also a refuge for wildlife, such as howler monkeys, deer, anteaters and over 100 bird species.
Two trails, El Venado and El Escabel, lead through the forest and to the lovely Brasil waterfall.
It’s possible to stay in a basic bunkhouse here, which has running water and electricity, but otherwise you’ll have to be self-sufficient. Call the Santa Cruz Minae office (at the number listed above) to make arrangements.
The park is 14km southwest of Santa Cruz; there is no public transportation.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CHOROTEGA
Although there were several pre-Columbian ethnic groups in the Nicoya peninsula, the most prominent were the Chorotega, which translates as ‘Fleeing People.’ The Chorotega arrived on the peninsula around the 8th century BC, and are believed