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Getting Around

FIVE AGAINST THE SEA

In January 1988 five fishermen from Puntarenas set out on a trip that was meant to last seven days. Just five days into the voyage, their small vessel was facing 9m waves triggered by northerly winds known as El Norte. Adrift for 142 days, they would face sharks, inclement weather, acute hunger and parching thirsts. They were finally rescued – 7200km away – by a Japanese fishing boat. The book Five Against the Sea by US reporter Ron Arias recounts in gripping detail the adversities they faced and how they survived.

Buses marked ‘Ferry’ run up Av Central and go to the ferry terminal, 1.5km from downtown. The taxi fare from the San José bus terminal in Puntarenas to the northwestern ferry terminal is about ₡1000.

Buses for the port of Caldera (also going past Playa Doña Ana and Mata de Limón) leave from the market about every hour and head out of town along Av Central.

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AROUND PUNTARENAS

The road heading south from Puntarenas skirts along the coastline, and a few kilometers out of town you’ll start to see the forested peaks of the Cordillera de Tilaran in the distance. Just as the port city fades into the distance, the water gets cleaner, the air crisper and the vegetation more lush. At this point, you should take a deep breath and heave a sigh of relief – the Pacific coastline gets a whole lot more beautiful as you head further south.

About 8km south of Puntarenas is Playa San Isidro, the first ‘real’ beach on the central Pacific coast. Although it is popular with beachcombers from Puntarenas, surfers prefer to push on 4km south to Boca Barranca, which boasts what is reportedly the third-longest left-hand surf break in the world. Conditions here are best at low tide, and it is possible to surf here year-round. However, be advised that there isn’t much in the way of services out here, so be sure that you’re confident in the water and seek local advice before hitting the break.

Just beyond the river mouth is a pair of beaches known as Playa Doña Ana and El Segundo, which are relatively undeveloped and have an isolated and unhurried feel to them. Surfers can find some decent breaks here, too, though like Playa San Isidro, they are more popular for Tico beachcombers on day trips from Puntarenas, especially during weekends in high season. There are snack bars, picnic shelters and changing areas, and supervised swimming areas.

The next stop along the coast is Mata de Limón, a picturesque little hamlet that is situated on a mangrove lagoon, and locally famous for its bird-watching. If you arrive during low tide, flocks of feathered creatures descend on the lagoon to scrounge for tasty morsels. Mata de Limón is divided by a river, with the lagoon and most facilities on the south side.

A major port on the Pacific coast is Puerto Caldera, which you pass soon after leaving Mata de Limón. There aren’t any sights here, and the beach is unremarkable unless you’re a surfer, in which case there are a few good breaks to be had here (though be careful as the beach is rocky in places).

Buses heading for the Caldera port depart hourly from the market in Puntarenas, and can easily drop you off at any of the spots listed above. If you’re driving, the break at Boca Barranca is located near the bridge on the Costanera Sur (South Coastal Hwy), while the entrance to Playa Doña Ana and El Segundo is a little further south (look for a sign that says ‘Paradero Turístico Doña Ana’). Also, the turnoff for Mata de Limón is located about 5.5km south of Playa Doña Ana.

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TURU BA RI TROPICAL PARK & AROUND

The Turu Ba Ri Tropical Park (2250-0705; www.turubari.com; admission US$15;8:30am-5pm Tue-Sun;) is a collection of botanical gardens reflecting each of the topographic zones native to Costa Rica. As you walk along impeccably manicured trails, you’ll pass through palm forests, pasture lands, herbariums, cactus fields, bamboo groves, bromeliad