Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [339]
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Getting There & Away
AIR
Departing from San José, NatureAir (www.natureair.com) and Sansa (www.sansa.com) have daily flights to the Palmar airstrip. Prices vary according to season and availability, though you can expect to pay around US$100 to/from San José.
Taxis meet incoming flights and charge up to ₡2500 to Palmar Norte and ₡7500 to ₡12,500 to Sierpe. Otherwise, the infrequent Palmar Norte–Sierpe bus goes through Palmar Sur – you can board it if there’s space available.
BUS
Buses to San José and San Isidro stop on the east side of the Interamericana. Other buses leave from in front of Panadería Palenquito or Supermercado Térraba a block apart on the town’s main street. The bus ticket office is inside the Palenquito.
Neily (Transportes Térraba) ₡800; 1½ hours; departs 5am, 6am, 7am, 9:30am, noon, 1pm, 2:20pm & 4:50pm.
San Isidro (Tracopa) ₡2000; three hours; departs 8:30am, 11:30am, 2:30pm and 4:30pm.
San José (Tracopa) ₡2800; five hours; departs 5:25am, 6:15am, 7:45am, 10am, 1pm, 3pm and 4:45pm.
Sierpe ₡650; one hour; departs 4:30am, 7am, 9:30am, 11:30am, 2:30pm and 5:30pm.
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NEILY
Although it is southern Costa Rica’s second-largest ‘city,’ Neily has retained the friendly atmosphere of a rural town, much like neighboring Palmar. At just 50m above sea level, steamy Neily also serves as a regional transportation hub and agricultural center, though it is decidedly lacking in tourist appeal.
Neily is located on the west bank of the Río Corredor, on the north side of the Interamericana. From here the Interamericana continues 17km to Panama, while Rte 16 makes a beeline north to the attractive mountain village of San Vito.
To the south, the lowlands are carpeted in the banana and palm plantations of the Valle de Coto Colorado, and in the north, the Fila Costeña is the source of spectacular mountain scenery.
There is a Banco Coopealianza (8am-3pm Mon-Fri), just southwest of the mercado (market), that has a 24-hour ATM on the Cirrus network.
About 15km north of Neily on the road to San Vito, Las Cavernas de Corredores are a network of little-explored caverns on a private banana plantation. Besides the huge, impressive stalactites, several species of bats are also in the caves. It’s not geared toward tourists, but it is usually possible to visit. If you have a 4WD, turn off about 15km north of Neily, just before the school. The small pulpería (look for the ‘Teléfono Público’ sign) has more information. Otherwise, you can hire a 4WD taxi from Neily for about ₡5000 to ₡7500.
Few people have reason to stick around town, though you can always grab a clean room and a hot meal at Centro Turístico Neily (2783-3031; r from US$30; ), a low-key resort in a quiet residential part of town. The faux-colonial decorations create a relaxed ambience, as does the tranquil open-air restaurant overlooking the grounds.
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Getting There & Away
AIR
Departing from San José, NatureAir (www.natureair.com) and Sansa (www.sansa.com) have daily flights to the Neily airstrip. Prices vary according to season and availability, though you can expect to pay around US$100 to/from San José.
BUS
The following buses leave from the main terminal on the east side of town:
Airport ₡250; 30 minutes; departs 7:30am, 9:15am, 11:30am, 1:15pm, 3:15pm, 5:30pm and 6pm.
Golfito ₡800; 1½ hours; departs hourly 6am to 7:30pm.
Palmar ₡800; 1½ hours; departs 4:45am, 9:15am, noon, 12:30pm, 2:30pm, 4:30pm and 5:45pm.
Paso Canoas ₡250; 30 minutes; departs every half-hour 6am to 6pm.
Puerto Jiménez ₡2000; three hours; departs 7am and 2pm.
San Isidro (Tracopa) ₡3500; six hours; departs 7am, 10am, 1pm and 3pm.
San José (Tracopa) ₡5000; eight hours; departs 4:30am, 5am, 8:30am, 11:30am and 3:30pm.
San Vito ₡250; 30 minutes; departs 6am, 7:30am, 9am, noon, 1pm, 4pm and 5:30pm.
Zancudo ₡2000; three hours; departs 9:30am and