Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [497]
On the Caribbean coast, there is a bus and boat service that runs several times a day, linking Cariari and Tortuguero (Click here), while another links Parismina and Siquirres (Click here).
Boats also ply the canals that run along the coast from Moín to Tortuguero, although no regular service exists. A daily water taxi connects Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí with Trinidad on the Río San Juan (Click here). The San Juan is Nicaraguan territory, so take your passport. You can try to arrange boat transportation in any of these towns for Barra del Colorado.
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BUS
Local Buses
Local buses are the best (if rather slow) way of getting around Costa Rica. You can take one just about everywhere, and they’re frequent and cheap, with the longest domestic journey out of San José costing less than US$15.
San José is the transportation center for the country (Click here), though there is no central terminal. Bus offices are scattered around the city: some large bus companies have big terminals that sell tickets in advance, while others have little more than a stop – sometimes unmarked.
Normally there’s room for everyone on a bus, and if there isn’t, someone will squeeze you on anyhow. The exceptions are days before and after a major holiday, especially Easter, when buses are ridiculously full. Note that there are no buses from Thursday to Saturday before Easter Sunday.
There are two types of bus: directo and colectivo. The directo buses should go from one destination to the next with few stops, though it goes against the instincts of most Costa Rican bus drivers to not pick up every single roadside passenger. As for the colectivo, you know you’re on one when the kids outside are outrunning your bus.
Trips longer than four hours usually include a rest stop as buses do not have toilets. Space is limited on board, so if you have to check luggage make sure that it gets loaded and that it isn’t ‘accidentally’ given to someone else at intermediate stops. Keep your day pack with important documents on you at all times. Theft from overhead racks is rampant.
Bus schedules fluctuate wildly, so always confirm the time when you buy your ticket. If you are catching a bus that picks you up somewhere along a road, get to the roadside early. Departure times are estimated and if the bus comes early, it will leave early.
For information on departures from San José, pay a visit to the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT) office (Click here) to pick up the (sort of) up-to-date copy of the master schedule, which is also available online at www.visitcostarica.com.
DRIVING THROUGH RIVERS
You know all those great ads where 4WD monster trucks splash through rivers full speed ahead? Forget you ever saw them.
Driving in Costa Rica will likely necessitate a river crossing at some point. Unfortunately, too many travelers have picked up their off-road skills from watching TV, and every season Ticos (Costa Ricans) get a good chuckle out of the number of dead vehicles they help wayward travelers fish out of waterways.
If you’re driving through water, follow the rules below:
Only do this in a 4WD Don’t drive through a river in a car. (It may seem ridiculous to have to say this, but it’s done all the time.) Getting out of a steep, gravel riverbed requires a 4WD. Besides, car engines flood very easily – adiós rental car.
Check the depth of the water before driving through To accommodate an average rental 4WD, the water should be no deeper than above the knee. In a sturdier vehicle (Toyota 4-Runner or equivalent), water can be waist-deep. If you’re not sure, ask a local.
The water should be calm If the river is gushing so that there are white crests on the water, do not try to cross. Not only will the force of the water flood the engine, it could sweep your car away.
Drive sloooooowly Taxi drivers all over Costa Rica make lots of