TRAVEL INFORMATION

Canadians, US Citizens, citizens of the European Union, Swiss, Australians and citizens of some other countries do not need a visa to enter Costa Rica and are usually allowed to stay up to 180 days in the country. However, they must have a current valid passport and a return ticket to exit Costa Rica (either to return to your country or go to another country). The passport must be valid for a minimum of 3 months from the day you enter Costa Rica.

For foreigners of other countries, the tourist visa will depend on their nationality and they should apply for it at the Consulate of their jurisdiction.

If you will be travelling to Costa Rica from South America you will need the YELLOW FEVER VACCINE to enter Costa Rica.

Costa Rica has two international airports; Daniel Oduber Intenational Airport, in Liberia, in the province of Guanacaste, which is just 66,6 km away from Tamarindo and Juan Santamaria International Airport, in Alajuela, close to San José, with a distance of 247 km to Tamarindo.

For students that are staying with host families or at the student houses in Tamarindo, we need to know if you are planning to come to Tamarindo by plane, public bus or private bus and the approximate time of arrival.

TRAVELLING FROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT DANIEL ODUBER, IN LIBERIA, TO PLAYA TAMARINDO, VILLAREAL AND SANTA ROSA

The airport is about 70 km away from Playa Tamarindo. We can arrange a private shuttle from the airport in Liberia to Tamarindo or directly to your host family in Santa Rosa or Villarreal for USD 100.00. The travel time is less than 1 hour.

How to get there

TRAVELLING FROM SAN JOSÉ TO TAMARINDO

Upon arrival students can change their money into Colones in the bank at Juan Santamaria International Airport. The exchange rates, and above all, the commission of changing USD or Euros into Colones, is higher than changing in other banks in the country so therefore we recommend only to change a small amount of money.

If students cannot complete their trip within one day to Tamarindo, we recommend them to stay at the Hotel Berlor. This hotel is located just 1.5 km from the airport and has a cost of USD 75.00 (included is breakfast, WiFi and taxes). The next day, students may travel with Interbus to Playa Tamarindo.

Interbus is a private bus company that offers direct service to Tamarindo. This bus ride takes about 4 ½ hours to reach Tamarindo. Interbus offers daily service at a charge of USD 68.00. The buses are air conditioned and comfortable. The departure time is at 08:15 am at the Hotel Berlor (if you stay at this hotel) or at 03.00 pm at the Restaurant Denny’s by the airport, and it arrives in Playa Tamarindo approximately at 1 pm or at around 06.30 pm. We can make the reservation at the Hotel Berlor and also purchase the bus ticket for you.

Since the reception of the school is open on Sunday only from 10.30 am - 02.00 pm, students that stay at one of our student houses should take the 08:15 am bus in order to get on time to Playa Tamarindo. In case a student arrives later we will leave the keys of the residence in a lockbox, but this has to be organized prior to the arrival.

There is no problem for students to take the afternoon bus if they stay with a host family.

Important: Students staying with host families in Santa Rosa or Villarreal have to get off the bus at "Centro Comercial GOLLO" in the center of Villareal where a member of their host family will wait for them.

How to get there

BY AIRPLANE

SANSA fly from San José's Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) to Playa Tamarindo (TNO) around 3 times a day. Students can purchase the ticket with SANSA on-line on their website SANSA: https://www.flysansa.com

At the airport, in Playa Tamarindo, you can take a taxi for about USD 10.00 to get to Santa Rosa, Villareal or Playa Tamarindo. Please do not forget to keep your lodging information at hand in order to tell the driver the address.

DANIEL ODUBER QUIROS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (45 miles to Tamarindo)

The Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) in Liberia connects Guanacaste with 21 cities in five countries.

Amsterdam* - KLM
Atlanta - Delta Airlines
Baltimore - Southwest Airlines
Boston - Jet Blue
Calgary - West Jet
Charlotte - American Airlines
Chicago - American Airlines, United Airlines
Dallas - American Airlines
Denver - United Airlines, Southwest Airlines
Edmonton-Calgary - Sunwing
Gatwick - Tui
Houston - United, Southwest Airlines
Los Ángeles - Alaska, Jet Blue, United Airlines
Miami - American Airlines
Minneapolis - Delta Airlines, Sun Country
Montreal - Air Canada, Air Transat, Sunwing
Newark - United Airlines
New York - American Airlines, Jet Blue
San Francisco - United Airlines
Toronto - Air Canada, Air Transat, Sunwing, West Jet
Zurich* - Edelweiss

*These flight connections make a stop at the Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO).

BY PUBLIC BUS

The TIG bus company offers 2-3 times a day transport from San José to Playa Tamarindo, the departures in San José are at 8: 30h, 11: 30h and 15: 30h, the ticket price is about US $ 10.00. The bus station is at Paseo Colón, del Hospital Nacional de Niños 100 metros oeste y 275 al norte contiguo a la Conferencia Episcopal de Costa Rica (Cecor).

The bus ride takes about 6 hours. Tickets can be purchased on-line at https://tiguanacaste.com.

Since the school's reception is open until 4 pm on Sundays, students who live in a student house should not travel by public bus to Tamarindo. For students in host families, however, there are no problems if they arrive by public bus.