All properties	Condos	Homes	Lots	Commercial	Fire Sales	Rentals

Quality of life • Beaches • Health care • Climate • Global Accessibility • The People • Education

The opening of the Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia to direct overseas flights in 2002 was a landmark event for investors, snowbirds, retirees, residents and travelers alike. The airport is approximately one hour from Tamarindo, Flamingo and other popular coastal towns, which makes staying on the North Pacific Coast practical for those who want easy and convenient access to North America. For many our happy Re/max clients, it is now possible to leave the snow, rain and cold of North America behind in the morning, and be sipping cold cervezas in our Costa Rica property by the afternoon.

As of August 2005, there are 42 direct flights from North America arriving in Liberia each week on renowned international carriers like Delta, United,Continental, American,Air-Canada, SkyService and others. Make sure to ask your favorite airline if they fly directly or have good connections to Liberia.

You can get from Liberia to Tamarindo by shuttle, car rental, taxi, or hotel transfer. Taxi's will cost approximately US$70 one way. If you contact our office, we can make shuttle or car rental arrangements on your behalf. There are also Costa Rica rental car agencies located near the Liberia airport that will meet you there and take you to their car rental agency nearby. These agencies include Europcar, Budget, Economy, and Discount.

The Costa Rica government hired a French company to perform a study to estimate passenger arrivals at the Daniel Oduber International Airport. The study, completed last year, projected 300,000 passenger arrivals by the year 2020. However, it turns out the French company severely underestimated the draw of beautiful and peaceful Costa Rica . . . approximately 310,000 passengers traveled through the Liberia airport in 2005 alone!

The other international airport, Juan Santa Maria International Airport, is located about 20 minutes from the capital city of San Jose. If your Costa Rica real estate search is confined to the Central Valley (San Jose, Escazu, Heredia, Alajuela, or Santa Ana) you will probably want to fly to San Jose. You may also end up flying here because of better connections or cheaper tickets, depending on where your flight is originating. If your intention is to come to the coast, you have several options: local flights, rental cars or buses.

You can fly from San Jose to many Costa Rican towns, including Tamarindo, via a national network of regularly scheduled daily flights on Sansa, Nature Air and Paradise Air. The planes carry from four to fifteen passengers, and round trip fares generally cost between USD$80 - 250 depending on your destination.

The number and time of flights can vary according to the carrier and the season, so you should check with your travel agent or the airlines themselves to determine the most convenient flight for you. If you have arranged your Costa Rica real estate tour with us, we will be happy to care for these arrangements. Otherwise, we recommend that you pre-book to ensure your ticket and also arrive early, as flights have been known to leave prior to the scheduled flight time without all the passengers.

You can travel from San Jose to the coast via several private bus companies that offer inexpensive, convenient and comfortable buses. Grayline is one of our favorites, and departs daily from many major hotels in San Jose. The driver will often drop you at or very near your accommodation in Tamarindo. The fares are usually between $20 and $30 each way. Once again, if you have booked a Costa Rica real estate tour with Re/max Ocean Surf, we would be happy to make the reservations on your behalf.

Most of the major rental car companies operate in Costa Rica, including Alamo, Avis, Budget, Economy, Europcar, and National. Having your own car gives you the freedom to explore and convenience to come and go as you please. However, it's more than likely that the roads and driving conditions will not be what you?re accustomed to. Although the main roads going out of San Jose are in fairly good condition, the smaller roads near the coast can be full of potholes. Most roads don?t have sidewalks, so pedestrians and bikers are forced to travel on the road. And drivers in Costa Rica are known for making blind passes. Thus, we highly recommend that you travel during daylight hours and drive with caution. That being said, many of us have driven for years here in Costa Rica without incident. If you think you will need a car only for your Costa Rica real estate tour, please do not be concerned, as your Re/Max Ocean Surf realtor will be more than happy to chauffer you on your property search.