Sezza

Does anyone have suggestions on how to get from Bocas del Toro to the Osa Peninsula? We could fly Nature Air, but we then have to pay to fly to SJ then back to Puerto Jiminez. There are four of us.
Many thanks!!!
Sezza

shillmac

Here's the deal. Getting back to Costa Rica without flying takes a bit of time, and involves water taxis, regular taxis, buses, border dealings, etc--TIME. Just to get into Costa Rica. Then you are 4-5 hours by bus or car or taxi or whatever from San Jose. Once back to San Jose, you are 8 hours from Puerto Jimenez by bus, taxi, car, whatever.

Unless you want to invest 2 days in transportation, I'd suggest you bite the bullet and pay for the flights. They make it so easy, and save you a tremendous amount of time. That makes it worth the $$! I think it is really nice that the flights are available. Otherwise, getting from Bocas to the Osa would be a nightmare. It is doubtful that many people actually go straight to PJ from Bocas, but Nature Air sure makes it easy to do! Have a great time. Both are fabulous destinations.

JeanH

I've never done this, but it might work. How about flying from Bocas to David in Panama, then catching a bus to Puerto Jiminez? I'm wondering, though, if you'd have to fly back to Panama City to get to David. Then, you might as well fly to San Jose.....

shillmac

Jean, we flew through David a couple of years ago (I think Air Panama, can't remember for sure), and you are right. It may be possible to fly to David. If it is like domestic in CR, however, all travel would have to go through Albrook in Panama City.

The problem is (just my opinion) that the bus portion might be the problem. It would be worth checking out, though. Coming back into Costa Rica on the Caribbean side, I don't remember there being buses. We did it all by taxi. Maybe there WERE, and we just chose not to use them. ??

I do know that we had to use separate taxis. One took us to the border, and he helped us with immigration, even assisted us in carrying our luggage across. We then had to walk across the bridge over Rio Sixaola and hire another taxi to take us to Puerto Viejo. The taxis were pricey, of course. $40 each as I recall. More or less. The taxi drivers were in touch with one another.

At any rate, it wasn't a quick and easy process. We were at the border for an hour or two. And we didn't have proof that we would be leaving Costa Rica, so CR immigration authorities would not let us into the country. Well, one of us had our return e-ticket back to the states in our possession; the other one didn't. We then had to go and purchase a bus ticket (so maybe there were buses) from Costa Rica back into Panama in order to prove Costa Rica was not to be our final destination. So I'm thinking and remembering as I write. Can you tell?


Main point: it just wasn't easy. We had flown down on Nature Air to Bocas, but decided to return on land simply because we weren't pressed for time and thought it would add interest and experience to our trip. It did. LOL! It also added a few headaches. From David, it wouldn't be a short trip to Puerto Jimenez, but probably could be done. The quickest way would be to then take the lancha from Golfito over to Puerto Jimenez rather than driving all the way around the Golfo Dulce. . .

Sometimes the travel itself can be so stressful, certainly when border crossings are involved. If we had this choice to make, getting from Bocas to Puerto Jimenez, even with 4 people, we probably spend a little more just to keep it all a bit smoother.

hipvirgochick

I was just planning something similar but also spending time in Puerto Viejo. My plan was to fly from Puerto Jimenez to Bocas del Toro (via SJO), then shuttle to Puerto Viejo, then raft/transfer back to San Jose. Don't know if that scenario interests you at all.

shillmac

Sounds like a plan, hip! I like it! We will meet you somewhere. Wouldn't mind Bocas again (the snorkeling was really good--beautiful reef), but PV would be juch simpler. We want to raft also. Maybe next summer we can get it done!

JeanH

There were buses when we were in Bocas. I remember because a (maybe THE bridge) washed out while we were there. People wanting to leave by bus were sort of stuck.

Bruce and I are debating between Roatan and a road trip around Guatamala/southern Belize (by bus) in February. It mostly depends on what's going on in Honduras at the time, and whether our friends are still planning on going.

It will be one of those 'getting there is half the fun' kind of trips.

hipvirgochick

shillmac -- Well, that's what I WAS planning, but then I decided to go for more time in Osa. Ha! Want some time in Drake Bay. However, still going to PV for sure. Will send details as soon as I can commit.

Sezza

WOWZA! That is super complicated. We are on a pretty tight schedule so I don't think we'd want to take the risk of getting stuck at the border etc.
Unfortunately, the flights from SJ to PJ leave prior to the flights from Bocas del Toro arrive, so that adds another night in SJ on the itinerary...unless we could convince Nature Air to hold the plane for us?
It's either Bocase del Toro (a surf retreat) or Tamarindo (groan) and I have not heard good things about Tamarindo and the "vibe". I am guessing that Bocas del Toro is a completely different vacay.

hipvirgochick

sezza -- Well, I'm planning on spending time in Puerto Viejo anyway, so in that case going to Bocas del Toro first would not be such a big deal. Since I can't fly from Puerto Jimenez to Limon to go to Puerto Viejo, instead flying to BDT, spending 4 nights there, then taking the shuttle to Puerto Viejo, spending 4 nights there, makes more sense. I rafted the Pacuare last trip and want to do it again, so the raft/transfer back to San Jose fit in perfectly. Does it sounds less complicated now or moreso? LOL! In any event, I don't think there are usually problems getting stuck at the border. It's a pretty regular shuttle.

May I ask why you have to choose with Bocas del Toro or Tamarindo?

Jeff_Costa_Rica

You haven't defined what you mean by a "pretty tight schedule," but if my time were limited, I'd do all Costa Rica or all Panama and not try to combine both.

The domestic airline Aeroperlas does fly three mornings a week from Bocas to David. It's a 40-minute flight.

AmyH

Sezza-

We had the same issue and I wound up reversing our plans so that we would go to Osa first and then from Osa to Bocas and Bocas back to San Jose. Although not direct, you can book flights from Palmar Sur to Bocas on Nature Air and there is plenty of time in between flights (too much time, but what can you do). That way, after Bocas, we just have one flight back up to San Jose, and then head home the following morning. Instead of flying from San Jose to Palmar Sur, we are renting a car and driving and then dropping the car is Osa. I hope this helps?