Flying into Liberia, does this make sense?
Jan 2nd, 2005, 06:29 AM
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Flying into Liberia, does this make sense?
My partner and I are planning a trip to CR the beginning of April and thought it would help the travel time to fly into Liberia and out of SJO. We want to start out trip in Monteverde, then to Arenal and fly to Manuel Antonio from San Jose -- finally, fly back to SJO to leave for the States.
I'm having a REALLY hard time figuring out travel time on the net!
I'm having a REALLY hard time figuring out travel time on the net!
Jan 2nd, 2005, 06:48 AM
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Unless you plan to spend time at the beginining of your trip on the northern Pacific beaches, flying into Liberia will not benefit you. It is approximately the same travel time to Monteverde from Liberia as it is from SJO, the international airport. If I were you, I'd go ahead and plan to fly in and out of SJO. Good luck!
Jan 2nd, 2005, 06:58 AM
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The only advantages that I can see to flying into Liberia vs SJO to get to Monteverde is that Liberia is a much smaller airport so getting on your way might be a little quicker. Also, there will be less traffic to fight. Because of all the big cattle ranches up that way the roads are much more open than they are closer to San Jose. Traffic LOL can get heavy up around Liberia but it is the 4 legged cattle kind sometimes. The ranchers move their cattle on the roads at times. I've run into that twice. Driving times from either Liberia or SJO are pretty close. Conservatively, I would plan on 3-4hrs give or take 1/2 hr depending on road conditions and traffic at the time.
Jan 2nd, 2005, 09:11 AM
#5
To answer your question:
Arenal is closer to Liberia but not by that much.
So if you are coming from San Jose, you will come to Arenal first ..see what you want to see here and then move on to Monteverde.
It is shorter to Monteverde from Liberia BUT not enough to make any great difference to you.
Also if you fly into Liberia and fly out of San Jose to go back home,there is an extra cost for this with the airlines.
I assume that you are renting a vehicle.
and I am assuming you want to start in Monteverde first as you say.
This is what I would do:
1. From San Jose drive to Arenal and see some of the nice towns along the way
like Grecia ,Sarchi,Zarcero etc.
2.After you have seen what you want in Arenal( the Volcano, Tabcacon Hot Springs etc),then circle part way around Arenal Lake until you get to Tilaran.
3. From Tilaran ...take the "terrible " road to Monteverde.
4. From Monteverde ,when you are ready to leave, take the road that will bring you out to Sardinal and then the Inter American Highway.
5. Once on the Inter American Highway , you can go back to San Jose via San Mateo, and Atenas.
(I say back to San Jose only because you said you want to fly to Manuel Antonio from San Jose..but actually once you are at San Mateo ,you are not that far from Manuel Antonio ,relatively speaking.)
6.Now you are at San Jose Airport and you can fly to Manuel Antonio..as you said you want to do.
Now IF you WANT to fly to Liberia, then this is what you do:
1. From Liberia take the Inter American Highway until you come to the left hand turn off to the town of Juntas.
2.Drive through the town of Juntas, pick up a snack and/or a drink here and then head out on the dirt road to Monteverde.
3.This road will eventually join up with the road from Tilaran( that I had mentioned previously).
What is this road like?!
Well, just let me say that if the road from Tilaran is "Dumb", this one is "Dumber".
So your choice is between "dumb and dumber" !!!
4. Okay now you are in Monteverde...do and see what you want here and then drive to Arenal via the road going to Tilaran.!
5. From Arenal you can drive to San Jose and then fly to Manuel Antonio and back again as you want to do.
Which one would I do ?
1. I guess I would fly into San Jose,only because you have more options out of San Jose.
I agree with what shillmac and Jessie said.
The two choice I gave you is becuase you want to fly to and from manuel Antonio.
Good Luck and let us know what you decide.
Percy
Arenal is closer to Liberia but not by that much.
So if you are coming from San Jose, you will come to Arenal first ..see what you want to see here and then move on to Monteverde.
It is shorter to Monteverde from Liberia BUT not enough to make any great difference to you.
Also if you fly into Liberia and fly out of San Jose to go back home,there is an extra cost for this with the airlines.
I assume that you are renting a vehicle.
and I am assuming you want to start in Monteverde first as you say.
This is what I would do:
1. From San Jose drive to Arenal and see some of the nice towns along the way
like Grecia ,Sarchi,Zarcero etc.
2.After you have seen what you want in Arenal( the Volcano, Tabcacon Hot Springs etc),then circle part way around Arenal Lake until you get to Tilaran.
3. From Tilaran ...take the "terrible " road to Monteverde.
4. From Monteverde ,when you are ready to leave, take the road that will bring you out to Sardinal and then the Inter American Highway.
5. Once on the Inter American Highway , you can go back to San Jose via San Mateo, and Atenas.
(I say back to San Jose only because you said you want to fly to Manuel Antonio from San Jose..but actually once you are at San Mateo ,you are not that far from Manuel Antonio ,relatively speaking.)
6.Now you are at San Jose Airport and you can fly to Manuel Antonio..as you said you want to do.
Now IF you WANT to fly to Liberia, then this is what you do:
1. From Liberia take the Inter American Highway until you come to the left hand turn off to the town of Juntas.
2.Drive through the town of Juntas, pick up a snack and/or a drink here and then head out on the dirt road to Monteverde.
3.This road will eventually join up with the road from Tilaran( that I had mentioned previously).
What is this road like?!
Well, just let me say that if the road from Tilaran is "Dumb", this one is "Dumber".
So your choice is between "dumb and dumber" !!!
4. Okay now you are in Monteverde...do and see what you want here and then drive to Arenal via the road going to Tilaran.!
5. From Arenal you can drive to San Jose and then fly to Manuel Antonio and back again as you want to do.
Which one would I do ?
1. I guess I would fly into San Jose,only because you have more options out of San Jose.
I agree with what shillmac and Jessie said.
The two choice I gave you is becuase you want to fly to and from manuel Antonio.
Good Luck and let us know what you decide.
Percy
Jan 3rd, 2005, 08:42 AM
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Rachel,
You'll do just fine with a car. I think Percy was expressing that, when you leave Monteverde to drive back to San Jose, you'll come to a place where, from that point, is just a couple of hours by car. From the point, it is the same distance (almost) to drive on down to MA as it is to return to San Jose or the airport area. For this reason, it seemed a little odd that you would want to spend that 2 hours returning to San Jose to catch a flight to Manuel Antonio!
You'll do just fine with a car. I think Percy was expressing that, when you leave Monteverde to drive back to San Jose, you'll come to a place where, from that point, is just a couple of hours by car. From the point, it is the same distance (almost) to drive on down to MA as it is to return to San Jose or the airport area. For this reason, it seemed a little odd that you would want to spend that 2 hours returning to San Jose to catch a flight to Manuel Antonio!
Jan 12th, 2005, 10:33 AM
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Related question. We're cruising out of Caldera. We've already been to San Jose, so are thinking about flying into Liberia and going ground to Caldera. I know it's a bit further that way, but I guess the big question is the quality of the roads etc. Any ideas? Thanks
Jan 12th, 2005, 11:26 AM
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And how does Los Suenos fit into the scheme of things? Would it be at all realistic to fly into Liberia, then spend the night at the Marriott in Los Suenos, that go to Puerto Caldera the next day for the cruise? THANKS
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