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Taking the Ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera Step by Step Guide

September 19, 2021 By yeison 105 Comments

If you’re planning to visit Montezuma, Tambor, Santa Teresa, Malpaís, Paquera or any beach on the Nicoya Peninsula from San Jose, taking the ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera is one of the best ways to get there.

In this article, you will learn exactly how to take this ferry. We’ll give step by step instructions for buying tickets, how to cross with a car or by foot and how long the ferry is. There is also an instructional video at this end of this post.

Taking the Ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera

Puntarenas Ferry Location

The Puntarenas ferry is at the very end of “Paseo de los Turistas,” the main road that goes through Puntarenas town. If you’re driving from San Jose, the drive is very easy on the highway, taking around 2 hours.

You can put in Google Maps “Naviera Tambor ferry” to get to the ferry dock.

The Route

This is the ferry route from the Puntarenas ferry to Paquera.

Puntarenas ferry to Paquera map and route - Ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera
Puntarenas ferry to Paquera map and route

You will go through the Gulf of Nicoya past some islands into the bay.

Puntarenas Paquera Ferry Schedule

Here is the schedule for the ferry from Puntarena to Paquera.

Puntarenas – Paquera: 7 AM, 10 AM, 12:30 PM, 3 PM and 6 PM.
Paquera – Puntarenas: 6 AM, 10 AM, 12:30 PM, 3 PM and 5 PM.

Purchasing Ferry Tickets Online

You can purchase your ferry ticket online on the Quickpay CR website. *Please note that we are not associated or are affiliated with them – we cannot fix website problems or purchase tickets for you. Contact them if you have any questions.*

They only sell a certain number of tickets online, once those are sold out, you will then have to buy tickets in person.

If you have a rental car, it will ask you for your license plate and you can enter any 6 digit number or put in RENTALCAR. ***When you are purchasing tickets, you need to choose “Vehicle Liviano (automovil).

Once you purchase the tickets, they’ll email you the receipt and confirmation. You need to arrive at the Puntarenas dock 30 minutes before your ferry time.

Purchasing Ferry Tickets in Person

To purchase your ticket in person, you need to go to the ticket office across the street from the ferry dock. It’s on the right hand side with a large blue sign that says “BOLETERIA.”

**If you are traveling on a weekend or during the months of December through April, make sure to arrive at least 1.5-2 hours early to purchase tickets in person as those are busy tourism season months. If you are traveling during Christmas, New Years or Easter, I would arrive 2-3 hours early if you can’t purchase tickets beforehand*

Ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera - ticket office
Ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera – ticket office

When we took the 2 pm ferry, the ticket office didn’t open until 12:45 PM since the workers were on lunch. For our second trip on the ferry, we purchased tickets the night before.

When buying tickets in person, tell the cashier how many adults and children and if you have a car. I bought tickets for me, Yeison and our car so I told the lady “Dos adultos y un carro por favor.”

Taking the Ferry With a Car

If you have a car, you will need to drive onto the car loading area by the dock. There is an officer there that will tell you where to go to wait in line. Once you park in the waiting area, the ferry attendant will ask you for your tickets. If you purchased them online, you can show it to him on your phone.

When driving onto the dock, everyone except the driver must get out and board the boat by foot. Make sure all the foot passengers have their ticket with them as they will have to show it to board the ferry.

Car loading area of ferry
Waiting in line for the ferry

The loading time starts about 45 minutes before departure. There is a loud speaker that will announce when it’s time to load the ferry and it is in English and Spanish.

If you’re renting a car, make sure to check out our special Costa Rica car rental discount and extra benefits!

If You are a Foot Passenger

For those traveling without a car, the process is the same. If you’re arriving by bus, you will get off the bus right at the ferry ticket office.

While you wait to board the ferry, there is a nice waiting area under a large white tarp in the dock loading area.

Puntarenas Ferry to Paquera
Puntarenas Ferry to Paquera: foot passengers first

When they start loading the ferry, you will follow the foot passenger line to board the ferry. You’ll show the ticket to the ferry attendant and then board the boat.

The Ferry

The ferry has bathrooms and a cafeteria selling snacks, food, water, coffee and drinks. There are outside seating areas as well as an inside air conditioned cabin with televisions. You can sit anywhere you want.

Puntarenas Paquera Ferry
Puntarenas Paquera Ferry

As soon as it’s time to leave, they will make an announcement over the loud speaker in English and Spanish.

Paquera ferry seats

The ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera takes a little over an hour. You will cruise through the Gulf of Nicoya and the views are beautiful. You’ll see a few islands and other boats.

Getting off the ferry

When the ferry is close to Paquera, you will hear an announcement for drivers to get into their cars. Once the ferry is docked, foot passengers will get off first and then cars.

The Ferry

Once you get off, you can take a taxi, take the bus or drive to your next destination. There are buses from Paquera to Cobano, Montezuma and Santa Teresa.

The bus from Paquera to Montezuma and Santa Teresa is at 6:15, 8:15, 10:15, 12:15, 3:15 PM, 4:30 PM and 6:15 PM.

I asked for the price of a taxi from Paquera ferry dock to Santa Teresa and they told me it is around 30,000 CRC (~$48 USD).

Puntarenas Paquera Ferry Video

Watch a video of us taking the ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera below. You’ll see where the ticket office is, what the ferry is like and how the roads are.

As you can see, taking the ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera is super easy and fun!

Naranjo Ferry

If you are taking the Puntarenas ferry to Naranjo, the process is the same (same location) to board. The ticket office is not the same, it’s a little bit down the street from the Paquera ferry and the loading area is right next to the Paquera dock. Here is the schedule and prices.

Naranjo ferry
Naranjo line

The Naranjo ferry is a good option if you want to go to Samara.

Naranjo ferry ticket prices
Naranjo ferry schedule

Filed Under: About Costa Rica

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Susan says

    March 3, 2023

    Hi there, Thank you so much for such a great website. I’ve used it and recommended it to a bunch of people. I’m travelling Montezuma- Santa Barbara de Heredia. Taking the taxi boat from Jaco there but the departure back to Jaco is too early. Debating flying Green Airways or the drive-ferry-drive with a driver route you describe here Are the ferries reliable? I worry flights will get cancelled and then I am stuck but the driving seems long 5-6 hours. And also would you recommend keeping the same car and driver the whole time so I don’t have to fuss with luggage on the ferry? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      March 3, 2023

      Ferries are very reliable, they are always running.

      Reply
      • Susan says

        March 3, 2023

        Thank you!

        Reply
  2. Geri Gibbs says

    March 1, 2023

    Do you know if you can travel on the ferry with a leased pet?

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      March 14, 2023

      Yes I am pretty sure you can and they have a specific section you have to go to with your pet on the second floor

      Reply
  3. Taylor says

    February 9, 2023

    Hi! Thanks for the tips, but just to update you do indeed need your rental car license plate to get on the ferry!

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      February 18, 2023

      Yes you can also put in RENTALCAR in the box

      Reply
  4. Kenny says

    February 8, 2023

    Hi – thanks for this post. It helped a ton!

    I was able to navigate the quickpay site. I received an email confirmation that says “La transacción en Naviera Tambor – Sitio Web por un valor de ₡901,53 ha sido APROBADA”. (I know this means the payment was approved) however…

    Is this the only confirmation I should expect or should I expect a separate email with a formal ticket?

    My guess is that I show this confirmation at the in-person ticket area and they give me a ticket. Is that right?

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      February 18, 2023

      Yes show them the receipt and ticket and you need to show that to them

      Reply
  5. Sarah Kiley says

    February 1, 2023

    Hi, I absolutely love this blog! It was so helpful when we planned our first trip to CR last summer. Well it’s that time again… planning our next trip for this summer. We will be renting a car again through you and I’m thinking of starting in Jaco/Manuel Antonio area then making the trek to Tamarindo. Do you suggest we take the ferry to cross to Nicoya peninsula and then drive north?

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      February 2, 2023

      You can do it that way if you want to experience the ferry, or just drive.

      Reply
  6. Jack Pitzer says

    November 10, 2022

    Hello,

    I am trying to purchase a ticket for Nov 18 from Paquera at 6 am but I keep getting “No vehicle available”
    Does this mean it’s sold out? Or do I have to purchase just before the ferry?

    Regards,
    Jack

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      November 10, 2022

      You may need to turn off the translate if you used Google Translate on the website and purchase it in the original website, try again in a few days to see if there are tickets available. Their site is kind of wonky and I find they don’t maintain it so sometimes it runs into problems

      Reply
      • Jim says

        November 20, 2022

        Hello. Your response to Jack answered 1 of my questions. I hope that you can help with another one…when purchasing a ticket online through QuickpayCR, the last screen has required fields for name, phone number, e mail address, and document number. What document number are they referring to? I can’t complete the purchase without whatever number they are looking for.

        I am trying to reserve 2 adult tickets (no vehicle) from Puntarenas to Paquera for February 9, 2023. First time using the ferry and trying to avoid last minute ticket purchase (and possibility of being sold out) on the day of travel.

        Thank you………………..Jim

        Reply
        • Sammi says

          November 22, 2022

          It means like your ID/passport number

          Reply
  7. K says

    October 12, 2022

    Hello! I want to travel from Paquera to Puntarenas around Christmas! But the online website has no availability for the entire months of December and January! I will be in Paquera for 2 days. Could I purchase tickets in person the day before? Or do I need to show up 2-3 hrs before on the day I want to leave? Thank you for your time!

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      October 17, 2022

      They will probably open the tickets up the closer to the dates

      Reply
    • Lennert says

      November 4, 2022

      If you use Google Translate on the Ferry online service (quickpay) it won’t work.

      Thanks Sammy for your great, helpful website. We are looking forward to our visit to Costa Rica in march.

      Reply
  8. Alisha Parmerlee says

    September 16, 2022

    I was there yesterday afternoon and the ticket booth was not open! Having to fill out the form and buy the online ticket was not easy but we managed

    Reply
  9. Olegario says

    May 31, 2022

    I’m going from San Jose to Samara and you guys suggested taking the ferry to Naranjo. Is that still the best option and how do I get to Samara from there? I can’t find the directions online for some reason?

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      June 1, 2022

      You don’t have to take the ferry, you can drive there

      Reply
  10. Selina says

    December 9, 2021

    Thank you so much for all your advice. Your blogs aré so informative, clear and straight to the point. My time in costa rica has been Made so much easier because of all your posts. I usually never leave comments on blogs but i couldnt help but say a huge muchas gracias.

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      December 12, 2021

      Thank you for the comment Selina and we’re glad the blog is helpful for your trip planning.

      Reply
  11. Carolina says

    December 5, 2021

    Hi, I’ll be driving alone with my 3 kids on January 1 from Santa Elena in Monteverde Area to Playa Santa Teresa. Is the road taking route 18 very bad? I would rather avoid the Ferry. Thanks

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      December 19, 2021

      No Route 18 is a paved main highway, and then when you get to Nicoya, you’ll need to follow along Route 21 and continue around the Peninsula to Santa Teresa – do not go through the Peninsula or cut in the middle, as that is just like cow roads and bad roads.

      Reply
  12. Ange Nelson says

    December 4, 2021

    Hi guys – your website/blog has been SO helpful as we are planning our first trip to costa rica in February 2022. Bringing all 9 of our family, and so excited! We only have 1 week there, so trying to plan accordingly to make the most use of our time. I think we’re loving the idea of Arenol and the things up there….. but then jaco/Antonio Manuel, or the Tamarindo area….how on earth do you decide where to go??? Flying into San Jose – which doesn’t necessarily seem convenient to either of those places. And kind of a side question…..Is Monteverde worth the extra drive? Last question….We’ll be renting a car. But there’s 9 of us, so most likely we’ll need 2 cars. Is it difficult to find parking anywhere, or would that not be an issue? Thank you again so much for your awesome content!

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      December 19, 2021

      Hi, you can read our post Best places in Costa Rica to get more information on places to visit and details on which one is best for you

      Reply
  13. Kathleen says

    November 14, 2021

    Hi, my daughter and I are looking to take the ferry from Paquera to Puntarenas and back for a short day trip/to experience the ferry. Is there a place to park our car at the Paquera ferry dock?

    Thank you,
    Kathleen

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      November 24, 2021

      There isn’t parking besides street parking but you can bring your car on the ferry

      Reply
  14. Thomas W Chesney says

    November 2, 2021

    Hello

    We are traveling by car from Los Suenos Marriott Resort in Herradura to the El Mangroove Hotel in Papagayo. Would you recommend taking the ferry?

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      November 2, 2021

      Driving is more straightforward and is a very easy drive (going via Route 1)

      Reply
      • Thomas W Chesney says

        November 4, 2021

        Thank you

        Reply
  15. Kathryn says

    October 5, 2021

    I am traveling solo this Friday (10/8/21) to Jaco Beach from SJO Airport. I really want to rent a car and be free to explore the country and not pay the hotel $250. for a round trip pick up. Are the roads paved between SJO and Jaco Beach? After I settle in, should I drive around on my own or is it better to take the bus? Also, I would like to visit Limon’. What’s the best way to get there and things to do there? Thanks so much!!

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      October 5, 2021

      Yes, San Jose to Jaco is on a highway the whole time.

      Liomn is very far from Jaco… if you go to Limon province, the tourism hub in the province is Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

      Reply
  16. aaron z says

    September 25, 2021

    I’ve heard the roads are really bad on the Nicoya peninnsula , do you know how it is on the way to Naranja on Route 21 from Mansion? We’re heading there in March ’22 and planning the route, From San Juanillo down to Manuel Antonio area in a day, I’m figuring 4-5 hours.

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      September 30, 2021

      In March it’ll be the peak of dry season so the river will be dry and roads won’t be as bad as rainy season but you will still need a 4wd/4×4 for that area (San Juanillo/NOsara). San Juanillo to Manuel Antonio is more like 6 hours one way.

      Reply
  17. Kathleen says

    April 23, 2021

    Hi, I’m the odd one since I will not be driving at all. I need to find a way from my retreat in Playa Blanca, Paquera to Montezuma. It’s been very difficult finding a straight answer & makes me nervous since I’ll be a woman traveling solo. I don’t want to take a private shuttle because of high costs. My retreat will drop off everyone at the ferry. Is there a bus station at the ferry to take straight to Montezuma?

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      April 24, 2021

      There are buses from Paquera ferry to Montezuma (Cobano) right at the ferry dock when you get off on the Paquera side.

      Reply
  18. Jack Holuba says

    March 18, 2021

    We are traveling from Tamarindo to Jaco. Would you recommend taking the ferry across or driving the entire way?

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      March 18, 2021

      I would drive, it will take a lot longer to drive to Puntarenas, take the ferry and then drive from Paquera/Naranjo to Tamarindo.

      Reply
  19. Azar Jindal says

    March 5, 2021

    Can we take dogs on ferry?

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      March 6, 2021

      Yes, there is a dedicated section for them so you must stay in that area with your dog, they cannot go inside or upstairs.

      Reply
  20. Jim Clement says

    October 7, 2020

    Which beach has more services like restaurants and hotels either Moctezuma or Tambor? Thank You

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      October 7, 2020

      Montezuma, Costa Rica as it has an actual town, make sure to stop by the Soda Las Palmeras, it’s one of our favorites.

      Reply
      • NORMAN ABBOTT says

        January 23, 2023

        We are planning of taking the Puntarenas to Paquera ferry on Friday April 7th 2023.
        What are the charges for senior passengers? What is the age requirement for any senior charges?
        The ferry website requests a document name and number, is a US passport number ok to use?
        What about a license plate number for a rental car?
        Thanks in advance for your help. Norm

        Reply
        • Sammi says

          January 24, 2023

          You can type in rental car for the license plate and passport number is fine

          Reply
  21. Jan Layton says

    February 1, 2020

    We are in Carrillo and want to take the ferry to Puntarenas would you suggest the Naranjo ferry or the Paquera ferry?

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      February 3, 2020

      Naranjo is better if coming from the Samara area

      Reply
  22. Craig says

    December 14, 2019

    Hi Sammi,

    I plan to take the ferry on New Year’s day (January 1st), but the official website does not say whether or not they operate on holidays. Would you happen to know? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      December 17, 2019

      I am not 100% but I would assume so! You can try to contact them on their website.

      Reply
  23. Karen says

    December 10, 2019

    Hi Sammi, We are thinking of going roundtrip (one day) from Punta Arenas to Paquera and back. Are the rates shown roundtrip or do we have to buy tickets in Paquera to return. Can seniors ride for free on the ferry? That’s what it looks like! Can we just stay on the ferry for the return trip? We like riding ferries as passengers, so we won’t have our car on the ferry. Any specific parking lots in Punta Arenas that you can recommend where we can leave our car?

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      December 13, 2019

      Hi Karen, rates are one way, seniors don’t have a charge and you will need to get off and purchase tickets for going back but you can ask the ticket office in Puntarenas to see if you can purchase the way back since you just want to ride in one day.

      For parking, we recommend to park at Cabinas Frank, it’s an official parking lot and they charge 6000 colones for a day over 5 hours. You can find them on Google Maps.

      Reply
      • karen says

        December 13, 2019

        Thanks a million!!!! Looking forward to our trip!

        Reply
      • Karen says

        January 21, 2020

        Hi Sammi, Your advice was “spot on”!!!!!! Cabinas Frank was easy to find and the parking was perfect – and they were really nice!!!! Just a hop, skip and a jump and we were on the ferry. The ride over and back was great!!!!

        Thanks for being such a big help – we had a great time in Costa Rica thanks to you!!!

        Reply
  24. Mel says

    July 12, 2019

    I took Paquera-Puntarenas ferry with car. Always come 1hr early. Buying tickets online was available charged my card but did not work. Ferry is 1.5 hr. It is worth it.

    Reply
  25. Herb says

    July 12, 2019

    how long will it take to drive from Pacquera to Playa del Coco

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      July 12, 2019

      3 hours: https://goo.gl/maps/f51CQ8QnG7mTRE8Q9

      Reply
  26. Guilherme says

    June 30, 2019

    Hei, the car tickets to take the ferry from Naranjo to Puntarenas are still not sold online? Tks

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      June 30, 2019

      Not that we know of so far, only Paquera – Puntarenas

      Reply
  27. Jesus says

    March 8, 2019

    Is there parking at the ferry just in case I decide not to take the rental car.

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      March 8, 2019

      Hi Jesus, not one from the ferry company itself. There are some small hotels and houses that have private parking lots in Puntarenas for around $5-10 a day.

      Reply
  28. Patrick says

    January 3, 2019

    Just to make sure, tickets to take the ferry to Naranjo are still not sold online – therefore we have to buy them at the location, correct? We are traveling from Jaco to Tamarindo and wanted to take the scenic ferry. Is your recommended timeframe of getting there one hour early still a good reference for a Saturday (the 19th)? Lastly, what is the crossing time for this ferry? Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      January 3, 2019

      Hi Patrick, the Naranjo tickets aren’t available to purchase online, I’d get there an hour early to purchase them. I posted a schedule of the Naranjo ferry at the end of the post 🙂

      Reply
  29. Michael says

    December 31, 2018

    We tried to purchase tickets today 31.12.18 for a ferry on 03.01.19 and it is not available. Does that mean it is sold out, or if we arrive one hour early can we still get our car on?

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      January 1, 2019

      Hi Michael, that is supposed to mean it’s sold out, but I would contact the Ferry company to be sure because they just put up their online system so I would definitely reconfirm with them directly.

      Reply
  30. Carmel Hiebert says

    December 15, 2018

    Hi Sam, I’m trying to purchase the tickets online and the options for a vehicle are lightweight or two axle (liviano, carga liviano and 2 ejes)
    I rented a Tucson from adobe, would this be considered lightweight or 2 axle?

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      December 15, 2018

      Hi Carmel, that is liviano (lightweight) heavy is for like trailer trucks.

      Reply
  31. Ryan says

    December 8, 2018

    This is great info! Is it recommended to buy tickets online? I don’t seem to be able to because I can’t enter a plate number. I’m worried I will arrive (by 3pm) planning to take the 5pm ferry west and be stuck. I wonder if it would be better to just plan to drive up and around?

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      December 9, 2018

      Hi Ryan, it depends on when you will be traveling. If you can arrive at least a couple hours before, generally it’s OK but if you’re traveling over the Christmas or New Years holiday, it’s pretty busy and it seems that New Years Day and Christmas is already sold out. If you were traveling during that time of year, I would just enter a random license plate number (they usually aren’t very strict on this, they don’t even ask you this when you buy tickets at the office in person) to secure your spots.

      Reply
  32. Lorette says

    November 15, 2018

    Thank you, this is great information! I’ve taken the ferry once before (2017), however will be traveling by rental car to Santa Teresa next week with my son for surf.
    I heard from another travel blog that the ferry is scheduled to CLOSE on 11/23 for 2 weeks for maintenance :O
    Can you tell me if this is correct?
    Maybe only 1 boat will be use and the other in maintenance? H-E-L-P
    thank you!

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      November 15, 2018

      Hi Lorette, yes the Puntarenas – Paquera will be closed for 2 weeks, the Naranjo ferry is still open though. You can get more info on the Naviera Tambor ferry website: http://navieratambor.com/horarios-y-tarifas

      Reply
  33. Lynn Baumeister says

    October 22, 2018

    thank you, incredibly helpful!!!

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      October 22, 2018

      You’re welcome 🙂

      Reply
  34. Liz Forgione says

    August 2, 2018

    My husband and daughter need to get from Montezuma to San Jose airport on August 10th for a 2 pm flight. Is it feasible to think that they could leave Montezuma that morning, drive to the ferry – take ferry across and drive to SJO in time for flight?

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      August 2, 2018

      Hi Liz, they’ll have to be at the airport by 12 PM. I recommend taking the earliest ferry from Paquera (530) AM to make sure they get there in time and account for traffic, getting food and returning the car.

      Reply
  35. Wedge says

    August 1, 2018

    This is excellent!
    Sure could have used this in 1989!

    Reply
  36. Pip says

    March 25, 2018

    This is just brilliant! You are SO HELPFUL and I love the way you put information together with photos and explanations. We own a B&B (Casitas Tenorio B&B) and we have just used this to helps some of our guests wit their planning! THANKS!!!!

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      March 26, 2018

      Thanks Pip! Glad it’s helpful! 🙂

      Reply
  37. Tara says

    December 28, 2017

    Hi Sammi! I’ll be in Puntarenas for one day and one night, with a rental car. Is there anything worth taking the ferry over to check out for the day? Or should we just enjoy our day in Puntarenas? Thank you for creating such a great blog with so much information!

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      December 29, 2017

      Hi Tara! If you take the earliest ferry, you could check out the Curu Wildlife Refuge that’s a bit past the Paquera ferry dock. I’ve heard it’s a really nice place to see animals or you could drive to Montezuma and check out the beach town there. Just make sure on your way back to get to the ferry and buy tickets at least 30 minutes before. I’m glad you enjoy the blog and thanks for reading!

      Reply
  38. Sammi says

    March 9, 2017

    Hi Kim, make sure you take the route through Nicoya, that is the good road and it’ll be only a couple of hours, the route that goes along the beach is on a very not nice road and will take a lot longer. There’s not too much to see for the first half once you get to Puntarenas back up to Guanacaste, you can stop by the Catarata Llanos de Cortes near Bagaces: Catarata Llanos de Cortes. In PUntarenas, you can stop and get a churchill (a famous ice cream treat from Puntarenas).

    Reply
  39. Kim says

    March 9, 2017

    We are currently staying in Playa Hermosa and looking at driving to Playa Naranjo and taking the ferry to Puntarenas and driving back up the Interamericana back to Playa Hermosa. Do you have any suggestions or hints about this route? Love your blogs!

    Reply
  40. lisa says

    February 2, 2017

    Hello,
    We are a group of 8 adults. We are on a cruise with a 12-hour stop in Puntarenas.
    We looked into going into Jaco, but are also considering taking the ferry.
    What sort of things are there to do/see if we do take ferry to Paquero? Are their taxis available?
    Any suggestions for a day trip from Puntarenas?

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      February 2, 2017

      The ferry ride is very nice but there’s nothing really to do on the other side unless you go to one of the nearby beach towns like Montezuma. Since you have only 12 hours, I would recommend not taking it because the ferry also only has set times and I’m not sure when you land/leave Puntarenas. If you guys rent a car or hire a shuttle, you can go to Jaco and go surfing, you can even take a short walk through Carara National Park which is nearby.

      Reply
  41. phuong mai says

    December 29, 2016

    Hi Sammi,

    Would it save us a lot of time if we take a ferry from Monte Verde to Santa Teresa? Even though, we have to come early, wait in line to get in, buying ticket…Please let me know your thought.

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      December 29, 2016

      It wouldn’t be hours of time saved and it doesn’t take too long to load the ferry and get off if you’re not coming in holiday or peak season. Driving would take around 5-6 hours and the ferry is way more fun in my opinion.

      Reply
  42. Sylvie Watteny says

    October 25, 2016

    Hey Sammi & Yeison,
    We’re coming to Costa Rica in some months and your blog and IG-feed have been helpful for planning, thanks for that! 😉
    I’ve got a question, we’d be driving from our hotel in La Fortuna to Montezuma, would you recommend taking the ferry in Puntarenas or is Route 18 also doable if we leave early in La Fortuna?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      October 26, 2016

      Hi Sylvie! Personally if you can, I do recommend taking the ferry. It’s such a nice ferry ride with some great views and it’s a nice break from the drive which is super long. You can drive it if you leave early as it’ll take around 6 hours driving but I do really enjoy the ferry ride and recommend it 🙂

      Reply
  43. Ellen Saling says

    September 9, 2016

    This is awesome!! I am so grateful for people like you who do stuff like this for people like me. Pura Vida and Muchisimo Gracias!

    Ellen

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      September 10, 2016

      You’re welcome and thanks for reading Ellen!

      Reply
  44. Niall says

    July 20, 2016

    Hi, we’re planning on getting the ferry and then public bus to montezuma, do you know if we’d have to book in advance or just pay after leaving the ferry? Thanks

    Reply
    • yeison says

      July 21, 2016

      Hi! you do not need to pay in advance if you are taking public transportation, and the buses are usually very big.

      Reply
  45. Murray Hurst says

    July 13, 2016

    Are dogs allowed on the ferry from Puntarenas and can they be taken outside of the car on a leash while the ferry is traveling ?

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      July 14, 2016

      Hi Murray, I’m pretty sure I remember seeing a couple dogs on the ferry. I’m pretty sure dogs are allowed as long as they are on a leash and always with a human. There is an area for the dogs under the passenger deck that they must stay during the whole ferry ride and there’s seating for humans.

      Reply
  46. Poppy says

    May 5, 2016

    How much did it cost for the car on the ferry?

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      May 5, 2016

      On the ferry website, it says vehiculos livianos (lightweight vehicule) is 11,400 colones which is about $23

      Reply
  47. Mina says

    January 29, 2016

    Thanks for the tips, do you know how long the ferry trip lasts from Puntarenas to Paquera? Im taking local buses, so need to know when I have to take the ferry to reach the bus on the other side 🙂

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      January 29, 2016

      I would say about an hour 🙂

      Reply
    • Emilya Tal says

      March 22, 2016

      The ferry ride is about 75 minutes. The bus to Cobano/Montezuma will be waiting for the ferry (except the last ferry of the day, when there is no bus). You can switch buses to Santa Teresa in Cobano.

      There are 2 direct buses from San Jose to Santa Teresa. One leaves San Jose at 6am and takes the 9am ferry. The other leaves at 2pm and takes the 5pm ferry. If you are on one of those, you can take the direct bus from Paquera to Santa Teresa.

      Reply
  48. Lucy says

    August 29, 2015

    Do/ you know if there is a Holiday Ferry Schedule? We are planning to take the ferry on New Year’s Day.

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      August 31, 2015

      Hi Lucy, not sure but don’t think so. Didn’t see any signs or notes about a holiday schedule (but not 100% sure)

      Reply
  49. Daniela says

    July 7, 2014

    Awesome. Great advice. I am wondering how you got from Paquera to Playa Carmen. Are there shuttles available once you land in Paquera? I am asking bc we would like to rent a car once we get there….only place to do so is in Tambor. What would be the best way to get there?

    Reply
    • Sammi says

      July 8, 2014

      We had rented a car already so we drove straight from Paquera to Mal Pais. Once you get off the ferry in Paquera, there should be a public bus that goes to Montezuma which drops you off in Tambor. Should be about a 30 minute ride or so.

      Reply
      • Mandy Thomson says

        November 28, 2017

        Hello there,
        I was wondering if you knew of a place to leave our car in Puntaneras while we go to Montezuma for three days? My sense is that the roads are quite tricky from Pacquera to Montezuma.
        Thank you
        Mandy

        Reply
        • Sammi says

          November 28, 2017

          Hi Mandy, actually from Pacquera to Montezuma is very straightforward on the main road around Nicoya Peninsula. Don’t go the shortcut routes or the backroads but if you go on the main paved highway around the peninsula from the ferry, it is almost all paved. I recommend keeping your car in Montezuma since it’s a small town and you’ll be able to visit nearby places like Mal Pais/Santa Teresa or the Curu Wildlife Refuge. The public transportation down there is not great.

          Reply

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