Tamarindo is a top destination in Costa Rica with excellent beginner surfing waves, yummy restaurants and fun outdoor activities. Additionally, it is only a 1.5 hour drive from Guanacaste Airport, making it a great destination for all visitors.
If you are planning on visiting Tamarindo, Conchal or Flamingo, it won’t be too difficult to plan an amazing vacation.
In this post, you’ll find out how to get to Tamarindo from Guanacaste Airport.
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Driving
The drive from Guanacaste Airport to Tamarindo is not a difficult one. It is all on well paved roads and there are only five turns so you can perfectly drive there in a sedan. If you plan to rent a car, there are many car rental companies in Guanacaste Airport.
All the car rental agencies are a 5-10 minute drive from the airport so they will pick up clients at the airport and bring them to their office to get the car.
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For GPS, the best app is Waze but Google Maps work too. You will need to enter your hotel name as the destination.
Shuttle
A private shuttle is around $120 USD one way for 1-5 people. Private shuttles can stop along the way or take you to the supermarket or bank before dropping you off at your place.
There are shared and private shuttles to Tamarindo from Guanacaste Airport. Tamarindo Tours and Transfers offers shared shuttles for $30 USD per person, minimum 3 people.
Taxi/Uber
Taxis are readily available at Guanacaste Airport Airport. Most importantly, look for the official airport taxis in Costa Rica, they have a stand.
Uber is not readily available at Guanacaste Airport as police actively check for them. Avoid using Uber from there.
There are Ubers in Tamarindo in case you need to go from Tamarindo to Guanacaste Airport.
If you’re arriving late at night or are visiting on Christmas, New Years or Easter, we recommend to pre-book a private shuttle. That way you don’t have to worry about getting ripped off or checking multiple taxis to find a reasonable rate. You are also guaranteed a ride and someone waiting for you.
Flying
Tamarindo has its own local airport in Costa Rica. Since Guanacaste Airport to Tamarindo is only a 1 hour drive and 10 minute flight, this route isn’t readily available.
I have flown from Tamarindo – San Jose before, and the plane stopped at Guanacaste Airport along the way. But this was a logistical route issue, it was not a regular route.
From Tamarindo airport, you pick up your car rental or take a taxi to your final destination. The airport to Tamarindo is a 5 minute drive and about a 30 minute drive to Flamingo.
Public Bus
Liberia Municipal has a direct bus to Tamarindo that leaves at 3:50 am, 4:30 am, 5:15 am , 6:10 am*, 7:10 am, 8:10 am, 10:10 am*(only Sat and Sun), 11:10 am*, 1:10 pm, 2:10 pm, 4:10 pm, 5:10 pm, 6:10 pm* (This route goes through Flamingo, Brasilito, Matapalo. Takes around 3 hours. Normally is 2ish). The cost is around 1400 Costa Rican colones ($2.30)
This bus is supposed to stop at Guanacaste Airport but there have been reports of this bus not turning into the airport. You can ask the airport staff if they have seen the bus turn into the airport that day. If not, you may have to walk 30 minutes out to the main highway under the hot sun.
If you are lucky and happen to arrive when the bus turns into the airport, the bus stop is towards the departures end of the airport. The bus should turn into Guanacaste Airport about 20-25 minutes after the times above.
How to Get to Tamarindo from San Jose Airport
If you are landing in San Jose International Airport, you can still easily get to Tamarindo although it is a much longer journey.
Driving
The drive from San Jose to Tamarindo is around 4.5 hours. It is on a well paved route the entire way and the quickest way is to go via Route 18 crossing the Friendship bridge.
You can read our guide about the drive from San Jose to Tamarindo here for recommended stops.
Flying
You can fly from San Jose to Tamarindo which costs around $150 USD one way with Sansa Air, it is a 30 minute flight.
Bus
There is a public bus from San Jose to Tamarindo with TIG. It is around 5 and a half hours.
Shuttle
You can take shared or private shuttles to Tamarindo from San Jose. A private shuttle costs around $3420 one way for 1-5 people. A shared shuttle with Interbus from San Jose to Tamarindo is around $75 USD per adult one way. Get 10% off this Interbus shared shuttle in the link!
Contact us to book your shuttle (private or shared).
Other posts
Find out how to get to Manuel Antonio from San Jose, Guanacaste and other destinations.
Read about getting to Playas del Coco and Gulf of Papagayo from Liberia and San Jose.
Find out how to get to Drake Bay in the Osa Peninsula.
Will says
Hi I’m a single passenger and I was wondering if it is still possible to get in the ride share the 20 dollers deal ? Is that possible or am I going to have to take the bus?
Sammi says
Hey Will, you’ll have to reach out to the transportation companies as they normally run with a minimum requirement, like 3 passengers for the $20 shuttle. If there aren’t enough people, you’ll have to pay for the whole shuttle or wait and see if other people book.
Dave says
Hey there, great website! Need your help in making a decision. My wife and I are trying to decide between public or private shuttle from LIR airport to Tamarindo (would need a return too after 4 days). What are the public shuttle times? Is there a company for either that you would suggest to book tickets ahead of time? I feel like the private shuttle only makes sense for the 2 of us if the public shuttle doesn’t run anytime around when we land… looking forward to heading your advice!
Sammi says
Hi Dave, there are private shuttles and private drivers but if you want a shared shuttle, Native’s Way offers shared shuttles with a minimum number of passengers from the airport to Tamarindo. You’ll have to check with them for rates and availability. In case they don’t have any availability for a shared service or if you decide you want a private shuttle, please feel free to let us know and contact us.
Jen says
Hi- is there a bridge on the way to Tamarindo from Liberia?
Sammi says
There are some small bridges, like very short ones.
Barb says
We are planning on going to Tamarinda Costa Rica for a month in February. We would arrive in San Jose airport
We are interested in taking shared shuttle
How often do they run?
Sammi says
Hello Barb, for shared shuttles, check with Interbus or Ride CR. Shared shuttles will not pick you up directly from the airport, you will have to taxi down the street to either the Pollorostis restaurant or Fiesta Casino (~5-10 min drive). Their websites should have shared shuttle schedules.
Brandon says
Hey! Love the website.
I was whatsapping with the Liberia airport, and they told me the public bus that leaves from the airport does not pass through Flamingo, and that if I wanted to take a public bus, I should go from the airport to Santa Cruz, then from there to Flamingo. As this is out of the way, I don’t want to do this, haha!
Does this match what anyone else has heard/ experienced?
Sammi says
I think there is a direct bus from Liberia so you’d need to taxi into Liberia downtown, take the Transportes La Pampa bus to Flamingo/Tamarindo. The bus doesn’t pick up from the airport. There are lots of red taxis you can take into downtown Liberia once you exit the airport.
Mary says
Hi thanks for so much useful information. We will be driving from Liberia airport to Nosara on 3/9 with an overnight somewhere along the way. (We don’t get into Liberia until after 2 pm.). We planned on driving to Tamarindo to spend the one night en route. Is there any place special you would recommend to stay so that our first night isn’t just a travel night but something to look forward to? Anything between Liberia and Nosara that you particularly like? Thanks for your help.
Mary
Sammi says
Sure, you can find our hotel recommendations in our Tamarindo guide.
Cecilia says
Hi: Could you send the recommendation for a private shuttle from Liberia Airport to Tamarindo?
And where I can find a good map of Tamarindo, with the supermarkets and beaches?
Thank you!
Sammi says
Hi Cecilia, we sent you an email a couple weeks ago just in case
Erin says
Hello,
Thank you for providing so much useful information! We will be ending our vacation in Playa Grande and then flying out of the Liberia Airport. Is the travel time and route somewhat similar as the route from Tamarindo? Thanks again!
Sammi says
Yes, it’s about an hour and ten minute drive, we sent you an email with more information just in case
Shiv S says
Hi!
Thanks for your site. Great information.
We are planning to visit Costa Rica in the month of August (from Aug 5 for a week). We are interested in seeing wildlife, nature, as well a day on the beach. I read that it is a rainy season. Would you recommend the places to visit and stay? The places that don’t have much rain in August?
Thank you!
Sammi says
Hi Shiv, the Guanacaste Coast and Nicoya Peninsula are places that tend to rain less in August. You will still have hot sunny days in August regardless.
Eleanor Long says
We arrive in San Jose, joining a tour to go to Arenal, Monteverde, Quepos/ Manuel Antonio. Will stay in Quepos for a week after tour. From here we want to go to Nicoya Peninsula. How do we get to Montezuma? What is another beach place to go to before flying out. I am thinking best to fly out in Liberia. Do you agree instead of heading back to San Jose. We have 2 months, are active seniors. Can we rent a car in Quepos and return in Liberia, what are the roads like? Please advise, planning to go in January and need to decide whrpther a buy round trip or multi city. Thanks so much.
Sammi says
If you don’t have a car, you can go to Jaco from Quepos by bus or taxi and take the speedboat to Montezuma (Zuma tours offers this connection)
Or you can rent a car in Quepos and return it in Liberia, but there will be an extra charge for different pick up and drop off offices
Bella says
Hi there, thank you for your awesome site which is turning out to be really helpful in planning my trip to Costa Rica!
I was hoping you could advise on the best way for me to get to Tamarindo? I’m getting a flight from Guatemala City, and can either arrive around 7 am, or 10 pm (the latter is 2.5x the price though).
I’m told as it’s low season there are only morning shuttles, but I’m not sure if I will clear immigration in time. Would you recommend booking a separate internal flight to Liberia around lunchtime that same day (I can’t fly direct from GUA), or getting a public bus? Or coughing up for the late flight, staying the night near SJO, and then getting the shuttle (or a flight) in the morning?
Thanks!
Sammi says
If you’re flying into SJO Airport at 7 AM, there are public buses from San Jose to Tamarindo in the afternoon. Or if you have to land at 10 PM, you can stay a night by the airport/downtown San Jose in a budget hotel and then take a shared shuttle (if available) or the public bus in the early morning
Mel says
Hey!
My flight gets in late on a Sunday, I know you mention the last public bus is 6 but have there been any changes by chance? Would there be public busses after 7? If not would taking a private Taxi from Liberia to Tamarindo after 7 for a young female be safe?
Sammi says
Hi Mel, public buses here don’t really run after 6 PM or so except for intercity routes in the capital city, I would recommend to book a taxi or a private shuttle for you – there is an official taxi stand right at the airport or you can pre-book a shuttle so you don’t have to deal with haggling prices or anything like that.
Martin says
Hello,
Thanks for all the useful information on your blog.
Do you have any specific suggestion for a private transfer/shuttle from Tamarindo to Liberia airport? We will be travelling with our 1 year old son, so we would prefer a private transfer.
Thank you.
Martin
Sammi says
I would check with Tamarindo Tours and Transfers.
Melissa says
Flying into Liberia, staying in Playa Flamingo. Is there a specific private shuttle company you recommend? We want to stop at a grocery store & bank on our way to the place we’re staying.
Is this something they would accommodate?
Traveling the end of April with my husband and daughter. Your blog has been extremely helpful in planning.
Thank You!
Sammi says
Hi Melissa, we have just sent you an email!
Sass says
You have helped me out a lor getting thru the border run to getting around by bus. Just an update. It’s 1760 colones from liberia to tamarindo
Sammi says
Thanks for the update!