Southern Nicoya Peninsula

The Southern Nicoya Peninsula is known to be one of the very most beautiful places, not just in Costa Rica but in the entire world.

Many people think that this area is part of Guanacaste Province, but it’s actually part of Puntarenas. That’s because it was so difficult to get here from the capital of Guanacaste decades ago, so it was easier to be managed from Puntarenas town on the mainland.

The main towns of the Southern Nicoya Peninsula are:

Santa Teresa
Malpais
Monezuma
Cabuya
Tambor
Manzanillo
Cobano
Paquera

The first three are the main tourist destinations, but Cobano and Puntarenas have more people living there… the Costa Rican towns where you find banks, gas stations, etc.

Four main routes to get to the Southern Nicoya Peninsula by car:

1. Puntarenas to Paquera Ferry – Take the ferry across to the Peninsula. This is the fastest, funnest, and best way to do it if you’re coming from San Jose.
2. East Coast Route – Drive down the east side of the Southern Nicoya Peninsula, through towns such as Nicoya, Jicaral, Naranjo, and Paquera. This route is open all year and is the most common way to get here from most areas in Guanacaste, such as the Liberia international airport.
3. West Coast Route – The most beautiful and adventurous way is to drive down the pacific coast. You’ll have to cross several large rivers at low tide, which is usually impossible during rainy season. During months like December or May, between seasons, you can make it sometimes.
4. West/Central Route – If you’re coming from Nosara or Samara, you can make it down here through the center of the peninsula. The route is not marked and you will probably get lost. But the farmers are friendly and will get you back on track. If you have a GPS in your rental car then you can use it to take this route.

Google Map of the Southern Nicoya Peninsula

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