Surf Simply

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Directions to Nosara, from San Jose International Airport

The drive from San Jose to Nosara is not complicated but it takes about five hours. We recommend printing off these directions (which have been tried, tested and tweaked) and having them with you for the drive. Lots of people make the drive every day in a regular car but for peace of mind, and a slightly less bumpy experience, we recommend hiring a 4×4. National Rental and Toyota Rent A Car both have offices in Nosara and San Jose at the airport.

  1. Drive west out of San Jose/the airport on Highway 1
  2. At the Airport follow signs to San Ramon
  3. Continue without turning for 124km (78 miles).
  4. Turn left at the Shell gas station and “3 Hermanas” restaurant. It is signposted to Nicoya.
  5. Continue over a huge bridge.
  6. WARNING: About 8km after the bridge the road bends slightly to the left make sure you follow it. It is easy to accidentally turn off to the right especially in the dark as there is a big gas station in that direction. The gas station looks as if it should be on the main road itself but it isn’t.
  7. Drive on for an hour or so until your reach the T junction at end of this road.
  8. Turn right here, signposted to Nicoya and “Nosara 72km”
  9. Continue for 13km (8 miles) and then turn left, signposted to Nicoya (and Burger King)
  10. Continue straight through Nicoya and out the other side without turning.
  11. 10km (6 miles) later you will reach a T Junction at the end of the road where you need to turn right (you will immediately go past a church, a soccer field and two speed bumps).
  12. Follow this road for 19km (12 miles) until you pass the gas station on the left. This is your last convenient stop for gas and I recommend filling up (they only take cash, about 5 bucks a gallon).
  13. About 100m after the station you need to turn right off the paved road and on to a dusty track. There are signs to Nosara.
  14. Once on the dirt road, take it slowly. There are lots of places where the road has fallen away at the side meaning that a two way road becomes a one way road without any warning.
  15. After 8 km (5 miles) the road bends sharply to the right and at the same time there is a left hand turning. Just follow the road round to the right.
  16. After 12 more slow and dusty km you will arrive at Playa Guiones (the surfing beach of Nosara). Make sure you have also printed off this map of Playa Guiones (Nosara) which has Lotus Villas clearly marked on it. You will see Coldwell & Banker, Coconut Harry’s Surf Shop on your right and Cafe de Paris on your left on the corner. The little high street on your left is pretty much the center of town and you’ll find Innocent Surf School just down from Robin’s Ice Creams, on the right hand side. We are in the shop Mon-Fri from 9am to 4pm.
  17. Nosara town itself is another 20 minutes drive on down the road but you are not going there. When people say “Nosara” they usually actually mean Playa Guiones. Nosara town is a rather unspectacular place and it is Playa Guiones where everyone comes to stay.