www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Ok, I guess I could just ask one person, but think it would benefit people if I just asked in a post...

What's the travel time SJO to Tamarindo, by car, not plane...

It can really change depending on how long you get stuck behind slow trucks. I think the last time took me 4.5 hours, with a stop for gas, a stop for food/drinks, and a stop for a speeding ticket.

I've driven to Tamarindo in 5 hours including a lunch & gas stop. The return on a Sunday took 14 hours as I followed every truck in the country in low gear on the Pan American highway over the montanas. The ticos returning from their beach weekends further showed the whole mess.

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Providing humanitarian assistance to self employed chicas, one cash grant at a time.

If nothing goes wrong you can make it in 5 hours! Often trucks, on their way to Caldera, are slowing down the traffic.

5 hours is about right QBF. That is daytime driving with no accidents in the mountains.

Beware of the school zones!!! Those little bastard motorcycle cops were scattered all over the school zones last year when I went.

IMO, El Viejo is right on. There are several variables as to how long it might take to get from SJO to Tamarindo. A lot will depend on the time of day, day of the week, month of the year, weather, traffic, road conditions, construction zones, radar traps, food/gas/restroom stops, etc.

You might get lucky - if all the stars are aligned you can do it in 4.5 - 5 hours. But you never know. Like EV stated above - if you do it at the wrong time, it could turn out to be a phucking miserable trip. Personally, my time in CR is worth much more than the price of a plane ticket. Nature Air and Sansa both fly into Tamarindo, with rates as low as $29 each way. I'd rather have my ass kicked by Chuck Liddell than drive from SJO to Tamarindo. As usual.... YMMV.

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

Forget the drive. I did it once, will never make that mistake again. The flights are dirt cheap and they are under an hour total. That's 4 extra hours of play time.

Oh, I'm not REALLY considering the drive... I want to use it as a framework to talk to the chicas...

If the one I want to take doesn't want to fly, well, then NEXT...

btw, How do I get that $29 deal? I haven't seen the flights for less than 95...

Exactly! Flight to Tamarindo is around 35 minutes on Sansa from SJO Airport. Flight on Nature Air (from Tobias Bolaños Airport - Pavas) is around 40 minutes. Besides that, if you fly - you'll have the option to join the "mile high club"!


That would be on Nature Air.

They have 3 different pricing structures: Elite prices, Promo prices and Locos prices. If you book far enough out, you can find seats available with the Locos prices. I just checked for flights from Pavas to Tamarindo for the end of April, but the cheapest prices I saw were $58. And keep in mind, if you're a big spender and want to get your chica a ticket, let her buy it. Ticas get 1/2 price for flights.

www.natureair.com

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

It's a very long drive at around 5 - 6 hours. It will wipe out a good chunk of the day. I prefer now to fly NatureAir and the 35 minute flight. The aircraft are all well maintained and the crew is very professional. You will land at the airstrip just outside of Tamarindo. I actually enjoyed it as the aircraft gets airborn at a relatively slow speed compared to jets. I was fun. The safe thing is that since you're flying in Costa Rica in a mild climate, there is no risk of icing on the wings that has caused a few crashes in the US for this type of aircraft.

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I will travel the world over to find a better latina! Gringas have flat asses..

As others have already stated, it is about 5 hours. But the purpose of my post is to remind you that if for some reason you have to leave Tamarindo after the last flight of the day, that 5-hour overland ride is the only way.

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LIVIN' IT UP WHILE GOIN' DOWN!
-----> You Only Live Once - Make the Most of It! <------
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Nature Air flies Twin Otters made by De Havilin(sp)
Bullet proof craft made for short air fields
Great view out of the windows
The Tica rates are cheaper last I knew

thanks for the info...

btw, just an FYI it's:
de Havilland...

used to fly their Dash 8's between Vancouver and Seattle about 4 times a week, when I worked in Vancouver...