www.CostaRicaTicas.com

D

Another Muy Tico moment, brought to you by Interbus.

They charge $45 from San Jose to MA (3.5 hour drive). And from Jaco to MA, about a 45 min drive, $35.

Hell, that close you should just take a public bus. It will take 1.5 (direct bus)-2 hours (with stops), but it will be dirt cheap, under $5.

Station/Stop
Date
Time
Transport Company
Remarks

1. Jacó Su, 01/29 dep. 08:15
Transportes Morales
Bus: directo, duration: 1:30h
Manuel Antonio arr. 09:45
2223-5567


2. Jacó Su, 01/29 dep. 09:30
Transportes Morales
Bus: duration: 2:00h
Manuel Antonio arr. 11:30
2223-5567


3. Jacó Su, 01/29 dep. 12:30
Transportes Morales
Bus: duration: 2:00h
Manuel Antonio arr. 14:30
2223-5567


4. Jacó Su, 01/29 dep. 14:15
Transportes Morales
Bus: directo, duration: 1:30h
Manuel Antonio arr. 15:45
2223-5567


5. Jacó Su, 01/29 dep. 16:30
Transportes Morales
Bus: duration: 2:00h
Manuel Antonio arr. 18:30
2223-5567


6. Jacó Su, 01/29 dep. 17:30
Transportes Morales
Bus: duration: 2:00h
Manuel Antonio arr. 19:30
2223-5567

http://thebusschedule.com/EN/cr/index.php

Cabs used to be $25 the last time I did that in 05, probably $50 or more now.

Check http://thebusschedule.com/EN/cr/ they have the CR bus schedules from Jaco to Quepos and back. That route has two buses, one with stops and a "directo". They are quoting the non stop at 65 minutes Jaco to Quepos, maybe optimistically, maybe not, I make it in about an 50 minutes mas a menos by car.

When you get to the Quepos bus station (get off and have a coke) that same bus then continues to Manuel Antonio on the main and only road that Hotel Verde Mar is on--not sure if the Quepos-Manuel Antonio leg is a direct and if he can let you off at the hotel, but if he cannot, his end stop/turn around is about 1/3 mile further from Verde Mar.

But, he should be able to on the way back to Quepos, I doubt that is a direct--talk to him, CR style $$; or cab it from Quepos bus station to the hotel, $5. Bus Jaco to Quepos runs 3 or 4 trips a day, newer bus, not a/c, but not that long of a ride, should run on time, no hills, travel through only one small town, Parrita, and I've never seen slow traffic from Jaco to Quepos barring accidents on that stretch now that the new bridge is up in Parrita and a few other new river creek/stream cross overs by-passes on the way. One non stop leaves Jaco around 11am.

You'll like Verde Mar, and mi amigo Ramon, mgr. Not very fancy, but vry nice and one of the few right on the beach, each room has a kitchen, fridge, stove, coffee maker--bring 8 cup filters from home. If you have time in Quepos, across from the bus station is a mini mart, so get cokes and beer, and coffee, and fruit, and whatever you want for the room, or you can do it the next time you go back to Quepos, you'll eventually be going back and forth.

There is a beach restaurant 100 yards adjacent to Verde Mar, named Baru, very good food from about 8am until at least dark, you'll be spending alot of time there with my friend Memo, the owner, and his brother Manuel, and cold beer or whatever right on the beach, can't beat it.

Tel # for bus company referred to is on that website, but spanish only I am sure.

Talk to Ramon about the best way to get back to SJ when you are leaving, he lives in Parrita so he knows that routine. If you are going back directly to the airport for your return flight, I'd fly Sansa (not Nature Air--goes to diff airport) out of Quepos, $80 and 25 minutes, and just walk a few blocks to the int'l terminal.

PM if I can give you more info on Quepos, I been there a million times. You'll love it.

D

I don't know if you should stow or carry on. And I am referring to the one bus line on the link I provided re: it then going on to M.A. If by chance you get a different bus to Quepos, there's one that leaves the Quepos bus station every 15 or 30 minutes for the Park anyway. If it's a local, it makes alot of stops so it'll be 25-30 minutes to the park, but the good news is he'll drop you off at the hotel. In fact, that might be your better option if the other bus is a direct to the park.

If it's a direct to the Park, that bus run will end and turn around near the Park entrance. Ask if he won't drop you at Verde Mar, you'll go right past it on the way to the park (it'll be on the right hand side going) so you will know what it looks like on the way back, if he doesn't know. I'f he won't drop you off, I'd say it's about 1/3 of a mile back to Verde Mar, a little far in 90 degree heat if you have luggage, so take a cab from there, $1-2?

If you are going to do it this way, in Jaco tell them you are going all the way to Manuel Antonio and see if you can pay for the entire run in Jaco, not just to Quepos, probably 50 cents more. They may tell you that you have to pay for that final leg in Quepos, and I don't know if that means you have to go to the office window and pay or not, I think not, so bring CR coin change, it won't be much. There's going to be some delay, find out, and if it's long enuf, go to the grocery store directly across the street and get what you need for a day.

Let us know how all that worked out.

I'll be in and out at Verde Mar Jan 15-20, visiting Ramon. I usually park there and cut thru to the beach. I'll drive him to the bus in Quepos at 3pm when I am headed to my apartment. You are going to love MA, and you're lucky you found it early in your travels to CR. I did the Atlantic thing my first few trips, then the Guanacaste thing the next few trips, then skipped past M.A. and went to Dominical and Uvita the next few trips, and then finally found Quepos/M.A., and to me that's the best of everything Pacifico.

I'm out of the p4p game but you'll find enough action at Wacky's and la Pescadora right next door (across from Best Western, centro Quepos by the seawall) after 5 or 6 to keep you entertained. Quepos is not Jaco in the p4p regard, but I'll take the trade-off to be in Quepos/M.A. And you'll meet the gringo crowd there, who are either living there or tourists, and if you like sports, Pescadora has two different signals so you'll get the game you want.