HERNANDEZ, UNSPLASH
You’ve decided to bring the family to Nosara for your family vacation. Now it’s time to book your flights. Here’s a little insight...
First things first. Which airport do you fly into?
Liberia's Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR) is the closest international airport to Nosara, approximately 2.5 hours away by car or taxi. Airfares to Liberia can be more expensive than San Jose but sometimes you can get a great deal. Airfares are most expensive during the busy holidays weeks of Christmas, New Year’s and spring break.
Over the past few years, more flights and more airlines are offering service to Liberia (LIR) airport. So much so that the airport plans to expand and eventually be open 24/7. Some of the airlines that offer service to Liberia include: Alaska, Delta, JetBlu, American, AirCanada, Southwest, COPA, Continental, United, AeroMexico, Sunwing, KLM and FinnAir.
What’s great about Liberia airport is that not only is it closer to Nosara than San Jose but it’s a smaller airport and very easy to navigate. There’s only one way to exit the airport when you arrive so it’s easy to find your reserved shuttle or the car rental shuttle service. If you have a late night arrival or an early morning departure that requires a hotel stay, I suggest the Hilton Garden Inn Liberia. It offers a free shuttle service and is within a five minute shuttle ride to the airport.
The largest international airport in Costa Rica is in the country’s capital of San Jose.
San Jose’s San Juan Santa Maria International Airport (SJO) is approximately a 4.5 to 5 hour drive to Nosara by car or taxi. Flights into San Jose offer the best fares and more flights. If your flight arrives in San Jose in the late afternoon, I suggest staying the night in a hotel or hiring a shuttle to drive you to Nosara. It is dark in Costa Rica by about 6:00 p.m. and the roads are not well marked. With a taxi driver, you can relax and let them do the night driving.
Sometimes flying into San Jose will require an overnight stay. I recommend the Holiday Inn Express it is very close to the airport and offers a free shuttle service. If your vacation plans include spending a few nights in San Jose to check out the city, I suggest Suites Cristina. Though it’s further from the airport, especially during rush hour, the amenities are ideal for a family and it’s central to some of the city highlights. They also offer a shuttle service that must be arranged directly through the hotel at least 48 hours in advance of your arrival.
Another option to get to Nosara from San Jose or Liberia is Sansa Air.
Sansa Air offers service from Liberia and San Jose to Nosara. The flight from San Jose is about an hour and from Liberia, it’s about 20 minutes. The air crafts seat about 12 people, and flight times are limited so it’s recommended to reserve in advance to get a seat and a good deal! Be sure to review the baggage size and weight restrictions, they are different than the commercial airlines.