How to get from Monteverde to Tamarindo

What to expect when visiting Tamarindo

Tamarindo is a popular surf town on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. What we love about this town are the amazing water activities both on the surface and underwater. It has a diverse marine life, making it perfect not just for surfing but for diving and snorkelling as well.

This once-quiet fishing village is also a common gateway to Las Baulas National Marine Park, which is a nesting territory of the leatherback sea turtles. Offering beaches, adventure, restaurants, bars and shops — there is a long list of things to do in Tamarindo.

4 ways to get from Monteverde to Tamarindo

There are 4 ways to travel the distance of 160 kilometers (99 miles) from Monteverde to Tamarindo by bus (5 hours 40 minutes), Shared minivan (2 hours 40 minutes to 4 hours 30 minutes), private Transfer (3 to 4 hours) and Car Rental (4 hours to 4 hours 30 minutes). The journey duration ranges between 2 hours 40 minutes to 5 hours 40 minutes and the quickest way is by shared minivan. The lowest priced tickets start from 5,900 CRC ($11.50) for the bus.

Monteverde to Tamarindo by Shared Minivan

Duration: 2h 40m - 4h 30m

Costs: 26,000 CRC ($50)

Duration: 2h 40m - 4h 30m

Costs: 26,000 CRC ($50)

We recommend taking the minivan from Monteverde to Tamarindo if you’re travelling with one or two people. The minivan is a direct option with fares starting from 26,000 CRC ($50), including free hotel pick-up and drop-off. Travel time is about 2 hours 40 minutes to 4 hours 30 minutes.

The rate of the minivan may look expensive compared to the low-priced bus ride, but it comes with the advantage that you can travel door-to-door from Monteverde to Tamarindo. If you travel by bus, you’ll have to take 4 buses just to complete this supposedly short journey.

You can choose from six companies operating minivans for this route: Transportes Varela Monteverde CR, RideCR, Monteverde Shuttle Bus, Maple Tico Tours, Montetravel and Interbus.

Minivan schedule from Monteverde to Tamarindo

Monteverde to Tamarindo by Bus

Duration: 5h 40m

Costs: 5,900 CRC ($11.50)

Duration: 5h 40m

Costs: 5,900 CRC ($11.50)

We don’t recommend taking the bus from Monteverde to Tamarindo unless you’re on a budget. You will need to take 4 buses and travel for around 8 hours (that includes the waiting time for your connecting transfers). But with combined fares from 5,900 CRC ($11.50), the bus is a more budget-friendly option compared to the minivan or taxi.

TIP: Be mindful of your luggage when taking a bus in Costa Rica. Don’t leave your bigger bags until they’re safely inside the compartment below the bus, and make sure to get your luggage ticket! Keep all your valuables in a smaller bag that you can put on your lap. Your bag’s safer where you can see it than on the overhead bin.

Still want to take an indirect bus from Monteverde to Tamarindo? Here is a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Monteverde to Tilaran by Bus

Duration: 2.5 hours

Costs: 2,070 CRC ($4)

Duration: 2.5 hours

Costs: 2,070 CRC ($4)

First, you’ll take a bus from Monteverde to Tilaran, a town located 50 km northwest.

Transportes Monteverde Hermanos Soto operates only one trip for this route daily. This bus departs at 07:00 in the morning. Try to be at the bus station at least 30 minutes prior to departure time to make sure you can get a seat.

A bus ticket costs around 2,070 CRC ($4) and travel time takes around 2.5 hours.

Buses depart from Monteverde Bus Terminal and arrive at Tilaran Bus Station.

Step 2: Tilaran to Cañas by Bus

Duration: 40 minutes

Costs: 515 CRC ($1)

Duration: 40 minutes

Costs: 515 CRC ($1)

Next, you’ll travel further west to the town of Cañas. Buses depart from the same station you arrive at, which is Tilaran Bus Station.

Reyna del Campo is the sole bus operator for this route. Their buses are available almost every hour from 05:00 to 20:20. You shouldn’t have a hard time finding their blue and white buses at the terminal.

The bus journey from Tilaran to Cañas takes around 40 minutes. Ticket prices start from 515 CRC ($1).

Buses park at La Cañera Bus Stop in Cañas.

Step 3: Cañas to Liberia by Bus

Duration: 1 hour

Costs: 1,550 CRC ($3)

Duration: 1 hour

Costs: 1,550 CRC ($3)

From La Cañera Bus Stop, you will once again travel northwest, about 50 km to Liberia.

Reyna del Campo is also the main operator for this route. Their buses are available every hour from 04:30 to 19:00. A ticket costs around 1,550 CRC ($3) and the journey takes 1 hour.

You can also travel with Tralapa and Colorado de Abangares, although their buses do not depart as frequently as those of Reyna del Campo.

You are to get off the bus at Liberia Bus Terminal.

Step 4: Liberia to Tamarindo by Bus

Duration: 1.5 hours

Costs: 1,810 CRC ($3.50)

Duration: 1.5 hours

Costs: 1,810 CRC ($3.50)

Finally, from Liberia Bus Terminal, you’ll transfer to another bus bound for Tamarindo, located 80 km southwest.

Buses for this route are available every 2-3 hours from 05:00 to 18:10. You can choose from 3 bus operators: Transportes La Pampa, Tralapa, and Transporte Inteligente de Guanacaste.

You should arrive in Liberia around noon. This will be a good time to take a lunch break because the next bus will not be departing until 14:10. Make sure to confirm the schedule at the terminal before leaving to get food.

Buses arrive at Tamarindo Bus Stop, which you can find in the town centre, just a few hundred metres from the beach.

The bus trip from Liberia to Tamarindo takes around 1.5 hours. Fares start from 1,810 CRC ($3.50).

Monteverde to Tamarindo by Car Rental

Duration: 4 - 4.5 hours

Costs: 13,000 CRC ($25)

Duration: 4 - 4.5 hours

Costs: 13,000 CRC ($25)

Driving on your own is another popular option when travelling to Tamarindo from Monteverde. It’s not exactly the fastest or most convenient. You’ll be passing through mostly paved roads, but also some winding hills on the first part of the journey.

But all throughout, you can expect picturesque landscapes from Monteverde to Tamarindo!

Driving directions from Monteverde to Tamarindo

Driving from Monteverde to Tamarindo takes about 3 hours for locals, and 4 hours to 4 hours 30 minutes for tourists who are not so familiar with the roads.

From Monteverde, head out northwest to Santa Elena and follow the winding roads of Route 620 towards Candelaria. Then head southwest to Route 145 until you reach La Irma. Turn left on the Panamerican Highway and then left to Route 18 across Puente La Amistad.

Transfer to Route 21 once you reach Pueblo Viejo de Nicoya and then Route 160 on Santa Cruz. Finally, turn right on Route 152 and follow the road until you reach Tamarindo.

Where to rent a car in Monteverde

There are not a lot of car rental shops in Monteverde. And even if there were, we don’t recommend renting your car here unless you plan on coming back to Monteverde. Rental prices are significantly more expensive — starting at 59,000 CRC ($115) on the first day — when you’re dropping off the car in another town, like Tamarindo.

Instead, we recommend renting a car in San Jose, that’s if you’re starting your Costa Rican journey in the capital city and ending it there as well. Prices are cheaper when you have the same pick-up and drop-off point, starting at 13,000 CRC ($25) per day.

You can ask your hotel for recommendations on where to rent a car, or you can just find one online.

We normally recommend checking Skyscanner for the best car rental prices (and flights), but occasionally you might find even better prices on Kayak. Both are reliable search engines which make it easy to search for the cheapest car deals and apply relevant filters.

Monteverde to Tamarindo by Private Transfer

Duration: 3-4h

Costs: 118,000 CRC ($230)

Duration: 3-4h

Costs: 118,000 CRC ($230)

When you travel in a group, a private ride can be more cost-efficient than a shared minivan. A 5-seater taxi costs 118,000 CRC ($230) from Monteverde to Tamarindo. Split the cost and it’s only 24,000 CRC ($46) per person if you are travelling in a group of 5 people.

You can ask your hotel to arrange a taxi or book a private transfer online. We recommend booking a ride with BookAway because they offer more spacious cars that come with professional drivers.

Private Transfer options from How to get from Monteverde to Tamarindo