Where are we located?
Mal Pais (9.6084° N, 85.1350° W) is a town in Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica which began as a fishing and cattle-farming village and has become popular among surfers and travelers around the world. It’s known for its incredible beauty, with white sand coves, rocky outcroppings, steep jungle covered hills and forests teeming with animals, birds, and insects.
Direct Bus
It leaves daily from San Jose to Santa Teresa at 6am and 2pm. You can take a taxi from the Airport to the bus terminal called ¨7-10¨ in San José or you can hop on at a bus stop
near the airport called ¨Puente de Villa Bonita¨. The bus company is called Transportes Cobano and has a fan page on FB. The bus which leaves at 2pm will only bring you to Cobano. From there you can get another bus and hop off at the stop „el cruce“. From there you can take a taxi to Pachamama.
Approx price: USD12 per person. Duration: 6hs (including a 1,5 hr trip on a ferry which makes the trip much nicer).
Private Shuttle Bus
The Shuttle uses the same schedules as the bus and the trip is very similar. But you can ask to be picked up at the airport or your hotel in San José. It has AC on board and will leave you right at our front door. It has to be booked in advance which we are doing for you.
Approx price: USD50 per person. Duration: 5,5hs (including a 1,5 hr trip on the ferry).
By Flight
Sansa Air and Green Air operate this route. Check for prices and info online.
The trip is very short this way. 25 min on the plane and then 45 min on a Taxi from Tambor Airport to Mal Pais. The Taxi is an additional USD 60 for the trip up to 3/4 passengers. We recommend hiring the taxi in advance as it is not a regular airport. Just a field next to the main road. Let us know if you decide for that option so we can book you our taxi driver.
By Car
Rent a car with our preferred partner Alamo, then just sign up at the Juan Santamaria’s Airport and go to Puntarenas to take the ferry to Paquera. Once you disembark in Paquera stay on the main road to Tambor (Tambor Airport), Cobano and Mal Pais. Driveway is labelled with signs everywhere you can’t loose your self. Upon arriving in Cobano, continue straight through the main intersection (Banco Nacional on your left) straight again you will cross a small bridge and the road turns to dirt. After around 25 min. driving, you will descend a long hill where the road is paved and soon come to another intersection with a sign “Mal Pais” to the left and “Santa Teresa” to the right. You will turn left (towards Mal Pais). After 1 km you will find a large wooden gate on the left side of the road with our sign, Pachamama Hotel. Please slide the gate to your right and enter the car. We will be waiting for you.
Staying in San José
If you arrive on a late schedule to San Jose, it is recommended to spend the night there and do the trip in the morning or rent a car with drop off in Santa Teresa (Alamo and Budget, they both have offices here). But before that, check the ferry schedules. They are online under Naviera Tambor. You would be going from Puntarenas to Paquera.
Take this incredible opportunity at the Adventure Inn.
Special rates for Pachamama Guests.
