How To Get From Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur Best Way – You can go by van, bus, taxi and private transfer.
What Is The Distance From Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur?
The distance from Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur is 197 kilometers. Click here to book online Costa Rica activities and day trips
The travel time by car from Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur is around 6 hours. You will have to cross the border but it’s a really fast and easy process. Read here how to get from San Juan del Sur to Tamarindo the reverse way.
What Is The Best Way From Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur?
The best way from Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur is by shared van for $59 USD you can book online and it will be around 6 hours with the waiting time included.
Read here how to get from Liberia to San Juan del Sur, Monteverde to San Juan del Sur, La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur and San Jose to San Juan del Sur
What Is The Cheapest Way From Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur?
The cheapest way from Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur is by local buses for $13 USD. The bus travel time from Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur will be around 7 hours with the transfers and the waiting time included.
How Much Is The Crossing Border Taxes Between Costa Rica And Nicaragua For Foreigners?
The Crossing Border Taxes between Costa Rica and Nicaragua for foreigners is $9 USD when leaving Costa Rica and $14 USD when entering to Nicaragua.
Read here best sim card in Nicaragua, Catamaran Tamarindo Experience and best Costa Rica Sim card for tourist
WHERE TO STAY IN SAN JUAN DEL SUR
The average price of a dorm bed in Nicaragua is around $20 USD depending on the season can be more or less of that price. If you’re going for a mid-budget accommodation for $30-50 USD and if you prefer luxury accommodation starting from $70 USD.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION WITH BOOKING
BOOK YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE
Two of our favorite travel insurance: Heymondo Vs Safetwing cheapest travel Insurance. You can get for $135 USD your Heymondo Travel Insurance with Heymondo discount code valid for 90 days. Read our full comparison of Genki vs Safetywing Travel Insurance Review and the comparison Heymondo vs Genki
HOW TO GET FROM TAMARINDO TO SAN JUAN DEL SUR
BUS FROM TAMARINDO TO SAN JUAN DEL SUR (CHEAPEST WAY)
The cheapest way from Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur is by local bus. There are no direct buses going from Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur only shared vans or shuttle buses for tourists.
You will have to get a bus from Tamarindo to Liberia. Once in Liberia a bus going from Liberia to Penas Blancas and cross the border. Once you cross the border a bus from the border to Rivas. Once in Rivas a bus going from Rivas to San Juan del Sur.
BUS SCHEDULE FROM TAMARINDO TO LIBERIA
The bus schedule from Tamarindo to Liberia is starting at 3 30 am, 4 30 am, 5 45 am, 7 30 am, 9 am, 10 am, 11 30 am, 1 pm, 2 15 pm, 4 15 pm, 5 pm and 6 30 pm.
The bus fare from Tamarindo to Liberia is $3 USD and the travel time is around 2 hours and it can be longer.
Once in Liberia you will have to get the bus from Liberia to Penas Blancas. Once you cross the border you will have to take a bus from the border in Penas Blancas to Rivas. Once in Rivas, you will have to take the bus from Rivas to San Juan del Sur.
BUS FROM LIBERIA TO PENAS BLANCAS
The bus from Liberia to Penas Blancas will take 1 hour and 30 minutes. The bus fare from Liberia to Penas Blancas is around $4-5 USD. You will have to do the border crossing and get a bus from the border to Rivas and from Rivas to San Juan del Sur.
BUS FROM RIVAS TO SAN JUAN DEL SUR
The buses will take 1 hour to get to Rivas and 1 more one hour from Rivas to San Juan del Sur. The bus fare for the tow buses will be around $5 USD ($2.5 USD for each bus) and they are running every 20-30 minutes. The bus will drop you in San Juan del Sur city center since there is no Bus Terminal at San Juan del Sur.
The total travel time from Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur by local buses is around 7 hours with the transfers and waiting time. The total bus fare from Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur is around $13 USD.
BUS/SHARED VAN FROM TAMARINDO TO SAN JUAN DEL SUR (BEST WAY)
The best way from Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur is by bus or shared van for $59 USD you can book online. You will have to cross the border but everything will be easy just follow the instructions from the driver to put the stamps and pay the taxes leaving Costa Rica and entering Nicaragua.
VAN SCHEDULE FROM TAMARINDO TO SAN JUAN DEL SUR
The bus schedule from Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur is leaving at 7 30 am and gets to San Juan del Sur at 1 30 pm. The van fare from Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur is around $59 USD you can book online. The travel time from Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur is around 6 hours.
CAR RENTAL IN TAMARINDO
There are many options for renting a car in Tamarindo. But for this time with a border crossing between Costa Rica and Nicaragua, I wouldn’t recommend renting a car and I would choose a shared van or a bus if you are on a budget. Or a private transfer if you wish for more comfort.
BEST WAY FROM TAMARINDO TO SAN JUAN DEL SUR
The cheapest way from Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur is by local buses for $13 USD if you go on a budget. The bus travel time from Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur will be around 7 hours with the transfers and the waiting time included.
The best way from Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur is by bus and shared van for $59 USD you can book online for a total of 6 hours of travel time and they will drop you at the hostel area in San Juan del Sur.
The Crossing Border Taxes between Costa Rica and Nicaragua for foreigners is $9 USD when leaving Costa Rica and $14 USD when entering Nicaragua.
Happy Travels!
About the Author: Ruben, co-founder of Gamintraveler.com since 2014, is a seasoned traveler from Spain who has explored over 100 countries since 2009. Known for his extensive travel adventures across South America, Europe, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Africa, Ruben combines his passion for adventurous yet sustainable living with his love for cycling, highlighted by his remarkable 5-month bicycle journey from Spain to Norway. He currently resides in Spain, where he continues sharing his travel experiences with his partner, Rachel, and their son, Han.