Traveling to Playa Zancudo

Playa Zancudo is located on the southern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Travelers usually fly to the nearest major airport in San Jose, then continue to Golfito by plane, bus, or long-distance taxi.

Golfito has a small airport, and it is the closest airport to Playa Zancudo. It is 6 miles away by boat. We usually pick people up by boat from Golfito, then make the a short scenic ride to Playa Zancudo.

We also pick guests up by boat in Puerto Jimenez, after they stay on the Osa Peninsula for a few days, a 40 minute boat ride across the Gulf. Both towns have air and bus service from San Jose.

Getting There from San Jose

Flights: These flights are currently $143.50 per person each way. I can book them for you.

Nature Air is another airline and it leaves from Pavas, outside of San Jose. They have 2 flights a day, at 6:00 am and 3:30 pm. Sometimes they have discounted tickets.

Bus:

There is a 6 am bus, daily to Golfito from San Jose (about 8 hours). Make sure you get the “coastal road” bus, via the Costenera.  Also from Zancudo out to the nearby towns on the highway there is a bus that locals use, especially if they are heading to Panama, it is cheap and 3 hours to the border from Zancudo.

Car:

Cars can be rented in San Jose. To arrive here, drive south on the Pan American Highway to Rio Claro, turn right toward Golfito. Just before Golfito, take a left at “Bar Rodeo”, continue to the water ferry. After the ferry, the road is some pavement and some gravel. Just continue taking right turns at every intersection, and you’ll end up in Zancudo. During the rainy season [particularly in September, October, and November], a high-clearance 4-wheel-drive vehicle is a must. From Dec. to August any car can drive in. Driving takes about 7 hours from San Jose.

Taxi:

Taxis are inexpensive, especially for groups. A taxi from San Jose to Golfito is $325 and for that price you can get a mini bus, the trip takes 6 hours and is quite pretty thru the mountains, and hot once you descend. You can travel by taxi between destinations, for example a taxi between Quepos and Golfito is $200. We can recommend taxi drivers that we have used.

If Staying Overnight in San Jose

If you have a late arrival or early departure in San Jose, it makes sense to stay overnight and get a fresh start in the morning. Adventure Inn is a very comfortable hotel not far from the airport. If you reserve directly using the link here, they will give you 10% off, plus another 10% if you pay cash. They also have one way free taxi from the international airport.

Getting There from Golfito to Zancudo

We suggest that you use our boat taxi service to arrive in Zancudo, as we will get you close to your cabin so you don’t have to walk with your luggage. We also try to arrange your flight time to correspond with the tide that day. We charge $20.00 per person with a $80 minimum and are a dependable service, with safe fast boats that take 30 minutes.

For help with your travel arrangements please contact us at loscocoscabins@gmail.com

For reservations at Los Cocos or for Boat Taxi service:

Phone: 011-506-2776-0012
E-mail: loscocoscabins@gmail.com
Or Mail: Susan England
Apdo. #88, Golfito
Costa Rica
Central America