Liberia

General Information:

Location: 136 miles northwest of San Jose; 1.5 hours south of the Nicaraguan border; 4 miles north of Daniel Oduber International Airport

Weather: Sunny and clear in the dry season (early December to April). Expect rain every afternoon May through October.

Temperatures: Range from 78°F to 82° F; high temperatures reach above 90° F from February through April.

Altitude: 472 feet above sea level

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About:

All roads that don’t lead to San Jose likely lead to Liberia.  Founded in 1769, this sleepy colonial town serves as a convenient hub connecting Guanacaste to the rest of the country: San Jose to the southeast, the beaches of the Nicoya Peninsula to the west, and Nicaragua to the north.  Because of its small size, the nearby Daniel Oduber International Airport is a joy to travel through, and serves as Guanacaste’s convenient portal to the rest of the world.

Home to around 30,000 residents and one lone traffic light, Liberia is quite small in size by North American standards; for Costa Rica it is a moderately large and active city, well known for modern conveniences such as fast food restaurants and a mall with a movie theater.  The city’s geographic and economic center is Central Park and the Iglesia Immaculada Concepcion de Maria. This modern church is a landmark in town, and there is never a spare seat on Sunday mornings.

From May through November, it rains like clockwork in the afternoon.  In the drier months of December through April, Liberia may possibly be the dustiest city in all of Costa Rica. The dust is not the only reason Liberia is affectionately known as la Ciudad Blanca, or the White City.  Liberia’s trademark whitewashed houses can be downright blinding on a sunny day. Liberia is also known for its cattle ranches; it is not uncommon to spot a lasso-toting local on horseback, clothed in cowboy attire, trotting down Liberia’s arid streets in a cloud of white dust.

While Liberia is easily and best explored on foot, taxis are extremely cheap if visitors become overheated or hypnotized by the city’s laid-back nature.  All cab fares within city limits cost less than $2. The ancient La Agonia church should not be missed.  It is the oldest religious center in Liberia, and an archetypal example of a whitewashed Liberian structure.  Mingle with locals at the neighborhood farmer’s market, locally known as La Feria, which takes place every Thursday and Friday near the stadium.  It is impossible to walk away without bags full of the freshest, cheapest fruits and vegetables around – it is definitely worth booking a hotel with kitchenette just to take advantage of this fresh food market.

Rincon de la Vieja National Park makes for a stunning, although oftentimes vigorous, day trip.  Travelers can hike various trails to a number of waterfalls, boiling mud pots, and volcanic hot springs; an eight-hour round trip trail to the summit of the volcano exists for the more energetic adventurer.

To the north, Santa Rosa National Park is well known for its isolated surfing beaches. Here resides the famed Witches’ Rock, considered by some to be the absolute best surfing location in the world.  West of Liberia are the beautiful, white sand beaches of Papagayo.  From Liberia’s center, the party town of Playa del Coco is only 35 minutes by car, ten minutes more to the adjacent black sand beach of Ocotal. 

Getting Around Town:

Walking is by far the best way to get around Liberia, with taxis a second best.  A taxi fare anywhere within city limits should not cost more than ¢800 (around $1.50). Taxis line up on the north side of the central park on Avenida Central. Tel. 2666-3330.

Liberia is so small that intercity buses are non-existent.  To catch a bus to another city, head to the municipal bus station, located just around the corner from the Pulmitan bus station on Avenida 7, between Calles 12 and 14. Buses leave for San Jose hourly after 4 a.m., except for 11 a.m. and 1 and 5 p.m. when the bus does not run.  The direct bus is slightly faster, and leaves at noon and 4 p.m.

The schedule at the Pulmitan bus station is the only fixed, posted schedule.  Routes to other destinations change constantly, and finding a schedule to other places is difficult at best.  Most buses to nearby cities leave hourly or bi-hourly from the municipal bus station.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help; ticket sellers are friendly and more than willing to help guide tourists in the right direction.