Ging to Liberia CR in March. Thinking to rent a car and go around. Please give me some tips on where to go and what is the attractions to see. Thanks

Cloud forest in monteverde or the volcano in LA Fortuna, beach town of Tamarindo is nice too. Careful if u use Google to navigate it may take u on roads that are not really roads lol stick to highways unless u like serious off road back woods adventures lmao

Kristina Oh been there, done that! Too funny! The roads are definitely an adventure!

The bus system in CR is good and gets you to the places you want to see. Plus, you can look at the scenery without the danger of driving off the roads.
I would add the beach town of Samara to the list. It is smaller and less busy than Tamarindo.

Playa Hermosa is about 45 minutes from the Liberia airport and it's very nice.

Janice agreed.

Monteverde!!! Do the night rain forest tour!

Nosara

Read up on the cost of car insurances and your rights as a tourist…be warned..they will and do gouge you…

We used Avispa tours when we went. Zero stress- amazing service. Highly recommend.

If you go to Monteverde stay in town- we stayed at an airbnb only a few minutes further up the mountain and it was cold and wet and a lot of us got sick. the weather in town was a lot nicer even though it wasn’t that far away. And go zip lining. There is also a coffee tour you can do there. We did the night tour as well. We did 3 days there (which was enough) and 7 days on the beach. If we did it again I’d do the beach after Monteverde. Also worth noting if you are afraid of heights the road to Monteverde is a bit narrow.
The drinks in CR are great-fresh fruit. And great taco tuesdays ( I think it was El Chivo Cantina) and free poured drinks. we stayed near a small town (playa pelada) on the pacific side and the beach was almost deserted- it was beautiful. Lots of tours in the area you can sign up for as well- horseback riding, SUP and more. Or just hang out on the beach.

Vamos is the most reliable car rental. They seen to be the only ones who tell you the full charges upfront. They also honour some Canadian car insurance and credit card car rental insurance. Check with them as you may need a letter from your insurance provider confirming your coverage to bring with you and show at the counter. Keep in mind that car rentals in CR are ALL expensive. If you find a cheap one, that means they are not revealing the charges they will hit you with at the counter.
Vamos is not in the airport. It is a short taxi ride away.
Be sure to download the WAZE app for navigation. Everyone uses it and people add notices of hazards in real time.
We went to Tamarindo for a laid-back hippy beach vibe. We also drove to all the beach towns down the coast all the way to Ojochal.
The Manuel Antonio conservation park is well worth it. Hire a guide or you’ll walk right by interesting things like sloths without even seeing them. Ballena Marine Park is magical too.
Arenal Volcano is gorgeous and the hanging bridges near there make for a beautiful hike.

make sure if that is your credit card has car insurance that your have a copy printed out at the point of pick up, we had some damage this November and it took over 2 months to settle and we did have the extra.hacienda guachiapelen, out side of Liberia is full of activities to see and do ,and reasonably priced

Monique Miller

I stayed there one night at some type of hostel/rooming house and it was close to this gorgeous church!
I also went to this volcano area (about 20 km from Liberia, I went by myself by taxi) and there were beautiful waterfalls nearby
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rincón_de_la_Vieja_Volcano

Rent a car from a reputable rental company. There are a lot of car rental scammers in CR. Do your research before you rent. But, renting a car is a great idea. We did for the 3 weeks we were there. Some roads are in great condition, some definitely are not. But having your own car opens the door to seeing so much more of the country and getting into some of the more remote areas that are so beautiful.

Off the main highway the roads are narrow. You fight for your lane with delivery trucks, families on bicycles, side-by-sides (tourists) take your time. Get a map. Tons to see and do in short proximity to one another. Beaches are sandy, then rocky. Last March it was hot, lots of Red Tide and it was very stinky! The mountains and hills covered with ranches and coffee plantations, fabulous waterfalls….just tons to see. Enjoy. It is clean, the foods of all nations are wonderful. ( in Coco ) But expect to pay Canadian prices for everything. Very similar to here. Not like Mexico if your familiar with that.

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We haven’t been everywhere in CR, so I will only talk about places that I have been to and my personal experience.
The West Coast, working our way from north to south.
We’ve been to Arenillas, Playa Panama, Playa Hermosa (one of 4 Playa Hermosas in CR ), Playa Del Coco and Playa Ocotol. You can easily move from one playa (beach) to another. Great area with lots of hotel choices.
A little farther south, Playa Flamingo, Tamarindo and Playa Langosta. Very touristy area, lots of things to see and do. Maybe a little pricier because it is so touristy, but don’t let that throw you off. We’ve been here on 4 or 5 different occasions and always liked it.
Following the roads south of Tamarindo gets you down to the Gulf of Nicoya. We haven’t been down this way to Samara or Santa Teresa yet, but those locations are on our to do list.
Following the road around the bottom of the Gulf of Nicoya you get to Tango Mar. We’ve been here and all the way up to Paquera, but usually we come from the other direction (Paquera coming south). Along this stretch, we’ve been to Tango Mar, Playa Tambor, Playa Pochote (one of our favs), Curu Wildlife Refuge, Playa Posa Colorado, Los Organos and Isla Tortuga. This particular stretch of CR is one of our favorite areas, and luckily my girlfriend’s, sister’s, husband’s sister (try to follow), has a cabina in this area so we get invited occasionally and we always take them up on the offer.
At Paquera, getting across the Gulf is a 1H ferry ride. You can buy tickets online, but most times it is just showing up and hoping you can get on. Only once have we had to wait for the next ferry because the one we were hoping for was full … but we also try to arrive 90 minutes before departure. You can also drive around instead of taking the ferry, but it’s longer, slower and not much really to see.
If you take the ferry, you will end up in Puntareanas. Not too much here, but it’s busy because of the ferry and it is a cruise port when the ships are sailing. It is a waypoint so to speak.
Once you’re in Putareanas you can follow the highway down the coast. We’ve been as far south as Manuel Antonio Parque Nacional. Along this highway there are lots of places to stop and lots of beaches to visit, Playa Mantas is one of our favs along this stretch. This particular highway is in reasonable condition and you’ll make good time traveling. I haven’t been, but there are lots of sport fishing areas along the coast.
That is pretty much the extent of our beach journeys here in CR, now talking inland Costa Rica. Some of the bigger tourist draws in CR are the volcanos. We’ve been to Poas - highly recommended but go early in the day, it tends to cloud over. The observation area, if clear, gives you a view into the crater. Maybe a night in this area, but not much more. La Paz waterfall gardens is in this area. There is an admission charge, but nice hiking trails and great waterfalls. They are also a rescue centre (wildlife sanctuary) and have some amazing birds, animals and insects to see.
We’ve been to Arenal. Probably the most recognizable volcano in CR. Lots to do in this area. Very touristy, but that means lots of choices also. Rafting, natural hot springs, hiking, hanging bridges, wildlife. You can easily spend a week in this area and still not see it all.
We’ve been to Rincon de la Vieja and spent time in this area.
We’ve also been to Tenorio volcano and the Rio Celeste. Very pretty area and you can spend a few days to a week or more. Rio Celeste is a magnificent area, but better in the dry season. As info, dry season typically is mid Dec to May. The rest of the time is rainy season with the most rainfall coming Sept - Nov.
Off the beaten path, a great hike / waterfall experience is Baja del Toro. I’ve been three times and it’s always been enjoyable. It’s more difficult in the wet season, but if you are coming in the dry season, bring a bathing suit with you and take the hike to the twins (gemelas). Double waterfalls and a pool to take a dip in … it’s chilly!!
This last year was our first trip up to the Monteverde area. The road is slow and lots of potholes, but it is all part of the experience. We went to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. Recommend early for wildlife viewing. We didn't get a guide for our hike, but that was only because there were none available at the time. We did manage to see and get some beautiful pictures of the resplendent quetzal - possibly the most beautiful bird in the world. Amazing. Lots of tourists visiting this area, so there are lots of activities to do.
Daylight here in CR is roughly 6 am to 6 pm. Pretty consistent year round, with variation of a little over an hour from longest day to shortest day. Most folks in CR are up at sunrise, public school starts at 7 am, so families are starting the day early. On the flip side, nightlife as we know it is different and usually by 10 at night most things (except really touristy areas) are shut down.
If you are using a cell phone, make sure it’s unlocked and buy a local SIM card. You can get them almost everywhere. Rates here are cheap and you can top up almost anywhere. kolbi and claro are the two biggest names in CR, but Liberty will also work well. For driving, download the WAZE app. It is probably the most used for directions in CR.
Speaking of driving, you will find it a little different. Highways / roads are usually single lanes with little opportunity to pass. Lots of curves and elevation changes, and speed bumps!! Most roads don’t have shoulders and not a lot of guardrails either. Lots of people walk along the highway / roads and you have to be careful at night, you can sneak up on someone that is wearing black pretty quickly. If you are planning your trip and changing locations - figure about 65-70 km/h driving speed, maybe even a little less. Best advice I can give about driving in CR, pay attention, ALWAYS. Things can happen in a blink of an eye and paying attention is your best defense.
Oh, facebook is a big thing in CR. Many local businesses don’t have websites, but they are on facebook, so if you are looking for a particular place, try searching on facebook.
Safety precautions as anywhere you travel. Don’t leave valuables in your vehicle in plain site or unattended. Always lock up. Always watch your credit card. Make sure gas pumps are zeroed before they pump gas (all stations are full serve and the price is regulated and is the same at all stations).
Use the local currency (CR colones) and you can access ATMs just about anywhere. Credit cards are widely accepted, and if you have a credit card that waives Fx fees, even better.

Kevin thanks for taking the time to write this in detail, really appreciated !!

We used Adobe car rentals booking through MYTANFEET(check their webiste and blog if you haven't already) to get their discount and extras. We were there for over a month traveling from coast to coast and up and down the country. We used Waze for navigation which worked great. Watch for road hazards, be prepared to travel slower than you may be used to and be prepared for communiction with horns. Unlike Noth America they are used in a friendly way to let you know they are "letting you in" or to ask you to "let them in". We wouldn't hesitate to drive there again. Enjoy!