Last Updated: September 12, 2025
We always say that Costa Rica is best explored with your own rental car. That’s because a car gives you the flexibility to explore and move around at your own pace. But there are many reasons why you might not want to drive during your vacation. Maybe you are trying to save money, are nervous about driving in a foreign country, or drive all the time at home and just want to relax during your time off.
Whatever the reason, don’t fret, there are plenty of places to visit in Costa Rica without a car. In fact, when we first visited the country as tourists, we didn’t rent a car until our fifth trip! In this post, we’ll give you some ideas for beach towns to visit in Costa Rica that are easily navigable without a car.
Tips for Traveling in Costa Rica Without a Car
Before we get into the specific towns, we wanted to share some important basics about traveling in Costa Rica without a car.
Getting Between Destinations
This is usually the biggest question that travelers have: How will I get between the airport and my destinations if I don’t drive? Your main options are the public bus or shuttles. We’ll also cover small planes.
Public Bus
The public bus is a reliable, inexpensive option and a fun way to mingle with the locals. When we first visited Costa Rica, we primarily used the bus to get around and really enjoyed it.
Buses run just about everywhere in the country and are very affordable. The main downside is that they often take longer since they stop frequently. Local buses that run along a highway, for example, usually stop in many small towns on the way to their final destination. There are, however, direct buses for most major routes. These make fewer stops, significantly speeding up the trip.
Shuttles
If you’re looking for an alternative to the public bus, shuttle transfers are a great option. Costa Rica’s shuttle network is large. Shuttles serve all major destinations and smaller towns too. We have been helping people plan vacations to Costa Rica for over a decade and always recommend them when people don’t want to drive.
These rides are in comfortable, air-conditioned vans with a professional driver. Shared and private shuttles are available. Our post about Shuttles in Costa Rica has lots more details. We explain how both shared and private van services work and how we can help you book the right one.
Small Planes
Finally, local small plane flights are available from San Jose and Guanacaste Airport in Liberia. These service small airstrips all around the country and are often used by travelers visiting remote destinations. Although we used to recommend them, we don’t anymore for safety and reliability reasons. Our post on Domestic Flights in Costa Rica has more information.
Getting Around Locally
Once you arrive in a destination, you can walk to get around if you’re staying near the main area of town, or taxis are available in most places. Uber is also an option, but mostly only in San Jose. It is available in some other towns, but not always reliable.
For getting to activities, most tour companies include transportation or offer it for a reasonable fee, which makes things easy.
Of course, if you’re traveling without a car, it’s best to choose accommodations near the town center so that it’s easier to get around.
Learn more about getting around with our post, Transportation Options in Costa Rica.
Best Beaches in Costa Rica Without a Car
Here are our top recommendations for the best beach towns in Costa Rica to visit without a rental car.
If you need more ideas, be sure to check out our Beaches page, which covers 40+ beaches on both coasts, or our Destinations page with 50+ towns and cities in Costa Rica.
Map of Beaches to Visit Without a Car
Our interactive map showing the beach towns we highlight in this article.
Tamarindo
Tamarindo is a popular beach town in the northwestern province of Guanacaste.
This surfing hotspot is perfect for those without a car because everything is concentrated along one main road next to the beach. In this central area, you’ll find just about everything you’ll need, including tons of restaurants, shops, tour operators, grocery stores, ATMs, and pharmacies. Most hotels, hostels, and bed and breakfasts in Tamarindo are also only a short stroll or cab ride away from this main strip. We love staying near the center of town in Tamarindo since it makes everything convenient.
For longer distances or when you’re tired from a day in the sun, local taxis are plentiful and inexpensive. You can also rent bicycles, scooters, or golf carts to cruise around town at your own pace.
And with plenty of activities to do locally, you can easily spend a week or more in this one spot. Surf lessons, catamaran tours with snorkeling, and beach hopping are some of the most popular things to do.
Read our post Tamarindo: Where Paradise Meets Convenience to learn more.
Getting There
Guanacaste Airport in Liberia (LIR) is the closest airport to Tamarindo. From LIR: Shuttle in 1.5 hours or bus in 2 hours.
From San Jose International Airport (SJO): Shuttle in 5 hours or public bus in 5.5-6 hours.
Getting Around
Walking will get you to most places in town. There is also a local bus, plenty of taxis, or you can rent a bike, scooter, or golf cart.
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
The most popular beach destination on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast is Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. This small town gives a distinct island vibe and is completely doable without a car. Caribbean-style cooking, surfing, snorkeling, plentiful wildlife, and some of the most gorgeous beaches in the country are just some of the reasons to visit.
What makes Puerto Viejo ideal for car-free travel is its compact downtown where most restaurants, bars, and shops are located. The main area along the beach is small and easily walkable, with everything from grocery stores and ATMs to casual beach bars.
Plus, renting a bicycle is very popular here. The road between Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo is always busy with people biking between the smaller beach communities. Playa Cocles, Playa Chiquita, and Playa Punta Uva, three popular beaches in the area, are all connected by the same coastal road.
For longer trips, a public bus runs regularly between Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo, making it fairly easy to explore without your own vehicle. Taxis and tuk-tuks are also easy to find.
Getting There
San Jose International Airport is the closest airport to Puerto Viejo. From SJO: Shuttle in 4-5 hours or public bus in 6 hours.
Getting Around
Many choose to flip-flop their way between their hotel, the beach, and the bars, but the main road that leads south is also a popular bicycle route. You can rent beach cruisers by the day or week. A local bus also connects the downtown to the beach communities to the south (all the way to Manzanillo) and to the north (Cahuita).
Read our post Puerto Viejo: Caribbean Cool in Costa Rica to help you plan.
Jaco
Some people avoid Jaco because of its party scene, but this busy beach town on the central Pacific coast really does have something for everyone. The scene at night can be easily avoided, and tons of tours and attractions are available to keep everyone busy, including kids.
Some standouts are the area’s many beaches, surfing, catamaran tours to Tortuga Island for swimming and snorkeling, and adventures like zip lining, rappelling, and ATV.
The main strip in Jaco Beach is packed with shops and restaurants (some of our favorites in Costa Rica). The area also has a lot of wildlife nearby thanks to the rolling green mountains that back it.
Jaco works well without a car because everything is laid out along one main street (Avenida Pastor Diaz) that’s right next to the main beach. Most hotels are located on this strip, so you can walk to restaurants and shops in just a few minutes. The town is compact and flat, making it easy to get around on foot. You can also rent bikes or scooters if you want to explore or get around faster.
Getting There
San Jose International Airport is the closest airport to Jaco. From SJO: Shuttle in 1.5 hours or public bus in 2.5 hours.
Getting Around
The main street in Jaco has lots of lodging options, so if you stay there, you can walk to the beach and just about any place in town. You also can rent bicycles or scooters. Taxis and Uber are also popular options in Jaco. Tip: The southern end of the main road is a little more spread out and quieter, but still has great beach access and is an easy walk to town.
Read our post Jaco: Costa Rica’s Booming Beach Town to see some of our favorite things to do and places to stay.
Tortuguero
Tortuguero is a special place for wildlife viewing on Costa Rica’s northern Caribbean coast. There is simply no need for a car here because there are no roads!
The town is accessible only by boat or small plane, and the closest thing you will find to a road is a concrete walking path on land and a maze of canals in the water.
Tortuguero has become famous for its sea-turtle nesting, which occurs along its long gray-sand beaches during rainy season (approx. July-October). The inland brackish waterway canals are also filled with an array of wildlife like monkeys, caiman, and hundreds of bird species.
Read our post Tortuguero: Wildlife and Culture on the Caribbean Coast for plenty of ideas for things to do right from town.
Getting There
San Jose International Airport is the closest airport to Tortuguero. From SJO: Shuttle and boat taxi in 5 hours or public bus and boat taxi in 5.5-6 hours. Small plane flights are less than 1 hour. Read our separate post Getting to Tortuguero for more information.
Getting Around
If staying near the main village, you can walk to everything. Resorts and more isolated lodges along the canals require a boat taxi to get to town but are often all-inclusive.
Manuel Antonio
Manuel Antonio was the first place we ever visited in Costa Rica and we loved it, even without a car. It was also the first town we moved to and we still visit often. In addition to its famous national park, it has tons of things to do, including catamaran tours, zip lining, hiking, whitewater rafting, mangrove boat or kayak tours, night tours, and much more. Manuel Antonio has a few beaches, including some calm coves that are good for swimming.
This popular tourist destination on the central Pacific isn’t set up like your typical beach town. Although there are some lodging options near the beach, many are located up the hill, surrounded by jungle and featuring fantastic ocean views. With some careful planning, you can stay either down by the beach or on the hill near the main road and still get around easily.
What makes Manuel Antonio work without a car is that everything is located along one main road. A local bus runs frequently up and down this hill. You’ll also find plenty of taxis. Walking to get around isn’t always practical since the road is steep and there aren’t sidewalks everywhere, but if you’re strategic with your accommodations, you can be within a short walk to many things. Our Manuel Antonio Hotel Guide has more information and tips on where to stay.
Most tour companies in Manuel Antonio provide pickup directly from hotels and vacation rentals, so you don’t need to worry about getting to activity meeting points.
Read our post Manuel Antonio Trip Planning for more information about the town, its beaches, and attractions.
Getting There
San Jose Airport is the closest airport to Manuel Antonio. From SJO: Shuttle in 2.5 hours or public bus in 4 hours.
Getting Around
Since Manuel Antonio is built on one big hill, walking isn’t the best way to get around unless your hotel is right on the beach. Luckily, the public bus runs frequently along the main road, taking you to and from the beach, hotels, and restaurants. If you’re not up for the bus, local taxis, which are everywhere, can get you where you need to go for relatively little money. Many hotels in Manuel Antonio, especially high-end ones, also have a shuttle to the beach.
Samara
If you’re looking for a beach town that feels authentic but still has a good amount of amenities, there’s Samara. This small town in Guanacaste is one of our favorite beach towns in Costa Rica. It has managed to keep a local vibe while offering many great restaurants and things to do.
The beautiful main beach has relatively calm water, perfect for swimming and learning to surf, and the surrounding tropical dry forest is home to monkeys, iguanas, and colorful birds. Some popular activities aside from lounging at the beach are dolphin watching, kayaking to Isla Chora, and a hike to see wildlife.
Samara is perfect for car-free travel because the compact downtown is right next to the ocean. You can walk to restaurants, shops, and tour operators, all within a few blocks. Many hotels are located right in this central area, so you’re never more than a short stroll from the sand or a cold drink.
For activities outside town, most tour companies offer pickup service from your hotel. Taxis are readily available for short trips, and there’s even a local bus that connects Samara to nearby Playa Carrillo if you want to explore other beaches.
Read our post Samara: Guanacaste’s Most Overlooked Beach Town to learn more about this hidden gem.
Getting There
Guanacaste Airport in Liberia is the closest airport to Samara. From LIR: Shuttle in 2 hours or public bus via Nicoya in 3-4 hours.
Getting Around
Samara’s compact downtown is flat and walkable, spanning just a few blocks from the beach to restaurants and shops. You can also rent bikes for getting around. Taxis are available for longer trips, and most tour operators offer pickup service from your hotel.
Conclusion
We hope that this post has helped give you some ideas on where to go without a car in Costa Rica. When we first traveled the country, we did so by bus, shuttle van, and small plane and still had a blast. Having a rental car is definitely nice, but you can learn a lot about the country by riding the bus or talking with shuttle and taxi drivers about the local area.
What’s your favorite town in Costa Rica to visit without a car? Let us know in the comments below.
Looking for more information to help you plan? Check out these posts:
Shuttles in Costa Rica: How They Work and When to Use Them: Here we cover the two types of shuttles (private and shared) and give the advantages and disadvantages of each one.
Best Beaches in Costa Rica with Kids: Traveling with kids? Some of the beach towns we cover in this post are also great for families.
Cost of Traveling in Costa Rica: This post will give you an idea on what costs to expect for things like hotels, restaurants, and tours when you travel to Costa Rica.
Simple Spanish for Visiting Costa Rica: Learn some Spanish basics before you come or print this post to help you in taxis, the bus, etc.
Best Airport Hotels Near SJO: Coming in late or leaving early? Check out these smaller hotels near the San Jose international airport.
