Shaka is located in Playa Hermosa on the south western coast of the Nicoya Peninsula, about 15 minutes north of Santa Teresa (psst – don't mistake us with the Playa Hermosa further south near Jaco!).
Our location is relatively remote - it's what makes the area so stunning, and while this means uncrowded beaches, take into account travel time to reach us.
There are a few options for getting to Shaka from San Jose, depending on your time and your budget. Flying from San Jose to Cobano (closest local airport) and then taking a cab is significantly quicker but also more expensive. In the intermediate price range is to travel via private shuttle, a door-to-door service. If your budget is limited and/or you are not in a hurry, take the public bus. Each of these options is detailed below.
PLANE
There are currently two airlines providing daily flights from San Jose to Cobano on the Nicoya Peninsula. The flight is approximately 30 minutes. If travelling as friends, we recommend booking these flights together, in order to avoid changes to one of the reservations and not the other (rare, but in case).
Green Airways operates out of the separate domestic airport, a five-minute walk from San Jose's main terminal (SJO). As they operate out of a different airport, you are not connecting, instead, you’ll first need to go through Immigration and collect your luggage. Upon leaving Arrivals, walk straight ahead to the main boulevard, turn left, and you will see the Domestic Terminal located 500 feet ahead. If in doubt, an airport official will be able to point you in the right direction.
Sansa is another Costa Rican carrier operating out of the domestic terminal, also offers multiple flights per day. Sansa also flies into Cobano from the Liberia International Airport.
On arrival into Cobano, grab a taxi to Playa Hermosa – approximately 45 minutes and $60. We recommend the services of Richard Mora at Adventure Cab (on booking, we’ll be able to put you in touch).
Alternatively, Sansa offers a shuttle service at the time of flight booking, which while shared, does end up more cost-effective than a taxi for solo travellers and smaller groups.
Private Shuttle
There are a number of companies that provide a private shuttle service to Shaka; we frequently use the services of Tropical Tours. You'll be collected from San Jose and driven to the Puntarenas ferry (approximately 1.5-2 hours). At Puntarenas, you'll leave the van and board the ferry, taking your bags with you. The ferry crossing is approximately 1.5 hours and on arrival you'll be met by another van, which will drive you the rest of the way to Shaka (approximately 1.5 hours).
The quoted cost of the shuttle includes all legs of the journey (shuttle > ferry > shuttle > taxi).
Direct Bus
Departing from the bus terminal (7-10) in San Jose, the direct bus makes the same journey as the private shuttle (ferry included). The bus leaves the station twice daily (6am and 2pm). You can see the bus schedule here. The bus also makes a stop near Villa Bonita, a 5-minute taxi or Uber ride away from the airport (directions here), roughly 30 minutes after departure from the main terminal in San Jose.
On arrival into Santa Teresa, the bus will stop in a number of locations, the last stop being at Plaza Kahuna. From here, get off the bus and take a taxi to Shaka – approximately 15 minutes and $15. During the day, there are generally plenty of taxis in the town and you should have no problem waving one down. Alternatively, you can walk into any one of the restaurants or cafes and ask them to call a taxi for you. When taking the afternoon bus (arrives between 8-9pm), we suggest booking a taxi in advance. We recommend the services of Richard Mora at Adventure Cab (on booking, we’ll be able to put you in touch).
