Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
BORDER CROSSING: TO PEÑAS BLANCAS, COSTA RICA
If you've booked an international bus from Rivas or Managua, the border crossing between Sa-
poá, Nicaragua, and Peñas Blancas, Costa Rica, will be a snap, as they do everything but hold
your hand. Make reservations in advance during the high season. It's often cheaper and more
convenient, however, to take local buses and cross on your own.
The 1km-long, enclosed border is fairly simple, although the sudden (and strategic) crush of
'helpers' can be intimidating. Pedicabs (US$1) not only roll you through, they also protect you
from the masses. Banks on either side exchange local currency for US dollars, while money
changers (called
coyotes
for a reason) exchange all three currencies freely but may try to rip you
off; look for folks wearing identification badges. Exchange as little money as possible here, know
about how much you're supposed to get back, and note that 1000-córdoba bills from the
Sandinista administration are out of circulation and worthless.
On the Nicaraguan side, get your passport stamped at a window in the large, poorly marked ce-
ment building just east of the main road. It costs US$5 to enter Nicaragua, US$2 to exit, payable
in córdobas. The Municipality of Sapoá charges US$1 extra to enter or exit the border zone.
There are three duty-free shops on the Nicaraguan side, but no restaurant or bathroom.
Leaving or entering Costa Rica is free. Immigration has a good restaurant, clean restrooms and
a bank with an ATM. Everyone entering Costa Rica technically needs a ticket leaving the coun-
try, which is rarely asked for. If it's your unlucky day, Dendu Transport and Transnica, both loc-
ated right outside, sell US$10 tickets from San José to Managua.
Sapoá has no real lodging, other than a few dodgy, unsigned guesthouses, and Peñas Blancas
has none at all, so don't plan on spending the night. Although the border is open 24 hours, buses
only run between 6am and 6pm, after which taxis triple their fares.
Buses from Sapoá run at least hourly to Rivas (US$10, one hour) between 6am and 5:30pm,
where you can make connections throughout Nicaragua.
Taxistas
(taxi drivers) may tell you Ni-
caraguan buses aren't running, or are unsafe, but that is incorrect.
Transnica runs buses from Peñas Blancas to San José (US$10, five hours) at 5:15am, 7:30am,
9am (direct), 10:45am, noon, 1:30pm, 3:30pm and 6pm. Pulmitan de Liberia goes to Liberia
(US$2, two hours) at 6:30am, 8:30am, 9:30am, 12:30pm, 2:30pm and 5:30pm.
It's always faster and easier to take a taxi, which may be prohibitively expensive on the Costa
Rican side (US$50 to Liberia), but much more reasonable from Sapoá to Rivas (US$12), San
Jorge (US$15), San Juan del Sur (US$20) and Granada (US$50). Find other tourists to share your
taxi while you are still inside the border zone, and bargain hard.
Note: there are plans to pave the Pacific Coast road from El Ostional south to Costa Rica,
opening a new international border crossing here, but it's still several years out.
TAXI
Colectivos
(shared taxis or minibuses) run regularly to San Jorge (US$0.50) and San Juan
del Sur (US$1.75), but you'll have to charter your own for the Costa Rican border
