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How Far Is Uvita From San José, Liberia and the Coast?

Uvita is about 200 km from San José, on the Costanera Sur (Route 34) between Dominical and Ojochal. From Manuel Antonio it’s about an hour, and from Liberia airport it’s a long 5 to 5.5 hours.

Prices shift a little by company and season, but this is roughly what each trip takes and costs by shared shuttle:

Starting Point	Drive Time	Shared Shuttle
San José or SJO airport	3.5 to 4 hours	About $50 to $75
Liberia airport	5 to 5.5 hours	About $99
Manuel Antonio	About 1 hour	About $45
Jacó	About 2 hours	About $55
Sierpe, for Drake Bay	About 1 hour	About $45
La Fortuna or Monteverde	About 5 hours	About $60 to $99

The shuttle prices above are mostly Easy Ride’s rates, since it covers all of these routes.

Getting to Uvita From San José

Most people start in San José, and it’s an easy trip. Driving takes 3.5 to 4 hours on Route 27 and Route 34, past Jacó and Quepos, on paved roads the whole way.

Easy Ride charges $69 for a shared shuttle from the airport, which takes about 4 hours. Private transfers run about $280 to $370, plus 13% tax.

The Tracopa bus leaves its terminal on Calle 5 and Avenida 20, near Plaza Víquez, several times a day. It costs about ₡6,900, roughly $15, and takes 4 to 5 hours.

There’s also an inland route over Cerro de la Muerte on Route 2. It takes 4 to 4.5 hours, with fog and sharp curves, so skip it on a first trip. Our San Jose to Uvita guide covers this route step by step.

Flying to Uvita Through Quepos

Uvita has no airport, but you can fly from San José to Quepos (XQP) and drive the last 50 to 60 minutes. Sansa takes about 30 minutes, with up to five flights a day.

Costa Rica Green Airways flies the route too, from San José airport and the smaller Pavas airport. One-way fares run about $80 to $150, and basic fares include about 30 pounds (14 kg) of luggage.

Book a transfer from the airstrip before you land, since taxis there aren’t cheap. Palmar Sur, about 40 minutes south of Uvita, is closer. But it doesn’t show up on Sansa’s current route list, so treat it as charter only.

Getting to Uvita From Liberia

Liberia airport is about 310 km from Uvita, or 5 to 5.5 hours of driving. It only makes sense when Uvita is the last stop of a trip that started in Guanacaste.

Easy Ride runs one shared shuttle a day for $99, and it takes about 6 hours. There’s no direct bus, so you’d change in San José and spend 7 to 9 hours on the road.

For a trip mostly around Uvita and Manuel Antonio, fly into San José instead.

Getting to Uvita From Manuel Antonio and Quepos

Manuel Antonio to Uvita is about an hour south on Route 34. The road is flat, paved and close to the coast most of the way.

Easy Ride charges $45 for a shared shuttle and $115 plus tax for a private one. Local buses run Quepos to Uvita via Dominical about four times a day, for roughly $5.

The bus takes 2 hours or more with all its stops, and it ends at the Tracopa terminal in Uvita. A shuttle is the easier choice with luggage.

Getting to Uvita From Jacó

Jacó to Uvita is about 125 km, or roughly 2 hours on Route 34. Most of the drive is flat coastal highway, and Quepos makes a good lunch stop halfway.

Easy Ride charges $55 for a shared shuttle and $215 plus tax for a private one. By bus, you’d change in Quepos, which adds a few hours.

Getting to Uvita From Dominical

Dominical is about 17 km north of Uvita, a 15 to 25 minute drive. It’s close enough that plenty of people stay in one town and spend their days in the other.

A taxi costs about $15 to $25, and local buses between the two cost a dollar or two. Buses don’t run often, so check the times at your hotel.

Getting to Uvita From Drake Bay, Sierpe and Puerto Jiménez

Coming from Drake Bay, start with the public boat to Sierpe. It leaves Drake Bay at 7 AM and 2:30 PM, costs about $20 in cash and takes 1 to 1.5 hours.

From Sierpe, Uvita is about an hour by road. Easy Ride charges $45 for a shared shuttle and $195 plus tax for a private one.

Puerto Jiménez is about 125 km away, or 2 to 2.5 hours. Easy Ride runs a shared van for about $59, leaving at 12:30 PM.

Getting to Uvita From Panama

Paso Canoas, on the Panama border, is about 135 km from Uvita, or 2 to 2.5 hours by car.

The Tracopa buses between San José and Paso Canoas, and between San José and David, stop at the Uvita terminal. Allow about an hour for the border crossing itself.

Getting to Uvita From La Fortuna and Monteverde

La Fortuna and Monteverde are both about 5 hours from Uvita by car. Easy Ride runs a shared shuttle from each for $99, and the trip takes about 6 hours.

The La Fortuna van changes in Quepos, and a few other companies run Monteverde to Uvita for about $60. Private vans cost about $466 from La Fortuna and $409 from Monteverde, plus tax.

It’s a long day either way, so a night in Manuel Antonio on the way makes it easier.

Getting Around Uvita

Uvita isn’t compact. Hotels, beaches and restaurants are spread along several kilometers of the Costanera, and plenty of hotels are up steep hillside roads.

Taxis cost about $5 to $15 around town and $15 to $20 to Ojochal. Scooters rent for about $45 to $50 a day, and bikes for $10 to $15.

Marino Ballena National Park costs $6 plus tax, about $6.78, and one ticket covers all four beach sectors. Our guide to the best things to do in Uvita covers the rest.

Best Way to Get to Uvita

From San José, a shared shuttle is the easy pick for most people, at about $69 with airport pickup. Take the Tracopa bus when you’re on a budget and land in the morning.

Rent a car when you plan to see more of the Costa Ballena. Uvita is spread out, and so are the waterfalls and beaches. Fly to Quepos only when you’re short on time and packing light.

Once you’re there, our 2-day Uvita itinerary plans your days, and our best hotels in Uvita list covers where to stay.

How to Get to Uvita FAQ

Is There an Airport in Uvita?

There’s no airport in Uvita. The closest airstrip with regular flights is Quepos, about 50 to 60 minutes north. Sansa and Green Airways fly there from San José in 25 to 30 minutes.

Palmar Sur, about 40 minutes south, is closer but doesn’t show up on Sansa’s current routes. The closest international airport is San José (SJO), 3.5 to 4 hours away by road.

How Long Does It Take to Get to Uvita From San José?

It takes 3.5 to 4 hours to drive from San José to Uvita. The trip covers about 200 km on Route 27 and Route 34.

Shared shuttles take about 4 hours and the Tracopa bus 4 to 5. Flying to Quepos takes 30 minutes, plus about an hour by road to Uvita.

Can You Take a Bus to Uvita?

You can take a Tracopa bus to Uvita from San José several times a day, for about ₡6,900 (roughly $15). It leaves from the Tracopa terminal near Plaza Víquez and takes 4 to 5 hours.

Local buses also run from Quepos, Dominical and San Isidro de El General. No bus leaves from San José airport, so take a taxi to the terminal first.

How Do You Get From Manuel Antonio to Uvita?

The easiest way to get from Manuel Antonio to Uvita is a shared shuttle, about $45 per person with hotel pickup. The drive takes about an hour on Route 34.

Local buses from Quepos cost about $5 but take 2 hours or more. A private van costs about $115 plus tax for the whole group.

Do You Need a 4×4 to Get to Uvita?

You don’t need a 4×4 to get to Uvita. Route 34 is paved the whole way, and a regular car handles it fine.

A 4×4 helps on the steep dirt roads up to some hillside hotels and waterfalls, especially May to November. Ask your hotel before you book the car.

Is It Safe to Drive to Uvita at Night?

Driving to Uvita at night is doable on Route 34, but it’s best avoided. Potholes, slow trucks, cyclists and animals are hard to see, and many hotel roads have no lights.

The sun sets around 5:15 to 6 PM all year. Landing in the afternoon? Spend a night near San José and drive down in the morning.