Daniel Oduber Airport in Liberia Guanacaste Costa Rica

The Liberia Airport in Guanacaste Costa Rica had over 51,000 passengers traveling through in January 2010. This was an increase of 21.7% over January 2009 and 10.4% over January 2008.  The Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport (LIR) is very close to many Guanacaste resorts – Playa Hermosa is just 20 pleasant minutes from the airport. International flights started in 2002; now you’ll find American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United, US Airways – even Finnair. About 30 different airlines fly into Liberia. If you’re heading for the Papagayo Peninsula or to Tamarindo, you’ll save a 4.5 hour drive from San Jose by flying into Liberia.

On Wednesday the new Costa Rica highway from San Jose to Caldera on the central Pacific Coast opened, after 34 years of planning. This 77 kilometer highway cuts the time for the trip from San Jose to Caldera from 90 minutes to 45 minutes, a major time saver. Various sections are two lane, three lane and four lane, with shoulder lanes.  This opening is long awaited good news for the area. We’ve driven on some sections of the new road and the positive difference is amazing! Much better driving conditions, but still offering great views of the Costa Rican countryside.

Most businesses in Costa Rica shut down from December 18th to January 4th. Not just government offices, but most businesses! Tourism businesses remain open, but the rest of the country can relax and enjoy the season with their family and friends.

Tents along Manuel Antonio Park beach in Costa Rica

A year ago the beach approach to Manuel Antonio Park was lined with sidewalk vendors and there were tents and clotheslines on the adjacent beach.

Sidewalk vendors near Manuel Antonio Park

Today all that is gone. With the approaching opening of the new marina in Quepos and the importance of tourists at Manuel Antonio Park, the government has been effective in cleaning up this area and making it more easily accessible.

Beach near Manuel Antonio Park in Costa Rica

We learned this week through del Pacifico’s post on Facebook that the new Parittas bridge is open – the last one lane bridge between del Pacifico and Manuel Antonio Park. Though the ride across the bridge itself is only 2 minutes (the length of the YouTube video linked above), the wait on either side could be 1.5 to 2 hours at busy times. In the video you can see the new bridge on the right (if you take your eyes off the bridge ahead). The bridge looked and felt pretty rickety but we figured if the big 18 wheelers could make it across, so could we. We’re looking forward to crossing the new bridge when we’re there in January.

View YouTube video here.

Ocaso Cerro B&B site in Costa Rica

Soon there will be a new bed & breakfast in Tres Rios de Coronado in Costa Rica. Our clients, Chuck & Debbie Knight, bought land south of Dominical a few years ago, with plans to build a home and a B&B on their ocean view land. Their soon-to-be Costa Rica B&B has both a website and a Facebook page. You can watch the construction progress on either of these sites. Tami and I have visited several areas of Costa Rica, but are waiting for this B&B to be finished before we check out the south Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

On a “small world” note – when we were last having lunch with Chuck & Debbie at Diner 437, we suggested they contact Charles Zeller of Ship to Costa Rica, whom we recently met in San Jose, about shipping their household goods – only to discover that Zeller had already visited them at their St Pete Beach condo!