The View from the Puntarenas - Paquera Ferry.

Considering that tourism is the main source of income of the country, one wonders sometimes, what is going on! If you want to go to the southern tip of Nicoya, you need to take the ferry in Puntarenas. The drive from San Jose should not take more than two hours at a steady pace. You will then find yourself in the worst part of Puntarenas; it can be a shock, even if you are prepared! The poverty is present everywhere. It has the look, smell and feel of having been abandoned forever.

Make sure you have the timetable sorted first and that you know at what time your ferry leaves; it is a good idea to arrive in advance, if possible, as the schedule often changes between high season and low season, when there may only be 4 departures a day. There are currently two ferries; the better and newer one, which is much bigger, holds up to 140 vehicles. It has a small restaurant inside serving burgers and pizzas, and good places to sit outside. The smaller one is much older, and definitely shows it. If you happen to get that one, just find a place to put yourself and stay there, as you may have found the best spot!

The ferry ride itself is quite relaxing with the wind blowing through your hair and beautiful, pristine shorelines stretching around you on both sides. The 4pm ferry may be the best as you get to experience the setting sun in front of you, however manning the roads on the other side at night is a different story.

You may also take direct buses to Montezuma, which include your ferry passage in the price. Otherwise, you can take a bus to Puntarenas, a taxi to the ferry terminal, and catch another bus in Paquera, which may involve switching buses again if you want to get to the beaches on the Pacific coast like Santa Teresa and Mal Pais.

The journey back is always a lot more traumatic; for some obscure reason, the ferries take a pause between each crossing. There may be hundreds of cars waiting in line, but that doesn’t change a thing. It means that you may have to wait a very long time in Paquera. You may have to wait up to six or seven hours, in the heat, with nothing to do, while the ferry is parked and someone in Puntarenas having a break! The worst part is that you are not told if your vehicle will fit on board until the actual loading process starts.

While you wait in Paquera, there is a small dirty soda with no food and no drinks. The bathrooms are not worth mentioning and there is nowhere to sit! Staying in the car is unthinkable due to the heat. If there are small children, keeping them occupied and happy is not easy. The tension builds up in the air, and before long, people get aggressive and lose patience. Yet, few would consider turning around to make the long journey to Tempisque and cross on the bridge.

The long hours spent on the pristine beaches, the swimming, the heavenly moments all seem a long way away. When finally the ferry arrives, you may feel this is when things get better; it is possible that the journey from Puntarenas to San Jose will be a long frustrating one, with lines of lorries crawling their way up the mountains, slowly, and even slower.

Ten years ago, it was the same story. Nothing has changed or improved, in fact, it is now worse as the ferry and facilities are even more run down, broken and dirty. What about the foreigners who take this journey as they step off the plane in Juan Santamaria? What kind of impression will they have of Costa Rica? Why is it left to such a state of abandon is beyond understanding, as the ferry is the main access route to some of the most luxurious, private resorts in the country. There is a lot of improvement and a lot of work still to be done in Costa Rica. Lets hope the money goes where it is needed most!

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Filed under: Travel on May 13th, 2008