Travel Planning

Advice to plan, book, and pack for your visit

Getting to & from Costa Oeste

*Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, Costa Esmeralda Airport (ECI) is currently closed. We will update you once this changes. Flights to Daniel Odubar Airport (LIR), Costa Rica, or Augusto C. Sando International Airport (MGA), Nicaragua are available. We can help arrange for reliable and professional taxi service from the airport to our doorstep. If flying into LIR, the taxi service will escort you across the land border. They also consult you with the necessary insurance upon entry to Costa Rica, PCR testing for entry to Nicaragua, and testing back to your home country.

We recommend flying into Daniel Odubar Airport (LIR) in Liberia or Juan Santamaria in San Jose Valley (SJO), Costa Rica, then taking a small plane to Costa Esmeralda Airport (ECI), Nicaragua, which is only a 15 min. drive to Costa Oeste. (Tip: When doing a flight search for ECI, search for it separately.)

You can also fly into Managua, Nicaragua’s Augusto C. Sandino International Airport (MGA), which has the most direct flights. It’s about 2-2.5 hours by car to Costa Oeste and can be significantly longer during the rainy season (May-October).

Ask us to arrange a taxi or personal driver from either airport so you don’t have to negotiate with on-site transportation companies.

Getting around locally

We can arrange any type of transportation you need. Nicaragua is still considered an adventure travel destination, so bicycles (free to use from Costa Oeste), mopeds, and taxis are the typical ways travelers get around. (Uber and Lyft haven’t made their way to us yet!)

Although you can rent a car during your stay, it’s not necessary, and most people find they aren’t as comfortable driving here compared to back home. If you want to rent a car, we recommend hiring a taxi first to feel out the roads.

When to visit

It’s tropical and beautiful year-round, and there’s plenty to see and do anytime you visit.

May to October is our rainy season when the rain comes and goes throughout the day. Our beach changes too: rocks are exposed more at the end of the dry season and the beginning of the rainy season. Although it’s rare to have completely rainy days, road conditions change. Check with us a day before you arrive if you’re visiting during the rainy season.

to help you pack

What to bring (& other tips)

Pack your bathing suit, sunblock, and bug repellant for your adventures, and you’ll be good to go! And don’t forget to bring electronic necessities like chargers, which are hard to find in remote areas like ours.

You’ll want to have cash on hand. U.S. dollars are accepted at most places but it’s good to have cordobas (“cords”). We recommend using the ATM at the airport or in a city before you arrive.