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How to Cross the Costa Rica-Nicaragua Border at Peñas Blancas

Posted: October 5, 2022 | Tagged: Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Border Crossings

This is a road trip report from October 2022 and details how I got from Liberia in Costa Rica to Rivas in Nicaragua via the Peñas Blancas border crossing using local transport as opposed to using Tica Bus or Nica Bus.
Peñas Blancas Nicaragua
My day began in Liberia, Costa Rica and ended in Rivas, Nicaragua.

From leaving my hostel, the hospedaje CatalinaSS, in Liberia at 7.30 am and arriving at Hotel Julieta in Rivas, at 1 pm.

I took the 8 am bus out of Liberia. Arrived at Peñas Blancas at 9.45 am.
Liberia to Penas Blancas Bus
Timetable for the Peñas Blancas bus out of Liberia:
Liberia to peñas blancas bus timetable
I was in the company of a Swiss girl, a Spanish girl and a half-Spanish/English guy who had been through this border a few times.

First, we paid the Costa Rica exit tax. Another Costa Rican rip-off. The tax is 8 USD but here they wanted 10 USD or 7,000 CRC, which is way more than 10 USD (Another reason why Costa Rica has a low go-back factor).
Peñas Blancas Costa Rica
Over to the immigration:

Getting processed took 20 seconds. They scan the passport, press some keys and put a nice stamp in your passport. Nicaragua, you could learn from your neighbours!
Peñas Blancas Costa Rica
Border Crossing: Costa Rica to Nicaragua at Peñas Blancas
We wander across No Man's Land and present our negative Covid tests or vaccination documents. Easy.
We wander across No Man's Land and present our negative Covid tests or vaccination documents. Easy.
Then to the immigration hall where you pay 1 USD (baksheesh?) to enter and here began the standard 2-hour wait whilst they dither with whatever. It's quite impossible.

We got processed together. That's easy as we get just one receipt for the 4 of us, the Spanish guy did all the talking, listing us all as staying at the same hostel in Granada, which none of us had any intention of using. It's one of the popular ones whose address and phone number I had screenshotted.
Peñas Blancas Border Crossing 2022
Costa Rica Nicaragua border
The Tourist Card costs 10 USD and there's a 3 USD immigration fee:
Nicaragua tourist card
Passport stamps:
Passport stamps in latin america
You gotta show your passport and the payment slip as you leave the border area and then you are free to explore Nicaragua.

The bus terminal is 100m up the road on the left side.
Bus terminal at Peñas Blancas
From there we boarded a Managua bus. The 2 girls got off at La Virgen (20 C$), the road to San Juan del Sur, and I got off in Rivas (30 C$). The Spanish guy continued to Managua (150 C$).

Another day at the office. Even got a bit of time to explore Rivas:
Backpacking in Rivas Nicaragua
My hotel in Rivas, the Hotel Julieta. Just the job. Quiet, a good sleep, comfy bed, awesome host.
Hotel Julieta in Rivas, Nicaragua
Previous Post: ​​​Top 3 Favourite Countries: Jane Spurin of Janes Midlife Journey
Next Post: How to get from Nicaragua to Honduras

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  • HOME
  • INDEX
  • About
    • About Nomadic Backpacker
    • About the Blog
    • Notable Experiences
    • Where I've Been: World Travel Page
  • Travel 101
    • Flight Reviews
    • Travel Hacks
    • Health
    • ATM fees
    • Travel Essentials
    • Favourites
    • BORDER CROSSINGS
  • Regions
    • AFRICA >
      • Botswana
      • Burundi
      • Egypt
      • Ivory Coast
      • Kenya
      • Madagascar
      • Rwanda
      • Mali
      • Sudan
      • Morocco
      • Namibia
      • Tanzania
      • Tunisia
      • Uganda
      • Zambia
      • Zimbabwe
    • Americas >
      • Belize
      • Costa Rica
      • Dominican Republic
      • El Salvador
      • Guatemala
      • Honduras
      • Mexico
      • Nicaragua
      • Panama
    • ASIA >
      • Central Asia
      • China
      • Middle East
      • Turkey
    • Europe >
      • Andorra
      • The Balkans
      • The Baltics
      • Belarus
      • Cyprus
      • Northern Cyprus
      • Gibraltar
      • Iceland
      • Italy
      • Liechtenstein
      • Malta
      • Monaco
      • Poland
      • Portugal
      • San Marino
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