How to Cross the Costa Rica-Nicaragua Border at Peñas Blancas
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.
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.
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.
Timetable for the Peñas Blancas bus out of Liberia:
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).
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).
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!
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!
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.
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.
The Tourist Card costs 10 USD and there's a 3 USD immigration fee:
Passport stamps:
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.
The bus terminal is 100m up the road on the left side.
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:
Another day at the office. Even got a bit of time to explore Rivas:
My hotel in Rivas, the Hotel Julieta. Just the job. Quiet, a good sleep, comfy bed, awesome host.
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