Inland day
trips

How to use this guide

This selection is for anyone on the Guanacaste coast who wants a day inland: waterfalls, caves, history and crafts less than two hours from the coast. The places fall into two areas. Around Liberia are Llanos de Cortés Waterfall, about 30 minutes south, Liberia town centre, the White City, and Santa Rosa National Park and La Casona, 36 km north. Around Nicoya and Santa Cruz are Barra Honda National Park, with its viewpoint and Terciopelo Cave, Guaitil and Diriá National Park.

Each area fills a day. In the north, start at Santa Rosa, which opens at 8:00 and needs a prior booking, head back to Liberia for lunch and finish at Llanos de Cortés before last entry at 15:30. In the south, Barra Honda sets the order: caves and trails run from 8:00 to 13:00, so go first thing and leave Guaitil, between Santa Cruz and Nicoya, for the afternoon. The Terciopelo Cave descent requires hiring the local guides' association, a minimum age of 12 and non-slip shoes; under-13s can join the tour to «la cuevita».

On a tight budget, watching the Guaitil workshops is free and Llanos de Cortés costs $7 per adult. At Terciopelo, guide and equipment are paid on top of the $13.56 entrance. Short of time, keep to Llanos de Cortés and Liberia town centre, which fit into half a day. Diriá only works if you have time and a four-wheel-drive vehicle.

Tips

• At Llanos de Cortés, use the official entrance: the car park has toilets and showers, a rope marks the swimming area and there are lifeguards.
• Terciopelo is booked by WhatsApp with the park, on 8539-1010 or 8721-2444.
• In heavy rain, Barra Honda may limit or close visits and the Terciopelo descent may be suspended: keep Guaitil or Liberia as a plan B.
• In Guaitil, buying directly from the workshops supports the families who make the pottery.
• Diriá's waterfall almost dries up in the dry season, and the last 6 km of the road are gravel with a crossing of the Diriá river.