Hostal Los Chamos

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Don’t buy shuttle tickets from here to Costa Rica, it’s a scam. We booked and paid for a shuttle to La Fortuna a few days before and they were very helpfully and friendly, however we should have trusted our gut based on how casual they were about it all. We were told that the “shuttle” would involve a private car to the border, and from there we would take a Shuttle bus to our destination. All was going to plan as the driver met us, drove us to the border, dropped us off to the Tica Bus Employees (they were in the correct uniforms, however really not sure if they were legitimate or not) who escorted us through the border process out of Nicaragua. Once we were out however and could not turn back, they proceeded to tell us that the bus was full and that we would have to find our own way from here. After much back and forth they refunded us $20 of the $70USD we had paid and we had to figure the rest of our journey out ourselves. As it was a Sunday we already knew that it would be hard to get to La Fortuna which is why we booked a shuttle. We ended up getting a lift to Liberia with some friendly travelers with a car, from there a local bus to Canas and then an $80US taxi to our destination. Save yourself a lot of effort and just book a shuttle with Caribe or a ticket directly with Tica. Don’t book through this hostel.

My wife and I were staying elsewhere in del Sur, but we both were impressed to get a 90 minute lesson together from William at a beach south of town, Remanso beach, two surfboard rentals, and a ride there and back for $50 US. My vacation is complete now that I've started a lifelong goal of learning to surf.