Getting to the trailhead

Many hikers choose public transportation because it is affordable and generally reliable, but it involves a few coordinated steps. The journey begins with a bus from San José to Siquirres. From there, you transfer to a second bus that continues to Caño Blanco. The final leg is a water taxi from Caño Blanco to Barra de Parismina, where the Camino begins. It is a multi-step trip, but with the right timing, it is straightforward.

The key is aligning the bus and boat schedules, as the Siquirres to Caño Blanco bus runs only a few times per day. While buses from San José to Siquirres are frequent, most hikers aim to connect with the 12:00 PM departure to Caño Blanco. For this reason, the Mar a Mar Association recommends taking the 7:30 AM bus from San José. If you miss the noon connection, the next bus leaves from Siquirres at 3:15 PM

Google Map of the San Jose bus terminal
Google Map of the Siquirres bus terminal

For the most up-to-date details on schedules, prices, and exact locations, refer to bus schedules posted by the bus companies (usually in WhatsApp). Additionally, reviewing the waypoint in the FarOut app labeled “Getting to Caño Blanco” will have updated information from hikers. This is a paid app but you will need it anyway to navigate the route.

Arranging private transportation allows for you to get directly to the boat dock without any trouble of switching buses and they will pick you up right at your accommodation in San Jose and drive you straight to the dock.

The tradeoff is the cost. Expect to pay between $240 - $300 for this service.

There are tons of transport companies in Costa Rica so if the price seems high you can shop it around. Ride CR is a company that has done this route many times for hikers.

Uber is growing in Costa Rica as an affordable, on demand option. Which is also the risk - you don't know the price until you make the request and you can't reliably schedule a driver in advance.

You can check prices in advance using the app, and it seems to bounce between $150 - $200.

This is the most direct option as you can also cut out the water taxi.

Flights can be chartered through SANSA airlines. The airport code you need to give them is MRBP. Other airlines include Costa Rica Green Airways and Xplore Air Costa Rica.