How to Get from Nosara to Sámara

The hour drive from Nosara to Sámara makes for a perfect day trip. It's a short 21 miles (33 km) heading south and both towns offer a lot in the way of surfing, sunning, and swimming. Whether you travel by private car, bus, or taxi, you'll be taking Route 160 most of the way. It's not a major highway so be prepared for a bumpy, dusty ride, best tackled with a 4x4 vehicle.  Though it's possible to take this route the entire way, it's best to connect over to Route 150 as road conditions are a little better.

While a private car is the best option, with the least restraints, travel by taxi and bus is also a viable option. Nosara is a popular tourist destination in Costa Rica so finding a taxi won't be difficult. Public transport is also used frequently in this part of the peninsula and is a fairly reliable way to get between the beach towns. The route from Nosara to Sámara is not direct, however, so your ride will take a few hours and could be crowded.

By Private Transfer

Duration: 1-1.5 hours

By far, hiring a private car is the option that gives you the most flexibility. Very little of Route 160 is paved so you'll be traveling slowly anyway and may as well use it to your advantage. Keep in mind that road conditions change drastically at certain times of the year so plan for extra time in your itinerary.

In the rainy season, expect to find flooded, muddy areas along the portions with creek beds. be passing a lot of amazing places along the Pacific Coast like Playa Guiones and Playa Garza. In addition to great surf breaks, the coastline is dotted with local shops and little restaurants worth checking out as you make the drive. The last few miles of Route 160 can be difficult to drive on so Route 150 is the preferred detour.

By Taxi:

Duration: 1- 1.5 hours

A taxi will be more expensive than public transport but will save you time. Reserving one can be done ahead of time, most hotels will do it for you, or you can easily find a taxi stand in town. Having a local driver means you may get an inside perspective on things to do and see in the area. If you have the time, consider hiring it for a half or full-day so that you can stop along the way as you'd like.

By Bus: 

Duration: 2-4 hours

A bus ride will be cheap but it will take the most time to get there. Using public transport here is an experience in the laid-back, easygoing attitude of the beach lifestyle so it's best not to be in a hurry if you select this method. From Nosara, catch a local bus heading to the town of Nicoya. To avoid being taken all the way up there, let the driver know you want to go to Sámara and they'll drop you at the junction known as La Bomba. From there, you'll find plenty of Sámara-bound buses coming from Nicoya.