*Connecting air service from San Jose to 2 local airstrips located in Tamarindo (60 min from the Resort) and Nosara (30 min from the Resort) is provided by Sansa and Nature Air...
For domestic flights anywhere within Costa Rica, contact:
Sansa 011-506-2-232-9729 / www.flysansa.com
There is often a luggage limit on domestic flights within Costa Rica, so please check with the airline.
There are two airlines flying to Tamarindo, Santa Cruz and Nosara: Sansa and Travelair. You can take a taxi or a bus from Tamarindo, Santa Cruz, or Nosara to Playa Azul. Also, Empresa Alfaro (tel. 011-506-2-222-2160).
Buses run every day from San José to Tamarindo and other areas in Guanacaste. The bus ride takes approximately 6 hours and the fare is about $7 one-way
For those seeking the adventure of Costa Rica's roads and countryside may choose to drive from one of the airports. All major car rental outlets are available at both the San Jose Juan Santamaria International Airport(SJO) as well as Liberia International Airport(LIR). From whichever direction you drive, the last 30-40 minutes of the road is dirt and is a bit rugged. You may also encounter a few creeks and rivers to cross. It is however a relatively safe adventure if you take it slow. The Costa Ricans known as 'Ticos' are friendly and speak mostly Spanish but are helpful if you need directions or other help. A four-wheel drive vehicle is recommended just in case since most of the beach roads in Costa Rica are dirt roads and can be subject to weather conditions and effects.
Car Rental Information:
All of the major car rental agencies operate out of Costa Rica and have offices at or close to the major airports. Here are some toll free phone numbers or just click on the link to go to their websites...
Mapache Rent A Car: 1(877)627-2243 or direct to Costa Rica: 011-506-2-286-0404 or 011-506-2-443-8584
Driving Directions from Liberia International Airport(LIR) to the Sanctuary Resort and Spa(SHORT VERSION): (approximately 90 minute drive total). Leaving the airport, turn right heading toward Santa Cruz (approximately 40 minutes). Just before entering Santa Cruz (before a small bridge) turn right toward Playa Junquillal & Playa Tamarindo. Look for directional signs for The Sanctuary every 5-8 kilometers. At the "Y" in the road turn left toward Viensiete de Abril and Junquillal. (You are now on the dirt road). Go 500 yards, turn right toward Junquillal & Rio Secco. Once you reach Rio Secco, go 1 km. more and look for exit toward Marbella, Ostinal and The Sanctuary. Turn left crossing a small bridge and continue toward Marbella, just over 4 km. past Marbella is the entrance to The Sanctuary Resort on the right.
Driving Directions from Liberia International Airport(LIR) to the Sanctuary Resort and Spa(LONG VERSION WITH MORE EXPLANATION): (approximately 90 minute drive total).
Exit the Liberia Airport and turn right onto Highway 21(a 2-lane freeway with 1 lane going each direction) and follow the signs to Santa Cruz. There will be many turnoffs but stay on the main road and keep following the signs towards Santa Cruz. Just before you reach Santa Cruz(appx. 35 minutes from the Liberia Airport), at Highway 152, turn right(this will be just before the bridge going over "Rio Diria". If you accidentally pass Highway 152 and go over the small "Rio Diria" bridge and come to a traffic light just past a "TOTAL" gass station on your left, then you have gone too far and need to turn around and go back across the "Rio Diria" and immediately turn left onto 152(headed towards Marbella, Playa Junquillal). You also may want to purposely overshoot the turnoff and cross the "Rio Diria" bridge to fill up with gass at the "TOTAL" gas station anyway since there will not be another gas station after this point. This Santa Cruz area you are now at is about 45 minutes from Casa de Linford in the Sanctuary Resort.
When you turn onto Highway 152, there should be small signs to Playa Junquillal and Tamarindo on this curvy and a bit bumpy paved road. Continue on this road until you get to Veintisiete de Abril (27th of April-yes that's the name of the town) where you will cross a small, single vehicle bridge. Here you will notice newer pavement. You'll now be appx. 20 minutes past the Santa Cruz turnoff at "Rio Diria". At this point, you have to turn right or left (a right turn takes you to Tamarindo). You will want to turn left and then a few hundred yards up the road turn right and follow the signs to Playa Junquillal and Paraiso. At this same right turn, there may also be a big sign that says "Marbella Real Estate". After this right turn, you should see a separate paved bike path separated by a yellow divider on the left side of this paved 2-lane road. (This new pavement and bike path will continue all the way to Paraiso but you will be turning left off of the pavement shortly before you get to Paraiso.
You will come to a "T", at which you turn left, continuing towards Playa Junquillal. You will pass through the small town of Rio Seco and there will be a turnoff on your left with signs directing to Marbella, Ostional, Lagarto, The Sanctuary Resort. This is where you are turning off onto the dirt road. Turn left(24 km to go) and follow the signs to Lagarto and Marbella.
About 1 mile up the dirt road, make sure that you do not take a left fork in the road directing to Florida. There should be a Sanctuary Resort sign here as well, pointing to take the road to the right. Okay, you are getting relatively close now. You will pass throught the small fishing village of Largarto, and soon you will pass through the small town of Marbella (be careful, they have 2 speed bumps in the road, one entering the town and one 100 yards up, leaving the town. You will also cross a cement bridge upon leaving Marbella. Timewise, it is appx. 8 minutes from Playa Lagarta to Marbella and about another 5 minutes from Marbella till you get to the Sanctuary Resort turnoff. (It isn't far at all by our standards. It just takes a long time on the dirt road).
About 4km(2.5 miles) up the road, look for the Sanctuary Resort sign (there also may be another large sign for "The Towers" which are condominiums at the Sanctuary Resort) and turn right. If you get to the town of San Juanillo, you passed us. Continue down the road till you see the entrance marked "Sanctuary Resort". It is a divided dirt driveway with a cement median that is landscaped, which separates the 2 directions of travel. At the end of the driveway, you turn right and follow the road around to the left to go to the Reception Building to pick up your key to the house. This is also where you can get help with things to do...tours, charters, rentals, events, amenities and hours of operation for the restaurants and pools, spa, etc.
Turning left at the end of the main driveway entrance to the Sanctuary Resort takes you to Casa de Linford. Just go to the end of the "block" on your left and that is Casa de Linford on the corner. You will recognize the house from the pictures on the internet. Just turn left at the end of the "block" and round the corner to park in the first carport you come to on your left. There is a walkway from the carport straight to the house.
BACKUP PLAN…
ONCE YOU CROSS THE SINGLE VEHICLE BRIDGE AND HIT THE NEW PAVEMENT GOING TO THE SANCTUARY RESORT, THERE ARE PRIVATELY POSTED SIGNS ALONG THE ROAD AND ON THE DIRT ROAD SECTION AS WELL, WHICH OCCASIONALLY CHANGE OR GET KNOCKED DOWN. THE PUBLIC UTILITY SIGNS, HOWEVER, DON'T CHANGE MUCH AND ARE MORE PERMANENT. WORST CASE SCENARIO, YOU CAN FOLLOW THE SIGNS TOWARDS PLAYA JUNQUILLAL UNTIL YOU START SEEING SIGNS FOR OSTIONAL. AS SOON AS YOU START SEEING SIGNS FOR OSTIONAL, FORGET ABOUT JUNQUILLAL AND FOLLOW THE SIGNS TOWARDS OSTIONAL WHICH WILL TAKE YOU IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SANCTUARY RESORT. OSTIONAL IS PAST THE SANCTUARY RESORT AND MARBELLA WILL BE ONLY 4 KM(2.5 MILES) BEFORE YOU GET TO THE SANCTUARY RESORT.
Driving Directions from San Jose Juan Santamaria International Airport(SJO) to the Sanctuary Resort and Spa: (approximately 5 hours). Take the Pan American Highway (1) toward San Ramon. Stay on the highway until Limonal. Upon arrival look for a Shell gas station on the left. Turn left toward Tempisque bridge. Cross the bridge toward Nicoya. When the road ends turn right toward Nicoya & Santa Cruz. Stay on this road until you pass through Santa Cruz. As you are leaving, you pass over a small bridge. Turn left toward Playa Junquillal & Playa Tamarindo. Look for directional signs for The Sanctuary every 5-8 kilometers. At the "Y" in the road turn left toward Viensiete de Abril and Junquillal. (You are now on the dirt road). Go 500 yards, turn right toward Junquillal & Rio Secco. Once you reach Rio Secco, go 1 km. more and look for exit toward Marbella, Ostinal and The Sanctuary Resort. Turn left crossing a small bridge and continue toward Marbella, just over 4 km. past Marbella is the entrance to The Sanctuary Resort on the right.
The Sanctuary Resort & Spa Reception Building(2-682-8111 from within Costa Rica) is where you will be picking up your key to Casa de Linford upon arrival and leaving your key upon departure. All of the resort amenities including the pools, jacuzzis, restaurants, spa and other facilities are available to all rentors at Casa de Linford. Please email Linford Vacation Rentals at info@linfordvacationrentals.com for help and information. Linford Vacation Rentals(off-site in the U.S.) can also always be reached by phone or FAX at (760)862-1191. Be sure to dial "001" first if you are calling the U.S. from Costa Rica.
Entry Requirements: Passports are required for all persons entering Costa Rica. You will be allowed to drive with your driver's license from your home country.
Casa de Linford is located within the Sanctuary Resort and Spa at Playa Azul approximately 2.5 miles(4 kilometers) South of Marbella. It is just North of Veracruz and San Juanillo. Click here to view the map and scroll down. You will see it labeled "Azul" on the Pacific Coast between Marbella and Veracruz. Azul is the beach between Lagarto and San Juanillo. You can call the Sanctuary Resort's main number at 011-506-2-682-8111(just dial 2-682-8111 from within Costa Rica) from 7am-9pm daily for further directions and/or help.
Travel Information:
San Jose International Airport is approximately 5 hours from the resort and Liberia International Airport is approximately 90 minutes from the resort. The roads along the coast are dirt but not a problem if you take your time. 4-wheel Drive vehicles are recommended for a trouble-free driving experience. They also are built more sturdy so there is no worrying about harming the vehicle.
Airline Information:
The major airlines that fly into Costa Rica from the U.S. and other main points of departure at this time are as follows:
Weather: The climate in Costa Rica varies quite a bit depending on proximity to the coast and also the altitude. The Pacific northwest, where Casa de Linford in the Sanctuary Resort is located, has a superb climate with warm sunny days cooled by delightful sea breezes. From early December through May, perfect sunny days and starlit nights are virtually guaranteed. June through November is known as "the Green Season", which is when Costa Rica receives most of its rainfall. Being the driest part of the country, the Pacific northwest receives less rainfall than the rest of Costa Rica, but a late afternoon shower is not uncommon. Typically however, these showers clear quickly and give way to beautiful sunsets. A trip to the mountains will usually reveal wonderful weather most of the year as well as also being a bit drier than the coast. For up to date local weather in Nicoya, click the link below(Nicoya is quite close to Casa de Linford at Playa Azul).
© 2011 Linford Vacation Rentals. All rights reserved.
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