Villa Tekla

Directions from Quepos and San Jose

Note: there are no addresses in this part of Costa Rica. To get anywhere you need to provided directions using local landmarks. E.g. “turn left at Villa Lirio and go 200 meters until 12 meters before Super Joseth.”

From Quepos to Villa Tekla

The trip to Villa Tekla starts on the main road to Manuel Antonio National Park with one turn at Hotel Villas Lirio.

Once you leave Quepos towards the beaches be on the alert for Villas Lirio on your left (about a five minute ride). Villas Lirio is preceded by Hotel Teva and then Captains Hotel on the left. In front of Villas Lirio you will find the road to Villa Tekla. Continue approx 250 meters up the road until Finca los Mangos - 10 meters before the small Super Joseth market and a fork in the road. (Do not go past the store!) Villa Tekla is on the left before the fork with a black metal gate with a VILLA TEKLA sign. The driveway leads to a white three-level house.

The buses from San Jose will let you off across from the Manuel Antonio school. The local buses will let you off at the stops near the school's soccer field. The house is a 5 minute walk from the school up the Villa Lirio road.

San Jose to Quepos

Traveling in Costa Rica can be an exciting and educational part of your vacation experience, but it also has the potential to be challenging. Due to the topography of the country, the infrastructure and the weather, travel times can vary widely. You should fly into our international airport in San José (Juan Santamaria). From there you'll have several options to get to the Quepos/Manuel Antonio area. Your choice will be based upon the arrival and departure times of your flights in/out of San José, personal preferences, and your budget.

• Fly Sansa Air between the domestic terminal adjacent to the San Jose international airport and Quepos. Up to 7 flights a day. Cost: under $100 USD. Time: 20 minutes. Planning note: none of the local airports in Costa Rica have runway lights or control towers, so the flights only operate from sunrise to sunset (about 6:30 AM until 5 PM) and less frequently from May thru November.

  Check baggage policies carefully. The weight limits are enforced, which means that while they will take your bags, you’ll pay for the extra weight. Upon arrival in San José, you’ll need at least 1½ hours before your flight to Quepos. When returning to San José to connect with your international flight give yourself 2 hours to connect.

• Take an express bus between the San Jose and Manuel Antonio bus terminals. Approximately 3 hours. Cost: ~$30 USD. For reasons that mystify us, no buses pick up at the international airport thus necessitating an arduous trip into the city.

• Take a taxi directly from the San Jose airport. Cost: $120-160 USD depending on season, vehicle and your bargaining accumen. Approx. 2.5 hours. It is a pleasant drive unless you're travelling to the coast at the end of the week when traffic can get a bit heavy.

• Rent a car at the airport. You do not need a car in Manuel Antonio as bus and taxi service are more than adequate. If desired, you can rent a car in Manuel Antonio for day trips. Be sure to download and use the Waze app for use in Costa Rica - it is the best by far.

  Notes: after a long, international flight, it can be very stressful and time consuming, picking up a rental car and finding your way to Manuel Antonio, especially at night. Renting will take at least an hour. (No express service here.) Upon returning the car, it will take 45 minutes for them to inspect it, close the contract and to get back to the airport. According to some, Adobe is the best of a bad lot and will not attempt to upsell insurance etc.