Car hire Liberia

Introduction

For most tourists the city of Liberia in Costa Rica is just a hub to get to the beaches on the Pacific, like Playa del Coco, Playa Hermosa and the coast of the Papagayo Peninsula. The city itself has little to offer, except for safari park Africa Mia.

Population

The city has over 35,000 inhabitants.

Location

Liberia is located in the Guanacaste Province, in the northwest of Costa Rica over 200 kilometers from the capital San José. The city lies on the river of the same name, which rises on the slopes of Volcano Rincón de la Vieja (1916 meters). The volcano's surroundings, northwest of Liberia, are a national park with thermal springs, waterfalls and rivers.

Economy

Thanks to the airport and the increasing number of international flights, tourism to Liberia and surroundings is growing. Tourism therefore is an important source of income for the city. In recent years, some high-tech companies have also settled in Liberia.

Airports

Liberia Airport is called Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport and is situated 6 kilometers west of the city center. It's the country's second international airport, after Juan Santamaría International Airport near the capital San José. The airport is easily reachable by rental car: from the center you take the road to Nicoya which runs along the airport. The exit to the airport is clearly signposted.

Public Transport

Public transport in and around Liberia is good: there's an extensive network of buses, both within the city and to popular beaches. There are also buses to the border with Nicaragua, north of Liberia, and to San José, southeast of the city.

Traffic and Parking

For security reasons we advise against parking your rental car in the street. Always park at a parking garage or guarded parking lot. As said, most people don't stay in the city itself for long. There's also no need to do so, as the Pan American Highway runs straight through Liberia. Via that freeway you quickly reach the Nicaraguan border or San José, Costa Rica's capital.

Hotels

Most hotels in Liberia are located east of the Pan American Highway, between Avenidas 4 and 7. Most people, however, choose a hotel or holiday resort on the Pacific Ocean. Especially Papagayo Peninsula, on the north side of Bahia Culebra, is booming in recent years. Besides midrange accommodations, you'll find four- and five-star hotels here.

External Sources

For more information about Liberia, we recommend Google and the following sources:

• Wikipedia, Liberia (Costa Rica)
• Tourist Information Liberia (Costa Rica)