Question 1

Where is Puntarenas province in Costa Rica?

Accepted Answer

Puntarenas province is almost the whole Pacific south of Guanacaste, plus the southern tip of Nicoya and Monteverde. Jacó, Quepos, Manuel Antonio, Dominical, Uvita, Pavones, and the Osa Peninsula are here. So are Santa Teresa and Monteverde.

The province is too long to treat as one destination. Jacó is a short hop from San José. The Osa is a different day, often a boat. Plan the piece you are actually visiting.

Question 2

How does the Puntarenas ferry work?

Accepted Answer

The Puntarenas ferry is a car ferry from the city of Puntarenas across the gulf to Paquera, about an hour on the water. From Paquera the road runs to Tambor, Montezuma, and Santa Teresa. Book the car ahead in the busy weeks. Walking on is easier than rolling on with a vehicle. The drive around the gulf, back through the valley, is the long way, and it is the one people take when the ferry is full. The city itself is

Question 3

Is Manuel Antonio in Puntarenas province?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Manuel Antonio is in Puntarenas province. The park, Quepos, and the coast from Jacó south through Uvita are Puntarenas. The gate caps how many people enter each day, so the useful visit is early. A late arrival can mean you never get in. Dominical and Uvita are the quieter continuation of the same coast, still in this province. Do not add the Osa to the same afternoon. The park at Manuel Antonio is a morning. Co

Question 4

Is the Osa Peninsula its own province?

Accepted Answer

No. The Osa, Drake Bay, Puerto Jiménez, Golfito, and Pavones are Puntarenas. Corcovado is a park inside the province, not a province of its own. A guide is required, and you enter by boat or the long track from Carate. Leave at first light. Monteverde is the other surprise. The cloud-forest town is Puntarenas, even though the drive many people take comes out of Guanacaste. The town you sleep in is the useful fact. Th

Question 5

What is the best time to visit Puntarenas province?

Accepted Answer

The best time to visit Puntarenas province is December to April, the steadier Pacific dry season from Jacó down to the Osa. The south stays wetter than Guanacaste even then. May to November brings afternoon rain and a lower price, and the mornings are often clear enough for the park. Whales off Uvita show up in the green season, roughly July to October, and again around the turn of the year. Do not use one forecast f

Question 6

What are the local attractions in Puntarenas province?

Accepted Answer

The local attractions in Puntarenas province are Manuel Antonio, Corcovado, Monteverde, Marino Ballena, and Carara. The towns below cover the beaches. - Manuel Antonio — The park caps how many people enter each day. Come early. Beaches and monkeys are past the gate, and a late arrival can mean you never get in. - Corcovado — A guide is required on the Osa Peninsula. You enter by boat or the long track from Carate. Le