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Arriving at The Flying Scorpion  

Some people say around here that 'bad roads bring good people.' One of the things that make our little spot of paradise so amazing is that it's not over-touristed, in part because many of the roads aren't in very good shape. If you're in a hurry, you can fly into Punto Islita and rent a vehicle locally. If you have a bit more time, you can drive here from further away (we've known people that have driven down from California, but most come from San José). If you're an impoverished surfer, a backpacking Peace Corps Volunteer, or interested in seeing the country as many Ticos do (or all three), you can take one of two daily buses from the capital.

Here are a few pointers, to help you decide.

The Scorpion on Google Maps

Click here to see us on Google Maps.

Fly Into Punta Islita Airport

There are two international airports in Costa Rica, one in Liberia (3 hours' drive away) and the other in San Jose (5 hours' drive away). However, there are two local airlines (Nature Air: www.natureair.com and Sansa Regional: www.flysansa.com) that fly into many small airstrips around our area. At the time of this writing, here is the Nature Air website link to book a ticket, and here is the Sansa Air link .

Punta Islita is the closest and is only a 15 min drive to The Flying Scorpion (faster, if we're driving). There are no taxi services in the area but with advance notice we can pick you up and drop you off for a fee of $25.

It is important to note that these local airlines have baggage restrictions of 25-30lbs per person (check website for further information).

Rent a Car in Samara

The closest car rental is located in Samara (33 km away). It is possible to arrange for a rental to be brought to the airport in Punta Islita.

Drive from Liberia Airport

Bring along a map; you can usually get one from the rental car agency. Leaving the airport, turn right onto the main highway (RT 21).

Follow 21 all the way to CARMONA. There are road signs along the way that will tell you how many kilometers to the next big town. Do not turn left in Santa Rita where the sign says 21 and goes to Playa Naragno. Just keep going straight instead.

Once you enter Carmona, turn right when you come to the park (town square). Go up the hill to the gas station (NOTE: This will be your last opportunity for quite some time to fill up with gas. Please also be aware that this gas station is closed on Sundays and after 6 pm. Be sure to fuel up at the Castrol on the Bridge road if it is Sunday or after 6pm)

After leaving the Carmona gas station, go back down the way you came 100 feet or so, and make a left, then a right, and then a quick left. This will be a dirt road. There is a new steel bridge with an old bridge right beside it that no one uses anymore. If you haven't crossed this new steel bridge within 1 1/2 minutes you are on the wrong road. Return to the gas station and ask for directions.

After crossing the bridge, you will climb the first of two mountains. The road will split half-way up the mountain. They join up again at the summit, so either is fine, but we usually go left, along the path that appears more traveled. It's probably a easiest. At the top, just continue straight until you come to a "T" intersection, which is in a town called ZAPOTAL. Turn left. After you pass a small cow farm on the left you will come to a fork in the road with a sign that says BEJUCO (among other places). Go left (as the sign says), and soon you will be going down the mountain again.

At the bottom of the mountain you will stay on the same road until you come to an intersection in LA SOLEDAD. Follow the sign for BEJUCO, which tells you to go left again. From here you have roughly a half hour to go. Just continue over the mountain, and stay straight until you come to Pueblo Nuevo, where the road splits at the end of a soccer field. There is a bar on the left and a grocery store with a bar. Continue along straight (there are no right turns on the dirt road). After you have passed the mill and two homes on the left you will curve to the left and continue over a small concrete bridge. Keep going about 3/4 of a kilometer. You will pass between beautiful cow pastures and then you will cross another smaller bridge.

Continue along the same road up one last hill (which is small, but steep!), and head down again. At the bottom of the hill, continue until the first intersection, where you should see a sign for the Flying Scorpion on the tree on your right. Take a right, and welcome to San Miguel! Take the second right, which is at the main intersection, and then it's just 800 meters further until the Scorpion!

Drive from San José, Alejuela, or SJO International Airport via the Bridge

Leave the city on route 1, the Central American Highway. This is the same road that connects the airport in Alejuela to the city of San José. Pass the airport, following signs to Guanacaste, Nicaragua, Liberia, or San Ramon. After about 2 hours on this road (depending on traffic) you will come to an intersection with signs for Nicoya and the "Taiwan Friendship Bridge" (Puente de Amistad Taiwan). This is a left turn (Note: there is a shell gas station on the corner). Should you miss this turn and find yourself in Liberia, you make a left at the one and only traffic light, and stay on that road until you get to Carmona, at which point you can continue as directed below. If you make the turn for the bridge, stay on this road for about 40 minutes. Cross the bridge until you end up at a "T" intersection marked RT. 21. Turn left and go straight down this road to CARMONA.

Once you enter Carmona, turn right when you come to the park (town square). Go up the hill to the gas station (NOTE: This will be your last opportunity for quite some time to fill up with gas. Please also be aware that this gas station is closed on Sundays and after 6 pm. Be sure to fuel up at the Castrol on the Bridge road if it is Sunday or after 6pm)

After leaving the Carmona gas station, go back down the way you came 100 feet or so, and make a left, then a right, and then a quick left. This will be a dirt road. There is a new steel bridge with an old bridge right beside it that no one uses anymore. If you haven't crossed this new steel bridge within 1 1/2 minutes you are on the wrong road. Return to the gas station and ask for directions.

After crossing the bridge, you will climb the first of two mountains. The road will split half-way up the mountain. They join up again at the summit, so either is fine, but we usually go left, along the path that appears more traveled. It's probably a easiest. At the top, just continue straight until you come to a "T" intersection, which is in a town called ZAPOTAL. Turn left. After you pass a small cow farm on the left you will come to a fork in the road with a sign that says BEJUCO (among other places). Go left (as the sign says), and soon you will be going down the mountain again.

At the bottom of the mountain you will stay on the same road until you come to an intersection in LA SOLEDAD. Follow the sign for BEJUCO, which tells you to go left again. From here you have roughly a half hour to go. Just continue over the mountain, and stay straight until you come to Pueblo Nuevo, where the road splits at the end of a soccer field. There is a bar on the left and a grocery store with a bar. Continue along straight (there are no right turns on the dirt road). After you have passed the mill and two homes on the left you will curve to the left and continue over a small concrete bridge. Keep going about 3/4 of a kilometer. You will pass between beautiful cow pastures and then you will cross another smaller bridge.

Continue along the same road up one last hill (which is small, but steep!), and head down again. At the bottom of the hill, continue until the first intersection, where you should see a sign for the Flying Scorpion on the tree on your right. Take a right, and welcome to San Miguel! Take the second right, which is at the main intersection, and then it's just 800 meters further until the Scorpion!

Drive from San José and Airport (SJO) via the Ferry

Upon leaving the Airport, follow signs for San Ramon, Guanacaste, or Nicaragua. The highway will be 4 lanes for quite a while, but will narrow to two lanes to go over a bridge. This will also occur right near the airport, so pay attention. After the road narrows for the second time, start looking for an exit with a sign for ATENAS. At the end of the exit ramp turn left. You will cross a river with a dam across it, and then you will go UP for a long time. Go straight through ATENAS to the top of the mountain, and down the other side. At the bottom of the mountain, you will enter a small town where you will come to a sign that says UNA VIA )One Way) or NO ENTRA (Don't enter). Here, turn right. After a block turn left again and follow signs for OROTINA. Go through OROTINA and look for your turn to CALDERA. (Note: the turn to Caldera is directly after Orotina, don't miss it).

Once on the road to CALDERA, look for signs to PUNTARENAS. The turn to Puntarenas is a cloverleaf sort of thing, where you peal off to the right, and go under an overpass. Just stay on this road until it ends and then turn right. Follow the waterfront along to the ferry dock. There are several ferries that leave from here, and you should ask which is the correct line. You are looking for the PLAYA NARANJO FERRY. (Note: Do not leave your car unattended and if you do make sure it is LOCKED.) Usually the ticket for the ferry cannot be purchased until the boat docks, and the sales person disembarks. You will have to buy a ticket for the car (liviano) and a cheaper ticket for each person (except the driver who is considered part of the car). Only the driver may ride in the car when boarding the ferry. Passengers must walk on.

The ferry ride takes about an hour and fifteen minutes. Once on the other side you drive straight up the hill until the road comes to a "T" intersection. Turn right and go to JICARAL. You will see a big church at the first intersection. Turn left, AFTER you go another block and fill up with gas. (Note: If it is late, the gas station may appear to be closed, but it is not. Someone will appear out of the shadows if you pull up to the pumps. It is important to fuel up here or Puntarenas before the ferry. There will be no more gas stations for a long time). Return to the aforementioned intersection and turn right (since you are coming from the other direction). The pavement will soon turn into a dirt road as you ascend a fairly steep incline. You have one and a half hours to go. Eventually, you will come to a stop sign. No kidding. Turn left. When you come into SAN FRANCISCO, turn right after the soccer field. From here you will only 25 minutes to go.

You will eventually pass a condominium building on the right side of the road. About a half a minute later you will see a BIG TREE with signs all over it and a road going to the left. You should see a sign for the Flying Scorpion on the tree. Turn left, regardless!

Welcome to San Miguel! Take the second right, which is at the main intersection, and then it's just 800 meters further until the Scorpion!

Driving Tips

• "Dónde está Playa San Miguel?" (Doan-day es-ta Playa San Miguel) is how you ask for directions to our beach in Spanish.
• Remember to pay close attention to the road, as is common for it to be in bad repair and there maybe dangerous, car-eating holes in the pavement.
• Radar speed traps are along the paved portions. If you are stopped, the policeman may ask if you "want" a ticket. This is a signal that 10,000 colones (about $20) will usually make the whole thing go away. You can either do this, or insist on the ticket. It's your choice.
• Seat belts are mandatory. It is best to comply at least until you leave the pavement.
• A vehicle with 4x4 is recommended when traveling throughout Costa Rica, and especially important during the rainy season.
• Do not pick up "stranded" people along the way (i.e.: flat tire) as this has been used to rob tourists.
• Be considerate when driving through towns. Please slow down as many children play out in the streets.
• A stick standing in the road with a flag or a plastic bag flying from it indicates a dangerous pot hole. Be cautious.

Take a Bus from San José or Alejuela

Taking the bus will give you a true taste of Costa Rica. It is a great way to see the countryside and will give you a chance to interact with "Ticos" along the way. As is true anywhere, you should keep an eye on your belongings. If you choose this option there is a bus from San Jose, which passes through Alejuela (about a mile from SJO airport), that will drop you off in San Miguel each day at 12:00pm and 10:00pm. Consider asking us for further instructions before taking the bus as the directions are quite extensive. Having some Spanish will certainly help you!

Briefly, the Lonely Planet offers as good instructions as we've seen--we've followed them ourselves. (Here, we've made some minor clarifications to the directions LP provides on the Lonely Planet website). Empresa Arza has two daily buses from San José that cross the Golfo de Nicoya on the Puntarenas ferry. [You'll get off the bus, and then you and the bus will ride the ferry to the other side where you'll reboard the bus. On the same bus, you'll continue onwards until the town of Jicaral. In the town of Jicaral, you will change buses to another that is waiting for you - keep your tickets and your luggage with you. Ask the driver of the second bus to let you off in Playa San Miguel. If you don't speak Spanish, just say "San Miguel," point to yourself, and he'll get it.]

Buses depart San José at 6am and 3:30pm, getting in at about noon and 10:30pm. Traveling Googler Brandon Stuut adds, "Take a cab to the San Carlos bus terminal. It's technically the "Terminal Atlantico Norte" but it seems more people know it by the name "San Carlos." Empresa Arza is the company that runs to Playa San Miguel. They have a little office right next to the terminal. (Facing the terminal where the buses enter, there is a restaurant/snack shop to your right on the corner. The office is to the right of the restaurant. Buy a ticket inside.)"

"The bus leaves from in front of the office. Make sure to arrive early, because sometimes the bus leaves a little early. At some point everyone gets off the bus and changes to a different bus that completes the journey. When you make the change try to get a seat away from the back of the bus so you don't get the worst of the bumps on the road ;)"

The stop before Playa San Miguel is Coyote/Costa del Oro. San Miguel is 5km further. The stop after Playa San Miguel is Bejuco (so you know if you went too far). When you get to Playa San Miguel, ask where you can find the Flying Scorpion or El Scorpion Volador or "donde Rossi." The Scorpion is just a short walk from where the bus drops you off.

This service is sketchy in the rainy season and the trip will take longer if road conditions are bad.

There aren't any other bus services frequenting this area from Nicoya or from any other of the peninsula towns for that matter.In addition, there is no bus service (because there is barely an actual road) traveling south along the coast between Playa Coyote and Mal País

At the end of the day, though, we think that the bus trip greatly enhances the enjoyment you'll get from arriving here. You are welcome here, even if you can't rent a car or fly - we look forward to seeing you (and we have lots of beer)!