WHAT AIRPORT TO FLY To?
Best airport is to fly to is Managua, Nicaragua.
This is the direct google maps link to us
Then either hire a 4x4 car or have us organise you a transfer for an extra cost. Read below to look into more options.
From San Juan Del Sur
By Car
Find Highway 72 or as its locally known, La Chocolata Rd and turn down this headed to Playa Maderas. This will be on the right as you drive on the main rd into town (if you go over the bridge and pass the Pali Supermarket on the left you have gone too far), or on the left after Pali as you head out of town. This rd is signposted for Playa Maderas and Playa Marsella.
Follow this rd past the school on your right and fire station on the left and soon the rd will turn to gravel. Follow this all the way until you cross a small bridge and see signs to turn left for Playa Maderas (about 15 mins). Next you will cross a larger bridge and then come to a fork on the rd, take the left hand fork (sign posted for Maderas) and follow this along into Marsella Valley and past the Dic Golf Course. Next you will come to another fork, take the right hand rd and continue along this until you reach a fork at the bottom of a hill. This is where you need to put your car into 4X4 if you have it.
Take the right fork and continue up the hill until you reach the top and the entrance to Hotel Hulakai. Here you need to take the right up the hill which takes you to the drive way of Todo Bien.
About 400m up the rd look for the wooden gate just past a small yellow house on your left. Open the wooden gate and drive through, Follow the rd down the hill and through the jungle where you will reach a tarmac curve. Drive around this and begin climbing the hill. You will see a rd on your left, don't take it. Continue up the hill and the next gate you reach directly ahead will be Todo Bien. You've made it!
BY BUS
A beach shuttle bus runs from Casa Oro in central San Juan Del Sur to Playa Maderas multiple times throughoout the day.
TODO BIEN is a 15-20 minute walk up the hill from the beach but is not reccommended with any luggage! If you let us know which shuttle you are on from SJDS we will come down to the beach and pick you up.
BY Private TRANSFER
A private 4x4 pick up is available from anywhere in San Juan Del Sur. Just let us know when you will be arriving to San Juan via bus or taxi and we can arrange a private transfer for you to Todo Bien. Price TBC.
FROM MANAGUA
By Car
There are plenty of hire options located at the airport; Budget, Alamo, Dollar, Avis, and Hertz. And also Nicaraguan companies Targa and Lugo. Alamo, National and Dollar have offices in San Juan del Sur so you can rent a vehicle after you arrive in town if you are looking to just do a day trip or two.
Please note: A 4x4 is needed to get up to TODO BIEN. 4x4 is generally recommended year round in Nicaragua as the roads can vary drastically from badly maintained tarmac filled with pot holes, to muddy dirt tracks depending on the season.
Once you have your vehicle head right out of the airport toward Tipitapa and follow the signs for 'vieja carretera de Tipitapa'. Then follow the signs for Rivas or Peñas Blancas. Once you pass through Rivas look for the signs for San Juan Del Sur, after 15 mins you will turn right at the junction 'La Virgen'. After this you are on the home straight and SJDS is about a 20 mins drive. Once you are on the final approach to SJDS follow the instructions to TODO BIEN on the left of the page.
It is not recommended to drive at night. There are lots of obstacles on the road and the streets are very badly lit, so if you get into the airport around sunset stay at a hotel for the night and begin your journey early the next day.
By Bus
From the airport you can take either the local 'Chicken Bus', which is the most economical but slowest way or the 'Express Bus', which is a bit more expensive but comes with with air con and has fewer stops (recommended). Both leave fromMercado Roberto Huembes, located a short taxi ride from the airport. These busses will drop you at the local market in down down SJDS. From here you can catch a taxi or shuttle (from Casa Oro) out to Playa Maderas or otherwise plan a pick up by us! Plan about 3-4 hrs total.
By Private Transfer
The most hassle free way to get to TODO BIEN is by your own private transfer. Your driver will meet you at the airport with a name board and take you directly to our door in an air conditioned 4x4 ($100) or drop you in SJDS in a normal car ($80). Depending on traffic the trip should take around 2-2.5 hrs. Please note this is the price per vehicle not per person.
FROM COSTA RICA
The easiest way is to jump on one of the large busses from Costa Rica to Nicaragua such as Ticabus. These dont stop at the border, just remember to get off at the junction 'La Virgen' about 15 after the border. From here you can catch another bus into SJDS (20 mins) or get a shared taxi or minibus.
The cheaper alternative involves catching a bus to the border at Penas Blancas, walking over the boarder into Nicaragua, catching another bus to 'La Virgen' then another to SJDS.
STILL LOST? This is the direct google location
FROM HULAKAI HOTEL FOLLOW THE SIGNS TO RAPTURE CAMPS AND WE ARE THE BIG BROWN WOODEN GATE WITH WHITE CONCRETE PILLARS