Nicaragua to Costa Rica by Land: My Peñas Blancas Border Crossing Experience

Border crossings are one of those things I actually enjoy when traveling overland. It's more because you never really know what is going to happen.

Will the bus be where you expect it to be? Will you find the right immigration office? Will somebody try to charge you an insane taxi fare? Will you accidentally get on the wrong bus?

On my Nicaragua to Costa Rica crossing, I got a little bit of everything. And, of course, there was a chicken bus involved.

Getting from Nicaragua to Peñas Blancas

I left the hotel in Managua at around 8:15 AM by InDrive. My plan was to get to Rivas first and figure out the next part from there, but as soon as I got out of the taxi, a bus barker across the road started calling me.

"Rivas!"

Apparently, that was my bus. I crossed the road and got on at around 8:27 AM. Well, I tried to get on. I almost fell while climbing into the bus.

The guys sitting in front saw me struggling, and all screamed at the same time. Before I could even react, one of them grabbed both of my bags, carried them onto the bus, and put my big backpack in the upper compartment. I was so thankful!

This is one of those little travel moments that reminds me why I love traveling by public transportation. You can struggle your way onto a chicken bus looking like you're about to fall over, and complete strangers will immediately come to your rescue.

Surprise! The bus goes all the way to the border

I originally thought I would have to get off in Rivas and find another bus to Peñas Blancas, but then I discovered that this particular bus went all the way to La Frontera. Happy discovery! One less transfer. One less opportunity to get lost with a huge backpack.

At around 10:44 AM, we stopped in Rivas to unload and load more pasajeros. Then we continued toward the border.

By 11:30 AM, I was at La Frontera.

Nicaragua immigration

At around 11:54 AM, I got on an air-conditioned bus that took us toward the immigration area. After spending the morning on a chicken bus, the AC was very welcome. 😂

Just after four minutes, I arrived at Nicaraguan immigration.

The process was pretty straightforward. Our bags were also X-rayed before leaving Nicaragua. Somehow, during the whole process, my big backpack and even my shirts ended up with white paint on them. I don't even know how that happened. Free souvenir, I guess.

By 12:20 PM, I was back on the bus.

Entering Costa Rica

At around 12:30 PM, we headed toward Costa Rican immigration. My immigration process took about 10 minutes. There was actually a funny moment involving my big backpack.

A German guy and I apparently forgot that we were supposed to take our big bags with us. So, we had to go back. Fortunately, the people waiting in line were nice enough to tell us to return to our original line instead of making us start all over again.

Thank you, fellow travelers!

The Costa Rican immigration officer asked me for my flight ticket and where I was staying. After immigration, our bags were X-rayed.

And finally, at 1:01 PM, I was officially out of the border and in Costa Rica.

But my travel day wasn't over yet

I was already coughing badly that day. While on the bus, I had an allergy cough attack. Thankfully, it wasn't as serious as some of the attacks I've had before, but I still had to take another Aresto. The only problem was that it made me really sleepy.

Not exactly the best combination when you're crossing an international border with a huge backpack, but I survived.

The bus dropped us on the highway

The bus didn't drop us at the terminal in Liberia. It dropped us along the highway.

I was with the German guy, and we were both trying to figure out how to get to town. I tried using InDrive, but it was asking us to make an offer rather than giving us a fixed fare. Nobody was accepting our offer. So, we crossed the highway using an overpass and started walking.

It was only around another kilometer, but it was HOT. The German guy tried hailing taxis. The first driver wanted US$40. Forty dollars?! For that distance?! No, thank you.

Another taxi eventually offered US$10. I still said no.

I told the German guy it was okay and that I would just walk. So, that's what I did. Big backpack, hot sun, sleepy from medicine, still coughing, walking to my accommodation. Well, I guess I enjoy making things harder for myself.

Check-in drama at the hostel

I finally made it to the hostel. The receptionist initially seemed okay. Then I asked why my credit card had already been charged when my booking said I was supposed to pay cash. That's when things got interesting.

He told me I didn't show up the previous day and that I was checking out the next day.

I told him, "No. My booking is for today and tomorrow."

He insisted I was wrong. I showed him my booking. He still insisted I was wrong. And then he told me to let him speak first if I wanted to check in. Except, he was the one who wasn't letting me speak.

Eventually, he said he would check with the manager.

The manager came over, looked at my booking, and realized there had been a system error. So, no, I wasn't imagining things. My booking really was for the correct dates.

I also pointed out that the amount charged to my credit card was higher than the amount I was supposed to pay in cash. The manager explained that the difference was the credit card transaction fee. The first guy had told me something different, saying it was a tariff that wasn't included in the booking. The manager then offered to cancel the card payment so I could pay cash instead and avoid the 5% transaction fee.

At that point, I just said it was okay and that there was no need to change it.

And suddenly, the manager started making jokes. I knew what he was doing. He was trying to lighten the mood. Honestly, I laughed. I know how the hospitality business works.

Then I asked if I could rent a towel. He said he'd give me one for free but told me not to tell anybody. That made me laugh even more. At least the whole situation ended on a better note.

The manager also gave me a map showing me places I could visit around the area.

Looking for food, according to an outdated map

After checking in, I went out to look for somewhere to eat. I opened Maps.me and started looking at restaurants nearby. Unfortunately, Maps.me apparently hadn't been updated recently. Some of the restaurants listed on the map no longer existed. So, there I was, tired from the border crossing, sleepy from medicine, coughing, walking around in the heat, and looking for restaurants that existed only on the map.

Just another normal backpacking day.

My Nicaragua-Costa Rica border crossing timeline

For anyone planning to do the same crossing, here's my actual timeline:

Time	What happened
8:15 AM	Left by InDrive
8:27 AM	Got on the chicken bus to Rivas
10:44 AM	Rivas — passengers unloaded/loaded
11:30 AM	Arrived at La Frontera
11:54 AM	Got on the AC bus toward immigration
11:58 AM	Nicaraguan immigration
12:20 PM	Back on the bus
12:30 PM	Costa Rican immigration
~12:40 PM	Finished Costa Rican immigration
1:01 PM	Left the border
After 1:01 PM	Highway drop-off  - walked to accommodation

From leaving in the morning to actually getting out of the border area, the process was quite manageable. The bigger challenge for me was actually getting from the highway to my accommodation.

Tips for crossing Nicaragua to Costa Rica overland

1. Keep your passport easily accessible

You'll be showing it multiple times, so don't bury it at the bottom of your backpack. I like keeping mine in my pocket where I can reach it quickly.

2. Keep your onward/return ticket ready

The Costa Rican immigration officer asked me for my flight ticket, so make sure you have proof of onward travel accessible on your phone.

Costa Rica officially requires visitors to have proof that they will leave the country before their permitted stay expires. Accepted proof can include a pre-purchased bus ticket, flight, or cruise passage.

3. Have your accommodation details ready

I was also asked where I was staying. Have the name and address of your first accommodation saved on your phone or, even better, as a screenshot. You don't want to be standing in front of immigration scrolling through emails trying to find a booking.

4. Don't assume the bus will drop you at a terminal

This was one of my biggest lessons. The Nico Expreso dropped us along the highway rather than at the terminal. If you're traveling onward, know exactly where your bus will drop you and how you're going to get to your next destination.

5. Don't immediately accept the first taxi price

We were quoted US$40 for a relatively short ride. We eventually got a US$10 offer, and I still decided to walk. If you don't have a lot of luggage or you're comfortable walking, check your options before accepting a taxi price.

6. Download an offline map

And don't rely completely on restaurant listings. My Maps.me listings were outdated, and several restaurants I found were no longer operating. Having an offline map is still useful, but double-check businesses through more current sources when possible.

7. Keep some cash handy

Even if you're planning to pay by card, having some local cash is useful for buses, taxis, snacks, and those random little expenses that appear during a border crossing.

8. Pack your patience

This is probably my biggest border-crossing tip. Things may not happen exactly the way you expect, but that's also the fun of traveling overland. You just deal with whatever comes next.

Would I do the Nicaragua–Costa Rica land crossing again?

Yes. Despite the little dramas, the actual border crossing itself went pretty smoothly for me.

The chicken bus turned out to be a pleasant surprise because it took me all the way to the border, the immigration process wasn't terribly long, and I was across into Costa Rica shortly after 1 PM.

The funniest part was that the people I remember most from the crossing weren't the immigration officers or the bus staff. It was the random guys on the chicken bus who saw me almost fall, yelled together, grabbed both my bags, and carried them for me.

Sometimes it's the smallest acts of kindness from complete strangers that become the best part of a travel day. And yes, my backpack survived, my shirt survived, my lungs… well, that's another story.

Nicaragua → Costa Rica

Another border crossed. Another story for the backpack.