Private shuttle · door-to-door
Private Shuttle from Punta Islita to La Fortuna
Leaving the hilltop hotel and quiet cove of Punta Islita for Arenal? We collect you at reception and drive you across the peninsula and around Lake Arenal to La Fortuna. You pay one flat fare for the vehicle, with taxes and tolls included.
- Private vehicle
- Door-to-door
- Taxes & tolls included
- Child seats free
- 24/7
The service
Your private transfer from Punta Islita to La Fortuna
Getting from Punta Islita to Arenal is a long day if you have to piece it together. With us the van comes to your door in Punta Islita, the driver loads the luggage and your group rides alone, all the way to reception in La Fortuna.
One price covers the whole vehicle: fuel, tolls, taxes, insurance, bottled water, WiFi and child seats, with nothing to pay on the day. Standard takes you straight there; VIP, for $80 more per vehicle, adds sightseeing stops and a driver who doubles as a guide.
Leaving Punta Islita
From Punta Islita to La Fortuna: the logistics
Punta Islita is a small cove on the Pacific coast of the Nicoya Peninsula, south of Sámara and Playa Carrillo, with a beach tucked between forested headlands and a tiny village behind it. It feels remote, which is exactly why people come.
We collect you at Hotel Punta Islita's reception or at your house in the area. The first part of the drive is on rural roads, so we suggest a morning pickup; our fare table gives approximately 5 h to La Fortuna.
Your driver takes you to the door of your hotel, whether it is in town, on the road to the volcano or out towards El Castillo. If you arrive in the afternoon, the evening is a good moment for the hot springs; the volcano is usually clearest early the next morning.
We confirm the pickup time with you when you book. With approximately 5 h of driving, many travellers leave Punta Islita after breakfast so they reach La Fortuna with time to spare.
Before you go
Before you leave Punta Islita
Early breakfast
Ask the hotel the night before for an early breakfast to suit the pickup.
River levels
In the rainy season, ask reception about the rivers; we confirm the route with you.
The route
What to expect on the drive
- Distance
- about 205 km between the town centres (our measurement, approx.)
- Driving time
- approx. 5 h without stops (our fare table)
- Main roads
- Nicoya peninsula roads, Route 18 over the Tempisque bridge, Route 1 to Cañas, then Route 142 around Lake Arenal
- First stretch
- Rural roads from Islita, partly gravel, then paved roads towards Nicoya
The trip starts on the rural roads around Islita, partly gravel, before reaching the paved roads that lead back to the town of Nicoya and Route 18.
From the Pacific side of the peninsula, the van climbs inland on local roads to the town of Nicoya and takes Route 18 east, across the long bridge over the Tempisque River, back to the Inter-American Highway.
Along the way
What you'll see between Punta Islita and La Fortuna
From Punta Islita to the volcano, the view changes along the way:
Rural Nandayure
Cattle farms and small villages in the hills of the southern Nicoya Peninsula.
Lake Arenal
The north shore of the lake and the wind farms of Tilarán, at the Arenal end of the trip.
The town of Nicoya
One of the oldest towns in Costa Rica, with a whitewashed colonial church on its main square.
Tropical Experts VIP
VIP stops on this route
With Tropical Experts VIP (+$80 per vehicle) the transfer includes one to two hours of sightseeing stops, a bilingual driver who doubles as your guide, a welcome kit with local beers, soft drinks and bocas, and sparkling water on board. VIP stops are available on any route in the country. On this one, you can ask for:
Lake Arenal views
Short stops along the north shore of the lake when the clouds lift and the volcano shows across the water.
Café y Macadamia
A restaurant with a view over Lake Arenal, good for a coffee or a late breakfast.
Wildlife stops
When coatis, monkeys or birds appear by the lake road, we pull over so you can see them.
Nicoya's colonial church
A short walk around the main square of Nicoya and its whitewashed colonial church, right on the way.
If one or two hours are not enough, add extra hours at $35 each (maximum 4). Without VIP, the driver still stops for restrooms or a snack when you ask.
Before you travel
Road conditions and 2026 roadworks
Route 142 around Lake Arenal is paved but narrow and winding, and it has been closed by landslides after heavy rain (July 2024, July 2026); if it is closed we take the inland alternative via Guatuso, the Tenorio Volcano area and Bijagua to Route 1. The highway and Route 18 across the Tempisque are easy driving.
And if a road closure or extreme weather makes the transfer impossible, our terms let you choose: a new date or your money back in full.
From the road
Driver's tips for this route
- Ask reception for an early breakfast if you choose a morning pickup.
- In the rainy season, allow extra time; river levels can slow the first part of the drive.
- If you are staying on a gravel road, have the bags ready at the gate: the van may not be able to turn in very narrow driveways.
- Keep water, sunscreen and a light jacket in your hand luggage, not in the boot: the weather changes on the way.
Fares
Prices for this route
Per vehicle, in US dollars, taxes included.
| Vehicle | Passengers | Large bags | Standard | VIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Hyundai Staria1–5 passengers |
1–5 | 5 | $370 | $450 |
 Toyota Hiace6–9 passengers |
6–9 | 9 | $415 | $495 |
 Maxus V9010–12 passengers |
10–12 | 12 | $500 | $580 |
Extra hour of stops: $35, up to 4. Hotels with a surcharge are listed below.
Every private transfer
What's included
- Pickup at your door at the time agreed when you book
- A private vehicle for your group only, door to door
- Professional driver and full-cover insurance
- Fuel, tolls and taxes (VAT) — nothing to pay the driver
- Child seats at no cost, on request
- Free cancellation up to 48 h before pickup
Google reviews
What travellers say
Short excerpts from real Google reviews of Tropical Experts Costa Rica.
“Muy agradable el servicio, nos encantó.”
Read all our reviews on Google and TripAdvisor.
Questions
Frequently asked questions: Punta Islita → La Fortuna
How long is the drive from Punta Islita to La Fortuna?
Approximately 5 h of driving according to our fare table, for about 205 km. Stops, rain and traffic come on top of that; with VIP, add the one to two hours of sightseeing stops.
How much is a private shuttle from Punta Islita to La Fortuna?
$370 in a Hyundai Staria (1–5 passengers), $415 in a Toyota Hiace (6–9) and $500 in a Maxus V90 (10–12). Prices are per vehicle, in US dollars, with taxes included. VIP adds $80 per vehicle.
Do you take a ferry to the Nicoya Peninsula?
Not on this route: from Arenal we cross to the peninsula by road, over the Tempisque bridge on Route 18. It is the most direct way from the north.
Is the road to Punta Islita paved?
Mostly. The last part is rural and partly gravel, and in the rainy season there may be river fords. All our vehicles drive these roads.
Do you take us to Hotel Punta Islita?
Yes, to the hotel's reception or to any house in the area. Give us the address when you book.
What if a river is high on the day we leave?
We check the conditions and choose the safest access; if it adds time, we tell you before the pickup.
Pick-up and drop-off
Hotels we drive to in La Fortuna
Any hotel in the La Fortuna area, door to door. A few examples, plus every hotel with a surcharge:
Drop-off and pickup
Hotels we pick up from in Punta Islita
These are some of the hotels in Punta Islita that our calculator already lists. We go to any address in the area: if yours is not here, write it in the booking.
- Hotel Punta Islita, Autograph Collection
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