For Parque Nacional Santa Rosa , take a La Cruz or Penas Blancas (Nicaraguan border) bus (hourly) from the bus terminal. Take the earliest bus you can to give yourself time for walking, and ask the driver to let you off at Santa Rosa. You can also reach the park by colectivo taxi (US$15 per car) from the northwestern corner of the Parque Central. Parque Nacional Guanacaste isn't really reachable by bus; you could theoretically take the 3pm bus to Quebrada Grande village, from where it's a walk of at least two hours - but you'd still arrive after closing time. If you're heading for the border, take one of the hourly buses to La Cruz or Penas Blancas (the border's official name) (1hr).

There are direct services to the more northerly of Guanacaste's beaches : for Playa Hermosa and Playa Panama, two buses leave daily (11.30am & 7pm; 1hr). Playa del Coco is served by three or four services per day (5.30am, 12.30pm, 4.30pm and, high season only, 2pm; 1hr). You can also get to Santa Cruz (hourly 5.30am-7.30pm; 1hr), from where you can hook up with buses to Tamarindo, Junquillal and beaches further south. Buses for Nicoya leave on the hour from 5am to 7pm (2hr). Buses to Puntarenas leave at 5am, 8.30am, 10am, 11am and 3pm (3hr).

Colectivo taxis, shared between four or five people, can be good value if you're heading for Parque Nacional Rincon de la Vieja or the lodges near Las Espuelas ranger station. They line up at the northwestern corner of the Parque Central, and charge about US$25 for four people. Arguably the best way to get to Rincon de la Vieja is to travel with one of the various Liberia hotels - Posada del Tope, Hotel Liberia and Hotel Guanacaste - which arrange transport to the park. All services are open to non-residents, though hotel guests get first option.