Homes
$265,000
Paquera - Playa Pájaros, Paquera
Paquera 2BR Pool Home Near Playa Pajaros
Beds2Baths3Built272 m²Lot1,366 m²
Paquera is the front door to the southern Nicoya Peninsula. The Naviera Tambor car ferry from Puntarenas lands here eight times a day, and from the dock it is about 25 minutes by road to Tambor and an hour to Montezuma or Santa Teresa. For anyone who goes back and forth to San José, that access is the main attraction.
The district is large and green, about 336 km² of hills, river valleys and coast. It is one of the few places on the peninsula with shoreline on both the calm Gulf of Nicoya and the open Pacific. The gulf side is the everyday draw: sheltered, swimmable beaches such as Playa Órganos, Playa Pájaros and Playa Blanca. Behind them sit the Curú National Wildlife Refuge and, a short boat ride offshore, the white sand of Isla Tortuga. All four of those beaches held Blue Flag ecological awards in 2021.
Paquera has its own district council, as Cóbano does, and a working local town around the ferry rather than a tourist strip. Property here tends to be quieter and more rural than in the Pacific surf towns, with homes on larger lots inland and near the gulf beaches.
Where is Paquera?
At the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, on the Gulf of Nicoya, in the canton of Puntarenas. The Paquera ferry terminal is 24 km (about 25 minutes) from Tambor and about an hour from Montezuma, Mal País and Santa Teresa.
From San José
Drive to Puntarenas and take the Naviera Tambor car ferry to Paquera: about an hour on the water, around 1.5 hours with a car including loading.
From Liberia
By road down the peninsula via Nicoya and Playa Naranjo, or via Puntarenas and the ferry.
Nearest airports
- · Cóbano (ACO): daily SANSA flights from San José; SANSA moved there from Tambor in October 2023
- · San José (SJO): via Puntarenas and the Paquera ferry
Things to do in Paquera
Swim the gulf beaches
Playa Órganos, just outside town, Playa Pájaros and Playa Blanca have calm water.
Curú National Wildlife Refuge
Forest, mangrove and beach in a protected refuge on the gulf.
Isla Tortuga
Boats run from Curú beach to the island's white-sand beaches, about 15 minutes away.
Bioluminescence
Night kayak tours run from Curú and from Playa Relleno near the ferry dock.
Explore down the coast
Tambor's bay is 25 minutes south, Montezuma's waterfalls about an hour.
Practical information
Best time to visit
High season
December to April: dry and sunny.
Green season
May to November: greener and quieter; the heaviest rain falls in September and October.
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Properties for sale in Paquera
Avg. $265K19 photos
Guides for buying in Paquera
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Paquera from San José?▾
Drive to Puntarenas and take the Naviera Tambor car ferry. It runs eight sailings a day each way and takes about an hour on the water; allow around 1.5 hours with a car. Schedules are on navieratambor.com.
Is there a closer airport?▾
SANSA flies daily from San José to the Cóbano airstrip (ACO), roughly 35–40 minutes' drive from Paquera. Scheduled flights moved there from Tambor in October 2023.
Can I own a beachfront home on the gulf?▾
Not in the first 50 metres above high tide, which are public by law. The next 150 metres are held by municipal concession, with residency rules for foreign buyers. Land beyond the 200-metre zone can be titled normally. We'll check the zoning and title of any property you're considering and introduce you to a local lawyer.
Where is the nearest hospital?▾
Everyday care is at the CCSS health area in Paquera. The regional hospital is Monseñor Sanabria in Puntarenas, across the ferry.
Are the roads paved?▾
Yes on the main routes: Paquera to Tambor, and the 21.8 km stretch of Route 160 to Playa Naranjo, which was paved in 2021. Some local roads are still gravel.
When is the dry season?▾
From about mid-November to early May. February is the driest month.
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Talk to usPhotos: Playa Órganos by Rodtico21, CC BY-SA 4.0; The ferry arriving at Paquera by latforum, CC BY 3.0; Isla Tortuga by Johan Guatemala, CC BY-SA 3.0; Curú National Wildlife Refuge by Vlad Podvorny, CC BY-SA 3.0; Early morning at Paquera by Federico Mata, CC BY 3.0. Resized from the originals.