From the capital
How to travel from San José to Tortuguero via La Pavona
There’s no road into the village. The final leg is by boat. This page covers San José → La Pavona → Smith boat.
2 legs
Land + boat
La Pavona
Boat boarding point
~60 min
Smith river leg
(≈ $9 USD)
Shared boat / person
Step by step
San José → La Pavona → Tortuguero
From San José (or the airport) you travel overland to La Pavona — private car, shuttle, or public bus depending on your plan.
At La Pavona you board the Transporte Smith boat to Tortuguero. That’s our leg: the river, not the land shuttle.
- Build buffer into the land transfer (traffic and rain)
- Arrive ~15 minutes before boat departure
- Confirm boat seats on WhatsApp
- Last La Pavona departures: see schedule
On arrival
What to expect on the river
The scenery shifts: canals, reflections, and rainforest. The boat ride is part of arriving in Tortuguero.
Leaving very early back toward San José? Check Tortuguero → La Pavona times first.
Place & water
Canals, hill, and village from the river
Tortuguero is reached by boat — the landscape is part of the journey, not a backdrop.
