Alajuela

Where to stay

Budget beds cluster around Parque Central and the grid of streets radiating from it, where the cathedral, the Juan Santamaría museum, and the municipal market sit within a few blocks. This keeps you walking distance from the main bus terminal and the cheap local sodas. A few hostels also sit closer to the airport on the southern edge, which is convenient for early flights but means a taxi or bus ride back to the actual town center for dinner.

Getting around

• Alajuela is primarily a transit hub for Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO). If you have a long layover or an early flight, staying here saves a transfer to San José, but do not expect a dense backpacker scene; most travelers move on quickly.
• Public buses run frequently between Alajuela and San José, taking roughly 45 minutes and costing a fraction of a taxi or shuttle. The main terminal is on the edge of town, a short walk or cheap taxi ride from Parque Central.
• The city is small and walkable, laid out in a colonial grid. You can reach the cathedral, the theater, and the market on foot from most central hostels. For day trips to Arenal Volcano or the coffee farms of the region, shared shuttles from the terminal are far cheaper than private tours.

When to go

Prices are lowest during the rainy season (May through November), particularly in the wetter months of September and October, when fewer tourists visit the Central Valley. Rates climb during the dry season (December through April), especially around Christmas, New Year, and Easter, when domestic and international visitors fill the region for beach and volcano trips.