Pulmitan of Liberia Marcopolo Paradiso 1800DD passenger bus between San Jose and Playas del Coco, Guanacaste

One of the most advanced, luxurious and comfortable coach buses in Latin America is operated by Pulmitan of Liberia, a respected transportation provider from the province of Guanacaste. The Marcopolo Paradiso 1800DD is an elegant double-decker bus that steals a lot of looks wherever it goes. This wonder of Brazilian coach design happens to be the primary connection between San Jose and Playas del Coco, and it beats flying or driving to Guanacaste.

The Marcopolo Paradiso 1800DD buses have been roaming around Costa Rica for a few months, and Pulmitan bus lines decided to put this magnificent bus to service riders who wish to travel between San Jose and Playas del Coco.

This bus puts to rest the erroneous idea many people have of bus travel in Costa Rica being an experience straight out of old Cantinflas movies where passengers had to endure long, dusty rides in old Bluebird school buses crammed with caged chickens. This myth is colorfully explained by Viva Travel Guides:

You haven’t truly experienced Latin America until you’ve spent the better part of four hours crammed onto a school bus next to a man who seems to be explaining the finer aspects of the two chickens on his lap. It helps if he is speaking in a language that you have never even heard of and if, according to his friend who speaks only a bit of English, he thinks you are fat.

Stepping inside a Marcopolo Paradiso 1800DD and surveying the Brazilian-engineered and manufactured seating area will have you saying “Obrigado!” before you even take a seat. These are soft and comforting seats that invite you to sleep as the fine-tuned suspension makes you forget about all the potholes along the way. Passengers on either upper or lower level enjoy air-conditioning, panoramic views and comfortable bathroom facilities that cut down on the number of rest stops.

Bus travel is ruefully overlooked by tourists who choose the bumpy (yet carbon-neutral) domestic flights of airlines such as Nature Air and Sansa or the expensive convenience of renting a car in Costa Rica, which means shelling out about $7 for a gallon of unleaded gasoline or diesel. Most bus trips in this country fall under the medium distance category, and they are the most affordable way to travel.

After taking the train, bus travel is considered to be one of the most sustainable methods of ground transportation since they take many passenger cars off the road and are also used to transport consumer goods. Also, with different wireless broadband options available in Costa Rica and 4G service coming soon to Guanacaste, busy travelers can get work done or enjoy digital entertainment instead of worrying about road rage, fossil fuel prices, lost productivity, or scary landings.