Hojancha
Hojancha is a town on the Nicoya Peninsula in Guanacaste. A few kilometres south of the town of Nicoya, its high elevation makes coffee cultivation possible and places it near mountainous nature reserves. The name of the town also lends itself to Hojancha canton, a primarily rural area from the town of Hojancha to the coast of the Pacific.
Understand
Hojancha is one of the cities of the Blue Zone (Zona Azul) known for its longer life expectancies.
Climate
Hojancha, like other towns in Guanacaste, receives less rain than other parts of the country. It is possible to visit during the wet season — the Northern Hemisphere summer — here. Temperatures are milder than other parts of the Nicoya Peninsula due to elevation, but still can become hot and humid during warm days.
Get in
For access via road, CR-158 is the primary north-south route connecting CR-21 and the rural areas in the southern half of the Hojancha district. It's a paved and two lane road which is used by the local buses and the San José buses.
- 🌍 Hojancha Bus Terminal (2 blocks east of the Central Park). Regular buses to Nicoya and daily buses to and from San José.
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Get around
Most of the roads in the center of the town are paved, but some of the outlying roads are not, and those to rural points of interest outside of the town are in poor condition. You'll want a terrain capable vehicle for some of these roads.
See
- 🌍 Central Park of Hojancha. Public park in the center of the town, with most local shops and municipal buildings on the surrounding streets.
- 🌍 Matambú Indigenous Territory. An indigenous reservation and cultural site north of Hojancha. Tours can be booked to visit the reservation.
Do
- 🌍 Diriá Coffee Tour (Coopepilangosta) (take the unpaved road off CR-158 1 km north of Hojancha). Tours of the coffee processing site and Coopepilangosta cooperative. There are several methods to process coffee at this site, including the local Matambú process.
- 🌍 Reserva Natural Monte Alto (CR-902 south and turn right at the sign for Monte Alto). Hiking trails to view orchids, a visitor center, and a mountain ridge.
Buy
There is a Palí supermarket on the main road going north of the town center.
- 🌍 Frutas y Verduras Alonso, CR-158 (half a block south of the Central Park), ☏ +506 4031 6129. Local shop (verduleria) with fruit and snacks.
Eat
- 🌍 Billy's Ranch (100 meters west of the main road), ☏ +506 4034 1141. Fast food, Costa Rican, and Mexican cuisine. Also offers lodging.
- 🌍 PizzaLab (one block north of the church), ☏ +506 7144 1896. Italian restaurant.
- 🌍 Rancho Doña Elena (three blocks south of the Central Park), ☏ +506 2659 8237. Typical/regional cuisine with casados and meat-based dishes.
- 🌍 Restaurante La Jungla, CR-902, ☏ +506 6470 6272, lajungla.restbar@gmail.com.
Drink
- 🌍 Macho's Bar (2 blocks east of the Central Park), ☏ +506 6073 9275. Grill with American and typical Costa Rican cuisine, along with a bar for drinks.
Sleep
- 🌍 Cabinas Sussy, ☏ +506 8846 9236. Hotel and barbershop with parking.
- 🌍 Hoja Azul (if traveling south: pass the Coopepilangosta gas station, then turn left, then another left), ☏ +506 7218 1385. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. $70 per night (2025).
- 🌍 Hotel Doña Noemy (south of the Central Park), ☏ +506 8820 1239, rionosara.alquileres@gmail.com. Phone for reservations; no online booking.
Connect
Go next
- Barra Honda National Park north of Hojancha
- Nicoya to the north, the most famous of the Zona Azul cities
- Playa Carrillo is a beach town on the Pacific coast to the south