Current Costa Rica Road Conditions?

[kimyoa650]

Hi,

My family and I are visiting end of this month for just over 3 weeks. I was planning on driving to Lake Arenal, Monte Verde, Liberia-Playa Hermosa/Del Coco, and Manuel Antonio. If you know the driving conditions, especially at this time kindly inform me.

Driving from San Jose to lake Arenal:

Driving from Lake Arenal to Monte Verde:

Driving from Monte Verde to Playa Del Coco/Hermosa:

Driving from Playa del Coco to Manuel Antonio:

Driving from Manuel Antonio to SanJose:

Thanks to all.

Tony

[rf2cr]

Tony –
Can only give you the areas I know but – San Jose to Arenal we have driven highway 1, the route that takes you through Sarchi, Zarcero & Quesada (west of Volcano Poas) and the 120 to the east of Poas up through Quesada. The 1 is quickest IF there are no accidents or IF they are not working on the potholes. Watch out for potholes on the 1, there are some big ones! When we were there 6 months ago there were doing quite a lot of work on the stretch between Canas & Liberia, they might have improved things a lot by now. The other two routes are much more scenic but it is easy to get lost so give yourselves time.

If you are going around the lake toward Tilaran, after La Fortuna and before Nuevo Arenal there is an unsurfaced 10 or so miles that can be pretty rough but it does get better.

The road from the lake to Monte Verde is a stone base and a real bone shaker, you will have to go slowly.

Find GringoTicos post on this forum about driving in Costa Rica, keep it in mind as you travel, don’t get frustrated, just GIVE YOURSELVES EXTRA TIME, even if you are lucky enouch not to get lost, there are always beautiful vistas and spots you are going to want to stop and have a look at.

That is as much as I can help with – have fun.

Ruth

[wmaes47]

kim

The roads I know…

I have just traveled the road from San Ramon to Arenal. This is the best road for surface smoothnes in Costa Rica. It is a winding, narrow road with a minimum of 6 one lane bridges. It is a beautiful drive and well worth the autopista drive to San ramon, then North through town to La Fortuna. Stop along the way, 34 kilometers from San Ramon and take the cable tour through the rain forrest.

The road from La Fortuna is a very secnic ride. At this time, I would say that this road has improved greatly since my trip in 2005. The 10 mile distance mentioned above is matbe half and the bad parts are scattered, and not running the total distance in one run. After you loop around Arenal on the Southwest side, keep you eye open for the monkeys in the trees. They are near the road, at a point close to the wind electrical generators. After that point all the way to the autopista, he roads are great.

The roads North from Manual Antonio are not bad until you start the uphill trek into the mountains, then you have to be careful. Stop on either side of the long bridge where you see people standin on the bridge. They are looking at a large grouping of crocs. Watch very closely for direction signs to San Jose as they do sneak up on you. It is a very steep climb to the top. Don’t be in a hurry as you WILL be behind very slow moving equipment to the top. This road is windy and eventually ends at the autopista highway 1, 11 kilometers to the West of Juan Santamaria airport. For you, this drive from Manuel Antonio to San Jose will be about 4 hours. Enjoy the ride, the sites and take it slow. I made a record breaking trip last Thursday from Jaco to Juan Santamaria Airport in 1 hour and 40 minutes. Don’t try that type of trip.

Pura Vida
Bill Maes

[kimyoa650]

Thanks guys for the driving tips.

We’re all excited. I can’t help thinking that the show Dora the Explorer and Go Diego Go, are made by someone who just loves CR. All the animals (Spectacled Bear, blue morpho butterfly, sloth, linda the llama, etc. plus the name of the characters Tico the squirrel).

Adios amigos.

[koty]

We too are into Dora the explorer and Go Diego go!!!!! you are right I keep telling our son its all about Costa Rica.. He loves it… and he has been there 4 times and is 4. there is a beautful childrens book by Jan Brett called “The umbrella” that is actually written about Costa Rica. May be more for adults but we loved it. The illustrations are wonderful.

Koty

[GringoTico]

Bill, Thanks for the road report. Glad to hear the road around Lake Arenal towards Monteverde is getting better. I agree it’s a beautiful ride, but that strip of asphalt has been bad for the last 2 decades or more. Can you get through in a 2 wheel drive sedan with low clearance yet?

Then of course there’s the road from the highway to Monteverde. That’s never been asphalted, and therefore doesn’t have the monster potholes, but it is a rough ride nonetheless. A 4X4 is not needed, except perhaps in the rainy season.

I often wondered why that road was never paved, given the well-deserved popularity of that place. Monteverde Cheese is produced there, and they’d love a better road to take out their product. At first I heard all the well-worn arguments – no money, inept government, nature preserves don’t want to get inundated with people, etc. Finally I discovered the real reason. Monteverde lives on the tourist trade – i.e. lots of small hotels. A paved road would make it a day trip.

I guess if there’s one place where I don’t mind keeping it hard to get to, it would be Monteverde. To me it’s a very special, almost magical place, one that I would never want to see “developed”.

[wmaes47]

Hola GringoTico from Tico Land…

Where the entire country will be shut down the 23rd and 24th of October 2006. There will be massive protests againts the TLC those days. It will be a mess here.

I know you could make it around Lago Arenal in a low slung vehicle without problem. I remember the first time around that lake in 2004. It was all I had read about of Costa Rican roads all rolled into that single streach. There are vast improvements since that date. Go for it and get her done.

Pura Vida
Bill Maes

[Author]

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