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DRIVING IN COSTA RICA
Costa Rica is a very small country and most
tourist destinations are within a few hours drive of San José. Not only will you
drive through beautiful countryside, but some small, out-of-the-way places will
only be discovered by car. The adventure lover will appreciate the freedom to
explore.
We do not recommend renting a car during the time you are in San
José. Traffic and parking can be difficult and finding your way around is almost
impossible as most buildings don't have addresses. Taxis are not only relatively
cheap, but the drivers know where everything is. We suggest you pick up your
rental car (or have it delivered) on the day you will be leaving San José for
the provinces. Driving outside of San José is considerably less frantic.
Driving over the mountains to either coast at night, especially
your first night in town is not recommended. During the day you will have the
problems of potholes, cars passing where they shouldn't and being stuck behind a
banana truck doing 5 mph. However, if you allow plenty of time and drive with
care you shouldn't have any difficulty. So many tourists rent cars, that at
times none of the 40 car rental agencies have one available. Very few tourist
have problems, although there are some real horror stories.
Approximate drive times in Costa
Rica from ...
|
SAN JOSE TO... |
CALDERA
TO... |
|
Arenal |
3 HOURS & 1/2 |
Carrillo |
7 HOURS |
|
Bocas del Toro |
14 HOURS |
Papagayo |
5 HOURS |
|
Cahuita |
4 HOURS |
Villa Caletas |
1 HOUR |
|
Caldera |
2 HOURS |
GUAPILES / SIQUIRRES TO... |
|
Cañas |
3 HOURS |
Arenal |
6 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
Caño Negro |
4 HOURS |
Cahuita |
1 HOUR & 1/2 |
|
Caño Blanco |
4 HOURS |
Jacó |
5 HOURS |
|
Carrillo |
5 HOURS |
Limón |
1 HOUR |
|
Dominical |
4 HOURS& 1/2 |
Puerto Viejo de Limón |
2 HOURS |
|
Flamingo / Tamarindo |
5 HOURS |
San Carlos |
4 HOURS |
|
Freeman |
3 HOURS |
Sarapiquí |
2 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
Golfito |
7 HOURS |
Sixaola |
3 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
Herradura |
4 HOURS & 1/2 |
Turrialba |
3 HOURS |
|
Irazú |
1 HOURS & 1/2 |
JACO
TO... |
|
Irazú / Orosi |
1 HOUR |
Dominical |
2 HOURS |
|
Jacó |
2 HOURS |
Puntarenas |
45 MINUTES |
|
La Cruz |
6 HOURS |
LIBERIA TO... |
|
Liberia |
3 HOURS |
Caldera |
5 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
Limón |
3HOURS |
Dominical |
8 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
Malpais |
5 HOURS |
Flamingo |
2 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
Manzanillo |
4 HOURS & 1/2 |
Jacó |
3 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
Monteverde |
4 HOURS & 1/2 |
La Cruz |
1 HOUR & 1/2 |
|
Montezuma |
5 HOURS |
Montezuma |
5 HOURS |
|
Nosara |
5 HOURS |
Punta Islita |
3 HOURS |
|
Orotina |
1 HOUR & 1/2 |
Puntarenas |
3 HOURS |
|
Palmar Sur |
6 HOURS |
Quepos |
4 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
Papagayo |
4 HOURS & 1/2 |
Sámara |
2 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
Peñas Blancas |
7 HOURS |
Sarapiquí |
6 HOURS |
|
Poas / Sarchi |
1 HOUR & 1/2 |
Tamarindo |
1 HOUR & 1/2 |
|
Puerto Viejo de Limón |
4 HOURS & 1/2 |
Tambor |
3 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
Punta Islita |
5 HOURS |
MONTEVERDE
TO... |
|
Puntarenas |
2 HOURS |
Caldera |
5 HOURS |
|
Quepos |
3 HOURS & 1/2 |
Dominical |
9 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
Samara |
5 HOURS |
Flamingo |
4 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
San Carlos |
3 HOURS & 1/2 |
Herradura |
2 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
San Gerardo de Dota |
4 HOURS |
Jacó |
4 HOURS |
|
Santa Cruz |
4 HOURS |
La Cruz |
5 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
Sarapiquí |
2 HOURS & 1/2 |
Liberia |
3 HOURS |
|
Sarchí |
1 HOUR |
Malpais |
5 HOURS |
|
Siquirres |
3 HOURS |
Montezuma |
6 HOURS |
|
Sixaola / Panama Border |
5 HOURS |
Punta Islita |
5 HOURS |
|
Sugar Beach |
5 HOURS |
Quepos |
4 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
Tamarindo |
5 HOURS |
Sarapiquí |
5 HOURS |
|
Tambor |
4 HOURS & 1/2 |
Tamarindo |
4 HOURS |
|
Teleferico |
2 HOURS |
Tambor |
5 HOURS |
|
Tilaran |
5 HOURS |
NOSARA
TO... |
|
Turrialba |
3 HOURS |
Punta Islita |
2 HOURS |
|
Uvita de Osa |
9 HOURS |
PALMAR
SUR TO... |
|
Valle Escondido |
3 HOURS |
Dominical |
1 HOUR & 1/2 |
|
Villa Blanca |
2 HOURS |
Golfito |
3 HOURS |
|
ARENAL TO... |
Puerto Jiménez |
6 HOURS |
|
Caldera |
3 HOURS |
PEACE LODGE TO... |
|
Dominical |
4 HOURS |
Aeropuerto Int. |
1 HOUR |
|
Flamingo |
5 HOURS |
Arenal |
2 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
Guápiles |
3 HOURS |
Caldera |
3 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
Jacó |
3 HOURS & 1/2 |
Guápiles |
2 HOURS |
|
La Cruz |
5 HOURS |
Jaco |
4 HOURS |
|
Liberia |
4 HOURS |
Liberia |
6 HOURS |
|
Los Chiles |
2 HOURS |
Monteverde |
5 HOURS |
|
Monteverde |
3 HOURS |
Papagayo |
6 HOURS |
|
Montezuma |
6 HOURS |
Puntarenas |
2 HOURS |
|
Papagayo |
4 HOURS & 1/2 |
Quepos (Manuel-A) |
5 HOURS |
|
Puerto Viejo de Limón |
5 HOURS |
San José / Nature Air |
40 MINUTES |
|
Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí |
2 HOURS & 1/2 |
Sarapiquí |
3 HOURS |
|
Punta Islita |
5 HOURS & 1/2 |
Siquirres |
4 HOURS |
|
Punta Leona |
4 HOURS & 1/2 |
Tamarindo |
6 HOURS |
|
Puntaneras |
3 HOURS & 1/2 |
QUEPOS
TO... |
|
Quepos |
5 HOURS & 1/2 |
Arenal |
4 HOURS |
|
Siquirres |
6 HOURS & 1/2 |
Caldera |
2 HOURS |
|
Tamarindo |
4 HOURS |
Dominical |
1 HOUR |
|
Tambor |
5 HOURS |
Flamingo |
5 HOURS |
|
Turrialba (via Siquirres) |
6 HOURS |
Golfito |
3 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
TAMARINDO TO... |
Herradura |
1 HOUR |
|
Jacó |
4 HOURS & 1/2 |
Jacó |
1 HOUR |
|
Malpaís |
7 HOURS |
La Cruz |
7 HOURS |
|
Montezuma |
6 HOURS |
Malpaís |
5 HOURS |
|
Tambor |
6 HOURS |
Montezuma |
4 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
TURRIALBA TO... |
Monteverde |
5 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
Dominical |
6 HOURS |
Puerto Jiménez |
5 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
Puerto Viejo de Limón |
3 HOURS & 1/2 |
Punta Islita |
7 HOURS |
|
|
|
Puntarenas |
3 HOURS |
|
|
|
Sámara |
6 HOURS |
|
|
|
Sarapiquí |
5 HOURS & 1/2 |
|
|
|
Sierpe |
3 HOURS |
|
|
|
Tamarindo |
5 HOURS |
|
|
|
Tambor |
4 HOURS & 1/2 |
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