best drive route from Arenal - Tamarindo
 

Hi, I am trying to figure out the best route to drive:<BR><BR>SJ - Monteverde - Arenal - Tamarindo - SJ<BR>OR<BR>SJ - Arenal - Monteverde - Tamarindo - SJ<BR><BR>Does it matter? <BR><BR>I have the best hotel arrangements if I go to Monteverde first, but I don't want to spend extra time on the road.<BR><BR>Also, will I be ok with a car and not a 4wd in January?<BR><BR>THANK YOU!<BR>Sharon

Prob Arenal first, then its like a giant circle. But you can do either way. Its been several years but when we did the Arenal - Monteverde route it was gravel and dirt roads but no probs. Jan is dry season so you prob don't need FWD. Take the Tempesque ferry on the way to Tamarindo if the new bridge is not open yet. Good luck you'll have fun, you have a nice trip planned!

I usually agree with David's advice, but for this trip I would suggest that you go through Liberia and not take the ferry. This applies whether you go to Tamarindo from Monteverde or from Arenal. We took the Tempisque River ferry last year going from Tamarindo to San Jose and unless you are there first thing in the morning (8 or 9 am) you are in for a long wait. The route through Liberia is longer, but it actually may take less time.<BR><BR>David - what is the new bridge you are referring to?

North of where the Tempesque ferry crosses a new bridge is being constructed; when we were there last (Aug 2001) we were told that it was &quot;almost finished&quot;! Check with the rental car companies about more current info. We got to the ferry in the afternoon and only had to wait about 1/2 hour - 45 min. It is smaller than the Puntarenas ferry so takes fewer cars. Crossing all that water in the pouring rain makes you realize where the rain forests come from! It was lots of fun!

Actually in typical Costa Rican style, the bridge over the Tempisque Ferry is done, it has been for a while. What is missing is the road to it! It is in the same vein as the new Christmas postal stamp that costs 22 colones. What is funny about it is that the 1 and 2 colon coins are no longer in circulation, it makes it kind of hard to give change.<BR>These are the things that make Costa Rica so unique!

Ilka, like usual, few things go according to plan! It was my understand ing the the bridge was funded by Taiwan; perhaps CR was responsible for the access roads. It kind of made me sad that the US couldn't fund something like this in our backyard instead of more guns or bullets for someone....