Costa Rica-Help With Routing
 

After arriving & staying overnight in San Jose, we'd like to vist (drive) to Monteverde for a couple of days.Then we would like to go to the Tulemar Bungalows near Manuel Antonio. What would be the best way to drive this trip, returning to San Jose at the end. We have got 8 days allocated excluding arrival & departure.

Brian

Brian,
Head west out of San Jose on the Interamerican Highway. After about 2 or 2.5 hours, you'll see signs directing you to turn right to Monteverde. It's another 2 hours or so up a rough road.
Unless you have specific plans for San Jose, spend the night near the airport. This will save you some time since the airport is about 12 miles west of town on the Interamerican. It actually is in the town of Alajuela. San Jose isn't really worth the hassle--unless you specifically want to do things there--and it IS a hassle! The Las Orquideas in Alajuela is a great place to stay the night at the beginning and end of a trip. Wonderful breakfast, nice rooms, great bar, good price! The Vida Tropical B & B in Alajuela is a good option if you are more budget minded. Very homey, also a good breakfast! Both are within 10 minutes or so of the airport.

From Monteverde, drive back to the Interamerican Highway, head back toward Puntarenas and follow the signs on south along the coast to Manuel Antonio (Quepos is the town near the park). This will take you about 6 hours, but the drive is beautiful and you will enjoy your time on the road. The highway is decent most of the way.
It deteriorates a little toward the very end. . .ancient bridges, etc.

If your flight is in the morning, you will want to return to the airport area the night before. It wouldn't be a bad idea, just to be on the safe side, even if you have an afternoon flight. This would give you some nice relax time! To return, just follow the signs to San Jose! About 3 hours. How many nights do you have? You are very wise to choose 2 locations for your 8 days. Any more would be too much to really slow down and enjoy a wonderful vacation. The driving can really eat into your vacation time if you try to do too much!

If you want to add a little variety to your schedule, you can detour south from Orotina (which you drive through returning to San Jose) and go through San Pablo de Turrubares. Between Turrubares and Puriscal there is a beautiful hotel overlooking a canyon (great views) called La Finca Que Ama. It's about 2km out of Turrubares. Check out their website. From here, you are about one hour from the airport. The food is wonderful. The rooms (5 duplex bungalows) have excellent amenities including a DVD player and selection of movies, whirlpool tub, snacks. The hosts, Neta & Arbel, will make you feel right at home. Your drive from there to the airport will take you through Puriscal, Colon, past Peace University, and Santa Ana. This gets you off the Interamerican and allows you to see another part of the country--an area most tourists never see.

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions. If I wanted to break up that 6 hour drive from Monteverde to Tulemar Bungalows, what would you suggest? Ideally, I like to stop driving after about 3.5 or 4 hours and spend the afternoon/nite at a nice hotel or resort. We'd then drive the balance of the trip the next morning. With 8 solid days (9 nights), I'd like to take my time, particularly if the roads are less than ideal.

Thanks again.

This is a tough one.

The obvious midway point is near Puntarenas. However, it is a dirty little port type town (with absolutely NO notable hotels) with lousy beaches, and there is no reason to go there unless you are taking the ferry over to Tambor or Montezuma. I wouldn't even consider it a safe place to stay.

It seems that it would add too much time to your travel to drive across the Nicoya Peninsula to Tamarindo or Flamingo. Then you would be in the same boat the next day with a 6 hour drive (almost) ahead of you.

I think your best option would be to drive on down toward Manuel Antonio from Puntarenas and spend a night near or in Jaco. I'm certainly not a fan of Jaco (some think it's okay), but perhaps at nearby Villas Caletas. There are some decent places in town as well. Of course, at this point, you aren't very far from Manuel Antonio (an hour and a half or so), but Villas Caletas are lovely (so I've heard). And this would definitely serve the purpose of breaking up your drive a LITTLE bit.

You do have a very nice advantage of being able to take your time. Even if you only spent 3 nights at Manuel Antonio, it would be enough.

I really don't see another viable option. Perhaps someone else will have a better suggestion!