I am rescheduling a trip to Costa Rica that I had to cancel last year. That trip included 4 nights in Arenal and 3 at BdC. I've always been intrigued by San Gerardo de Dota, so I am looking for suggestions for the best way to add 2 nights there. We are not renting a car, but are open to any other method of travel. I'm just wondering if there is a way to avoid going back and forth to San Jose? Are there other ways to get to the AOL side of Arenal from San Gerardo? Would going to the Quepos airport from there be a doable option?

Thanks for any advice you can give me!

Have you considered flying in and out of Liberia? It is SO easy and avoids San Jose completely.

We found driving in CR very easy and drove to Arenal, down to Monteverde and then to Samara.

Thanks, mom, but the airline I'm hoping to use FF miles with, doesn't fly there.

hola bd,

I'm pretty sure you're going to have to go north from San Jose to La Fortuna, and then back down south from San Jose to the Osa Peninsula. Play around with some of the options on this MapQuest like site to get some routes and driving times: http://www.yourtravelmap.com

I think a stop at San Gerardo de Dota is a great way to split up the drive from La Fortuna (Arenal) to the Osa. It's really cold there, so don't forget to pack a sweater and some socks! But the Quetzels are abundant and you should have some fantastic birding.

From San Gerardo, it's still a long drive down to the Osa, but if you get an early start you should be able to arrive at Bosque de Cabo before late afternoon, and enjoy sunset there.

Pura Vida,
Ballardo Diaz
Jungle Guide & Marine Biologist - Osa, Corcovado, Drake Bay, La Amistad & So. CR
http://www.hotmail.com/jaguarmans.adventures
[email protected]

Sorry, I though you were renting a car - yes, you will need to travel back and forth to/from San Jose. One bus roundtrip San Jose/La Fortuna, one bus San Jose/San Isidro (getting off at San Gerardo), then one bus San Jose/San Isidro (getting on at San Gerardo), and then one ticket San Isidro/Puerto Jimenez. You can buy a direct Puerto Jimenez to San Jose bus ticket in Puerto Jimenez (do it upon your arrival so you don't have to fuss with it while at BdC). Don't forget your iPod or a good book, it's serious bus travel ;-)

Pura Vida,
Ballardo Diaz
Jungle Guide & Marine Biologist - Osa, Corcovado, Drake Bay, La Amistad & So. CR
http://www.hotmail.com/jaguarmans.adventures
[email protected]

Thanks Jaguarman. I'm worried more about saving time, than saving money (within reason of course). Taking a bus to San Isidro seems easy enough, but if I hired a driver to go to Arenal Observatory lodge from there, is there a more direct way to go, or would the driver still go back through San Jose? Or if I wanted to fly from San Gerardo down to Puerto Jimenez, is there a closer airport than San Jose?

Actually, That link you provided me is great, and I think I used it to answer my own questions. Thank you!

Jaguarman - is the expressway from San Jose open/reopened? I heard that it's been closed twice since opening this year.

I love local up to the moment info!

As of today, both the major roads from Guanacaste to San Jose are closed. One due to a bridge being out (I think) and the other due to mud/rock slides. It's a bummer, and no word of when the routes will be opened again.

There are ways to get to Guanacaste - just not very convenient. It depends on where you are going in Guanacaste -- there are several detours available, all of which will require much more time than going the new Caldera Highway or the InterAmerican Highway.

The new road from San Jose to Puntarenas is closed today and they are saying it won't open until Tuesday - but - who knows. For up to date information, check here: www.transito.go.cr

www.shuttleosa.com private xport

might be an option might contact them

www.eltoucanet.com nice there...

make xport arrangements direct with hotel...

San Isidro Dominical Quepos on up the coast

would be the only way to avoid SJ nice ride

lots of backtracking hassle although I have done

it in a rental car...public bus www.thebusschedule.com

would be possible but a hassle and quite dodgy...

If you do go to San Gerardo de Dota, check out Savegre Mountain Lodge as your place to stay. We loved it there, quetzals right outside the cabins, beautiful cloud forest setting.

We hired a private driver from San Jose, stopped off at Paraiso del Quetzal at the 70 km marker on the Inter-american, small soda and cabins with some hiking trails and throngs of fiery-throated and magnificent hummingbirds. You can hike up a steep hillside trail to see the quetzals.

Colibri - Savegre is the place I was planning on if we go. How long did the trip take? I think I saw that is 32km, but have seen ranges from 1.5 to 3.5 hours.

This is an interesting thread to me as we love all 3 areas and have used various of methods traveling between them. I would suggest:

Driver, Interbus, or flight to Arenal.

You will need to pass through San Jose en route to San Gerardo de Dota. You have options here; we have done all:

Fly or drive (driver or bus) back to San Jose

Public bus or driver to San Gerardo. Savegre will also provide transportation from San Jose to their hotel--you should check this out; I think it is about the same as for a private driver. Of course public bus much cheaper! You just have to watch your stuff.

Private bus or driver to the Osa from San Gerardo--2 routes: through Buenos Aires, San Vito, Golfito OR through San Isidro and Dominical.

The latter would be faster and takes you through some nice coastal areas. Since you are interested in conserving time, this would probably be your best option. However, should you find you have more time, the former route offers excellent opportunities to see the country. Wilson Botanical Gardens at San Vito is a interesting stop. We overnighted here for 2 nights and loved the area. You can take a lancha (boat) across the Golfo from Golfito to Puerto Jimenez or catch a Nature Air flight. All of these transfers can be arranged through private driver or public bus.

Fly back to SJO from Puerto Jimenez.

You are looking at these times:

SJO-Arenal 2.5-3 hours drive (might be quicker than flying depending on departure times.

Arenal-San Gerardo---6-6.5 hours pure driving time, depending on many things (traffic, clouds, road conditions, weather). Leave Arenal by 8:00 and you COULD be there by 3:00. 4:00 would probably be more accurate, depending on your switch offs, bus times, or meeting a driver. Count on a full day--no way around this. Pretty scenery, though.

San Gerardo-Puerto Jimenez, short route through Dominical----6 hours or so. Again, lovely scenery--certainly not a LOSS of time.

PJ-SJO--flight is about 1 hour.

Should you decide you can't give up the 2 days of drive time, please consider extending your time at BdC 2 nights more. Having been there for 3 nights, 4 nights, 5 nights, 7 nights, I can honestly say you will always wish for more!

It doesn't get much better than Arenal and Bosque del Cabo, but San Gerardo is indeed a very special area. Good luck! Nice to know you'll have a great time whichever itinerary you choose!

Paragraph 6--meant to say PUBLIC bus or driver. Sorry!

Interbus is always a good option between the more heavily traveled areas. Doubt it goes to San Gerardo, but it might!

www.interbusonline.com

Shillmac, As always, you have been more than helpful. Thank you so much. Having spent 7 hours on a public bus my first trip to CR, I was hoping to do more flying and less driving this time. I thought maybe bus or driver to Savegre and then, although in the wrong direction, back to San Jose to catch a flight to Osa, then a flight to Arenal and either driver or flight back to San Jose. Any idea how long the drive from SJO to Savegre would be? If it's any more than 2 hours, this plan wouldn't make a lot of sense.

BD - SJO to Savegre is about 2 - 2 1/2 hours, just depends on road and weather conditions. We had a horse running loose down the middle of the highway heading up past Cartago which caused a bit of a delay...

Thanks colibri. I think I'm going to save Savegre for another trip and keep it simple this time and just divide the time between AOL and BdC. I'm not going to overplan, but just leave more time to sit on the balcony and watching the wonderful world, that is Costa Rica, go by.

Thank you all for your help!

Good choice, bd. Excellent, in fact! Have a wonderfully relaxing and enjoyable time!