Elainee

How long does this really take? Interesting drive? Better to drive back to San Jose and take flight to MA? Please let us know your experiences.

motmot

It's a nice drive. 5 hours straight through. 6 (on the long side) if you stop to view the crocs at Rio Tarcoles, have a bathroom break, grab a bit. I'd keep truckin'.

Andrea_loves_travel

Great question. We will be doing the same route but in the opposite direction (next week... WOW!!).

What is the preferred method of driving - hiring a private driver? Or does Interbus provide enough breaks?

Elainee

Thanks! Doesn't sound as long as I thought. Besides the crocs...anything else that would be good for a 10 year old?

tully

Interbus is pretty easy, just depends on amount of people you have - if you have enough it'd be cheaper to get a private driver, if not then Interbis is pretty cheap. Can't say on that route, but on the SJO-Arenal, about a 2.5 hour drive, we stopped both ways one time for about 15 minutes.

volcanogirl

We hired a private driver through our hotel. We paid $180. It was a nice drive, and we stopped to see the crocs at the Rio Tarcoles. There was one patch with some pretty big potholes and a couple of one-way bridges. Are the one-way bridges still there? I heard they were being replaced. A lot of people make the drive with no problems.

shillmac

We made the drive in August and they were working on the bridges. They should be less "oh my god" by now. We really enjoying driving it.