Drive from Tamarindo to Puerto Viejo?
 

have a few questions about driving from Tamarindo to Puerto Viejo
I'm guessing that it might be better to break it up into two days.

How long would this drive take?
If two days where should I stop and spend the night (Arenal, San Jose, somewhere else)?
Which route would be best?
Whats is the highway like as it goes through San Jose?
Is it easy to get lost in San Jose?

Thanks in advance

Alajuela/San Jose to Puerto Viejo is about four hours. Not sure about Tamarindo to San Jose.

Definately break it up to two days.
Hwy 32 is nice through the mountain park Braulio Carillo NP.

Also the way through Turrialba is good for a change of scenery on the return. Tricky to find the exit off of Hwy 32 headed west as you need to exit to the right and take an over pass to go left towards Turrialba when in Siquires.

The hiway turns to freeway near Alejuela into San Jose and then peters out to city traffic. Get a good map and specific directions with landmarks to help you maneuver. There are a few signs along the way but not always well placed.

Have a wonderful journey!

Hi,

The drive from Tamarindo to San Jose took us over 5 hours - Hwy 1 has LOTS of trucks on it and it was very slow. I'd pick a different route.

On that note, it is very easy to get lost in San Jose, as there are no street signs. I'd go around it and stay somewhere outside the city if possible.

Karen

In San Jose there are some street signs, some are written on the buildings. Some on the freeway,sometimes just a couple seconds before you need to turn to exit. They should get street sign posting lessons from MNDOT!
Yes you can get lost. We have various times and have had to ask for directions sometimes. Helps to speak spanish a bit or preferably alot. Ha Ha.

I was just in Costa Rica April 7-17. I definitely would not recommend driving from Tamarindo to Puerto Viejo in one day. Try to stay overnight half way, somewhere outside of San Jose. It took us over 5 hours to drive from Tamarindo to San Jose. We hit bad traffic but that isn't uncommon. We loved the Hotel Bouganvilla on the outstkirs of San Jose. We chose it for how close it was to Highway 32, which is the road to Limon from San Jose. You have to go through Limon on Highway 32 to get to Puerto Viejo. Very convenient. The hotel has a website with really great, current directions (to many different places!) They have a free shuttle to San Jose and back. Be sure to walk through their amazing gardens.

It's very, very easy to get lost in San Jose. We did it many times in the two times we passed through the town. The only street signs, inconsistently placed, are posted on the corners of some buildings. Also look for addresses on businesses.

Once you get on Highway 32, just follow it to Limon.

Don't make any stops where you turn right in Limon at the gas station to go south to Puerto Viejo until you're out of Limon. Reputed to be a dangerous area for tourists. That gas station is an okay place to stop, and we found the help friendly, but a few blocks south, we were told, was bad.

The road from there to Puerto Viejo develops some pot holes and actually turns to gravel around Cahuita and Puerto Viejo at some points. Best to drive there during daylight.

Be sure not to miss the beach at Cahuita National Park. Beautiful place with not a lot of people (and we were there on a Saturday afternoon). The secluded little beaches you find there will be a place you'll go to in your head for years to come!

Enjoy your trip!

Tamarindo to San Jose 5 hours. San Jose to Limon 4 hours. My suggestion would be to stay the night in San Jose (I'd recommend Hotel Don Carlos). Get yourselves a Berndston & Berndston map, and know ahead of time the layout of San Jose. This will be helpful to you. Study up on how to drive into town (the map is very helpful and you will be able to tell where to go by studying it). Once at the Hotel Don Carlos (easy to find because it is close to 2 landmark high rise buildings--Holiday Inn Aurola and the Insurance Building), the desk managers will be VERY helpful with direction on how to get to Highway 32 to Limon. The hotel is very close to that highway entrance. You shouldn't have any trouble getting out of town, but you can always pay a taxi driver $5 to lead you to the highway!

When you are driving down Avenida 2 in San Jose, you will pass some important landmarks, the most important being the Plaza de la Cultura and the Teatro Nacional on your left. It is just past there that you turn left (all the streets are one way) and the hotel is just a few blocks north. You can do it! Good luck and have a great time. You'll love both Tamarindo and Puerto Viejo.