driving to Osa
 

Is it possible that road can get damage by the rain in June,that I will not be able to get back to San Jose for couple days?Or how long it takes until the roads will clear up in the worst case scenario?How big of a time gap should I give myself to drive back from Osa to San Jose to catch flight back to USA?

You don't say which part of the Osa so I am going to assume the southern part.

I have been on that road when they were having the worst rains they had seen in years (Nov 2005 when the monkeys were dying because of so much rain) and I was just on it this mid June. They seem to be pretty quick to fix those roads. They were still working on them when we went through in June but they were pretty smooth most of the way. There was some loose gravel but we just took our time in those areas and did fine. The Nov trip was pretty rough getting to Puerto Jimenez but after spending about a week there the road was being worked on and was in pretty good shape on the way out.

Is this a guarantee that the roads will be passable...no. I can only share my experiences. It was pretty bad that Nov. but we still made it through. There had been a landslide when part of Lapa Rios' (near Bosque del Cabo) property fell out from under them. That did close the road for a couple of days but it didn't affect getting to Puerto Jimenez from San Jose. It was cleaned up by the time we got there.

On a good day, I would plan about 8 hrs from Cabo Matapalo to San Jose if that is where you are going. Longer if you are all the way out in Carate. From Puerto Jimenez about 7 hrs. These times can change in a heartbeat if the weather is extremely bad or the roads haven't been fixed yet. A tree in the road won't hold things up for long but a mud slide could. Your driving could change the time as well. We tend to be cautious drivers and take our time so it can sometimes take us a little longer to get places.

Keep in mind that accidents happen and can hold things up for hours. We got stuck twice on the Interamerican from trucks that had flipped. I was there for one and my husband was down there without me for another one. I thought it was the same picture until I put them together and realized it was two different trucks in almost the same area just south of Palmar Norte. Accidents happen along the Cerro de la Muerte too because people pass on curves to get around the slow moving trucks.

This answer probably hasn't helped a whole lot but hopefully it has given you some idea of the perils of trying to get to and from the Osa from San Jose. I actually look forward to those drives because it is so beautiful but I wouldn't if I knew I had a deadline to make. I would definitely plan on spending the night near the airport and giving yourself a full day to get to San Jose. If things go smoothly and you have some time to kill when you get there great!

RA - your attacks are uncalled for.

to the OP - Suzie has given you excellent info based on her experiences, I would give yourself that last extra day so you can take your time on the drive and allow for any delays.

I come here to gain information as well as give. The most valuable information I personally receive is from fellow travelers who are not biased and who see their trip as I would...as a fellow tourist. How a drive was in the eyes of someone who does NOT do it everyday is worth a whole lot more to me than it would be from someone who lives there drives those roads frequently. It is a very different experience. I share my experiences as I have viewed them at the time which is the best that anyone can do. I don't try to predict the weather. I can quote some averages that scientists have come up with over the years and point you to a web site that has those averages and I can tell you what I have personally seen over the many many years I have been going down there. I give people credit for being able to understand that it isn't an exact science and to base their choices on their knowledge that weather, traffic, and everything else in life is not 100% predictable. Knowledge and choice are a couple of the most important things we have and many people have fought and died so that we may have those. I base my choices on what I have learned from my own experiences and other peoples experiences throughout all phases of life. I chose to go to CR during the recent June rainy season because I wanted to see first hand what it could be like. I knew it could rain or not from what I learned from other travelers. I do know that in Feb when I usually go it probably won't rain but if it does it will most likely be brief. Maybe my experiences weren't the same as someone who went last year but it does mean that it can go either way the next year. Okay we now know that some rainy seasons are rainier than others and you take your chance. So I pack my raincoat. Choose Feb if you don't want much rain and be happy that others have sloshed in the mud to be able to tell you that. I am actually looking forward to more time down there in July and August because it is so green and pretty.

I am so glad that I have met so many nice friendly drivers and Costa Ricans over the years because I honestly would not go if I thought they all talked like some people. It is the wonderful friendly people that keep me going back as much as the natural beauty and amazing things that CR has to offer. I have some wonderful Costa Rican friends now who make me feel as though their home is my home and they know they are welcome any time in mine. Many of you know that my door will always be open (when I am in the country) when you are passing by or even want a place to sleep for the night on your travels. I always enjoy a cold beer or a hot cup of coffee and a good travel story.

It has been my understanding, based on the rules that Fodor's and other forums have listed, that these forums were formed for travelers to share experiences. To be able to speak freely about what they liked about a certain place or not. Like Tully suggested, maybe there should be BB's for people who own businesses to give their advice. Unfortunately, John Howell's forum just closed down. They had a commercial section as well. I learned a lot from him and the other valuable contributors on that board. We all have something to bring to these forums.

I am sure that the day will come soon that I will spend more and more time on forums that are designed more for expats and less and less on the travel forums. As the day gets closer that our home will start to be built I am sure I will have lots of new things to learn from them. Things that I hope I can pass on in the future to maybe make someone elses move just a little smoother. Just as my goal on these boards was to make someones trip to CR go a little smoother. I first started on these boards many years ago. I enjoyed sharing info with Earthtraveler, Gannet, Sandy, Donna over these many years. Now there are so many new people like Tully, Jill, volcanogirl, hipvirgochick, sparklegem, just to name a very few, that are able to give whole new views of the many places we have been over the years as well as reviews of the many new places to see and enjoy that are popping up down there. I haven't said thank you but I am grateful for your words of wisdom even if a certain Costa Rican driver isn't.

Hi Tully,

Sadly he is showing his true colors. I don't need to resort to name calling as he has. Caught in yet another lie. He doesn't truly believe in free speech.
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Unfortunately there are some Costa Ricans that are not aware of what is going on in their own country. Many many monkeys died in 2005 due to the failure of the trees to flower and fruit due to the heavy rains that year. Many of the people on this board are aware of the problems that year even if you aren't. Many are those awful Americans that you talk so highly of. I happened to be down there during that time. So, I hope your family enjoys a good laugh and hopefully other people shared enough tears for the monkeys to make up for your enjoyment.

There were many scientists studying the situation because they were worried that it was a disease.

To correct you again, I was in the country 3 weeks ago for 5 weeks. I will be back again in a few months for 2-3 months.

Don't flatter yourself. I do not even read your replies most of the time. In case you haven't noticed, I reply to many postings not just ones that you have answered. More often than not there are multiple replies from multiple people expressing similar or different views on the question. Just because you have answered someone does not mean that nobody else can.

What about all those years you lived in the U.S. You keep saying you have lived in CR all your life when you haven't.

Suzie - well you know I appreciate yours and everyone's opinions here. I can still remember reading dfarmers report about BdC and thinking....hmmmm, maybe I'll look into this place some more. That's whats so great about this forum, the variety of travelers here, and the differing opinions. It's a shame that some get attacked here for only expressing their viewpoint and I have reported this thread to the editors.

Suzie2 wrote:

"I am sure that the day will come soon that I will spend more and more time on forums that are designed more for expats and less and less on the travel forums."

I hope that's not true, Suzie! Your travel advice helped me as I was making my plans last year, and I'll never forget the wonderful, kind comments you made when I posted my subsequent trip report. You are not allowed to phase out of Fodors! :-)

This CR forum has been such a terrific, fun and friendly resource for people trying to learn about that marvellous little country. It would truly be an awful shame if good people started to leave due to one negative poster. It would be even more sad if folks like jilkovina who started this thread are not able to benefit from the same genuinely helpful and well-intentioned advice that I benefitted from last year when planning my first trip to Costa Rica.

It's the sense of community (and even cameraderie) coupled with useful information that keeps bringing me back here. I too, will be contacting the editors as I do not want that to change.

I don't feel like anyone is driving me off the board. Pun intended LOL.

cmerrell, don't get nervous. There are lots of great people that can help you and I know you have already helped a lot of people. Thank you for the kind words. It is people like you who make the dust bunnies that accumulate because of my time on these boards bearable ;-).

I have enjoyed reading trip reports from people that I have helped even in a small way over the years so much. I am also enjoying the fun you are having helping even newer people. I smile a lot when reading all of your postings. Your joy and excitement of seeing and sharing your own wonderful experiences really comes through and brings back the excitement I felt during my first few years of discovery. I'll keep reading them too.

So, I will still be around because, unlike many expats who settle into life in CR and don't travel as much, I intend to keep traveling and if I find a place that I think you all might enjoy I will pop in and let you know about it. I will still be reading the boards as well when I can. I may be an old dog but I can still learn a lot from all of you. I'll be around to post for a little longer but I do need to get going and contact a shipper, finish the house plans, pick out colors, fixtures etc, above all visit with my kids and grandkids. Oh yeah, didn't finish my trip report either. Lots of pictures taken so those need to be organized so I can share.

If Kim contacts me directly for help again I will be on here in a heartbeat. Tully, if she contacts you let me know what I can do as well. Who knows we may meet down there yet. I am dreaming about a particular drink made with pineapple juice. A few monkeys passing overhead would certainly be welcome too. Always more fun when shared.

Luis, many of the things I post about are not 12 years old and you sound so childish saying that. You have made me and people on several other boards suspicious of your intentions on these boards because we have caught you in so many lies. I popped into Frommers a couple of months ago for the first time in a long time and they were really going off on you so it isn't just me that distrusts you.

Hi Suzie,

I will hold you to finishing your trip report! ;-)

I also hope you will post some photos as progress on your house starts to move along.

cmerrell I do really agree, a large part of my CR trips are based on what other travelers write here, the variety of travelers here and their reports here make up a great forum. And it's great that posters like you, and hvc and volcanogirl et al have continued to post here. A lot of people here get info and then are never heard back from, so it's nice to get new perspectives.

Suzie didn't you know we're all coming down for housewarming party, lol??!! We'd have to wear nametags ~ tully aka midori aka....:)

And who else do you hide under CindyParker? I'm Travelicious on TripAdvisor, but I'm certainly not hiding there! Oh...Why do I even bother?!?!?!

Suzie@ - Anyway, to repeat what Tully said last...You do realize we're all coming down...right?!?!? You did say you have a guest room! :)

We all know Suzie is fabulous; I find her to be very experienced and very helpful. Yay, Suzie!