We need help with driving directions for

1.San Jose to Monte Verde
2.Arenal to Poas Volcano Lodge
3.Poas Volcano Lodge to Puerto Limon

TIA

It would be much easier for you to get a good map and follow, such as the laminated Berndston and Berndston from Barnes & Noble.

It will be necessary for you to study the map and obtain more up to date directions once you are in the country. San Jose to Monteverde is easy. Take the Interamerican highway west past Puntarenas and up toward Liberia. You'll see signs for Monteverde on the right hand side of the road. There are a couple of places you can turn, I believe. Haven't driven up there, but have seen the signs many times.

There are a couple of ways for you to go from Arenal to Poas area. Check the map and decide which route looks best to you. The Aguas Zarcas route looks like it might be the best. We've been to both places, but not from one directly to the other.

Poas to Puerto Limon, you'd head toward Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui(it is on a loop to the north), then down to the highway to Limon. Again, the map will be very clear on this route.

Happy travels and good luck! When are you leaving?

Hi,
There are few roads that are major in Costa Rica. The Panamerican Highway travels through the country, goes by the airport and on up to Nicaragua. That is the route that you take to Monteverde. Wherever you rent a car, they will give you a specific map and show you the major route.

If you are in Monteverde instead of coming back down where you went up, you would go to the town of Tiliran. from there, around the lake to Arenal.

There are several routes from Arenal to Poas Volcano lodge.... all easy marked. The prettiest is the route from San Carlos (also called Cuidad Quesada) to Zarcero (stop at the church yard!) It is very windy and few drivers like it, though.

From Arenal, you can travel the back way behind the volcano range. Arenal, Tanke, Muelle, Agua Zarcas, and up the mountain on the back side towards Poas. You will pass the famous La Paz waterfall on the road.

If you return the same way, you will come back down that mountain road, continue straight to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui, turn right to Guapiles then left on to Limon.

These directions sound complicated but you have to understand, there are usually only one or two roads to choose from. Someone is always standing around, and you can say the name of where you want to go and they will point!

Buying the map listed in the post is a good idea... but cheaper ones are here on the net a click away. This one is nice. For example, click on the Alajuela province map and you can see the routes of leaving La Fortuna that I told you about. Very plain. And, the other choices like through Zarcero.

http://www.maptak.com/cr/map.html

Hope that helps!
HOP

Thanks you so much--I do have a few questions
1. Arenal-Paos....How much longer(time wise)is the trip going the pretty way thru Zarcero ??

2. Paos-Limon....looking at the map, it appears going down thru Heredia and up 32 to Guapiles looks faster than the Puerto Viejo route...is that true ??

3. SJ-Monteverde....after Puntarenas, is the 1st turn to Monte Verde the best to take or does it not matter ??

Thanks again

ezron, I sure can't answer all of your questions, but think I can help with one or two. Arenal to Poas--definitely go through Zarcero. The drive will take you between 2-3 hours, but plan on more because you'll want to stop in Zarcero for a bit. It is a gorgeous little town.

Poas-Limon: Do go through Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui. It really won't take you any longer (I'm almost sure of it) and is a very scenic route. And it is a much simpler route, less confusing.