Backdoor

Hello Again -

On our last trip to CR, we took the PA highway route south from Liberia and then a side road east along the northern and eastern side of Arenal Lake to get to the volcano. Very breathtaking but long ride. Can someone out there tell us the quickest or most direct way to get from Tamarindo to the Tabacon Lodge? We'd like to maximize our time at the springs this trip. Thanks in advance.

shillmac

There's only that one road. From Tam you can either go up to Liberia and repeat that performance OR

Cross the Rio Tempisque on the Friendship Bridge.

Either way you'll end up at Las Canas, where you'll take the "side road" northeast to Arenal. Looking at the map, it doesn't appear to be much different in distance one way or the other. It will take you about 4 hours, perhaps a little less.

Iza

Shillmac is right, there is only that one road. When we drove it a couple of years ago, we were told by the locals that it is faster to go through Liberia than south to the Friendship bridge (looking at the map it seems very similar in distance so I am not sure what would make such a difference). It takes about 4 hours in good weather.

doucetda9

I have a similar question... Would it be faster to try to fly from Tabacon to Tamarindo?

shillmac

I don't think you can fly in and out of the Arenal area????? Private charters are quite expensive.

stepmoore

We just made the trip from Tamarindo to Arenal and went south to the Friendship Bridge. Quite a nice drive, the locals in tamarindo told me it was a little longer but not much in it. Since we had already come from Liberia (terrible road) we chose to take a 'better' road and see a little more of the country. It took us about 5 hours but we took a couple of wrong turns as we got closer to the lake.