Who has driven from MA to Osa (BDC)?
Mar 28th, 2008, 07:10 PM
#1
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Who has driven from MA to Osa (BDC)?
Anyone care to share their driving experience from Quepos/MA to Bosque Del Cabo? I know what the road is like from MA to Dominical, we've driven that before and we know its terrible. How is the rest? Any thoughts?
We're getting married in August on the beach in MA and then heading to BDC for our honeymoon. We tried to get a flight from Quepos to PJ but Nature Air is sold out and Sansa does not fly directly there so our travel time would be 5 hours. We figure we might as well drive.
We will be flying back to San Jose though. Does anyone know of any rental car companies out of San Jose that will let us leave the car in PJ for a fee?
TIA!
We're getting married in August on the beach in MA and then heading to BDC for our honeymoon. We tried to get a flight from Quepos to PJ but Nature Air is sold out and Sansa does not fly directly there so our travel time would be 5 hours. We figure we might as well drive.
We will be flying back to San Jose though. Does anyone know of any rental car companies out of San Jose that will let us leave the car in PJ for a fee?
TIA!
Mar 28th, 2008, 07:47 PM
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South of Dominical to Palmar Norte is one of the best highways in the country--enjoy! Takes about an hour, maybe a little longer. From there to Puerto Jimenez, count on about 2.5-3 hours--road in spotty condition. Another 45 min. to an hour on a very rough road to BdC, need 4 wheel drive for shallow river crossings.
Probably there is a company that will work with you on the car rental/drop off situation. I'd let Bosque del Cabo work on that for you. Pretty sure Leonardo would be able to set something up for you. Probably about a $100 fee as far away as that is. Good plan, though. I don't blame you just wanting to drive on down there. I would, too.
Congratulations! What date in August? We'll be in MA early August--maybe we'll crash the wedding!
Probably there is a company that will work with you on the car rental/drop off situation. I'd let Bosque del Cabo work on that for you. Pretty sure Leonardo would be able to set something up for you. Probably about a $100 fee as far away as that is. Good plan, though. I don't blame you just wanting to drive on down there. I would, too.
Congratulations! What date in August? We'll be in MA early August--maybe we'll crash the wedding!
Mar 29th, 2008, 05:46 AM
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We got a kick out of that road from PJ to BdC - they were doing construction on it when we were there, and there were a lot of trees across the road, finally got past that and there was a herd of cattle in the road, got past that and then driving over a river - we felt like we were having a little adventure.
Mar 29th, 2008, 08:03 AM
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I drive to Puerto Jimenez very often to see my farm in Drakes Bay...the road overall is in fair condition...in Rincon some big holes and but nothing special...just slow down...from Puerto Jimenez to Bosque...is a ok road...with some small rivers...better if you drive a 4x4...
Luis GPS
Luis GPS
Mar 29th, 2008, 09:10 PM
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I don't quite understand why you would drive all the way south to Puerto Jimenez to see a farm that is much further north in Drake Bay. I think that somebodys GPS needs a little reprogramming LOL.
I have done the trip from Dominical or San Isidro to the Osa several times. The road as mentioned is just perfect between Dominical and Palmar Norte. From there it gets a little twisty until you get to Chacarita. Last summer we saw a Jaguarundi run across the road in front of us just before we got to Palmar Norte. Big gas station at the turn at Chacarita so easy to find. The first part of the trip from Chacarita to Rincon is variable but usually pretty good. Once over the Rincon bridge it can turn nasty pretty quickly or can just be a typical bumpy unpaved road. Decent little restaurant right there just before the bridge for a bano break and a cup of coffee. We see lots of great birds there as well as lots of sloths. So much depends on current weather and resulting condition of the road on this stretch so it is really impossible to say how it will be with any certainty. With good road conditions and a brief stop in Rincon for a little birding it took us 4 hours door to door from BDC to our friends house in Cordoncillo which is about 45 mins to 1 hr north of Chacarita on the Pan Am hwy. Last summer the road to PJ was pretty good but the road from PJ to BdC was the worst I have ever seen it and I have been up and down that road to stay in many lodges as well as many stays at BdC. Just another adventure in Tico Land. We finally bought a car this Feb. but it needs a new thermostat and I didn't want to take a chance on getting stuck in the middle of nowhere by myself. I was planning on doing that drive by myself from just outside of San Isidro where we are building a house.
Solid Rent a Car has an office right by the Puerto Jimenez airstrip. You could rent from Solid in San Jose and turn it in in PJ. We had a very good experience renting from them last summer. Solid brought a car to us last year in San Isidro where we then left to stay in the Uvita area for a few days before heading south to the southern Osa where we stayed in 3 places including BdC-we can't go to the Osa without at least one night there. You are going to love it. Our son and his girlfriend will be visiting us the last week of July and the first week of August and we were thinking of heading down to BdC with them. Maybe we will run into you!
Mar 30th, 2008, 09:40 AM
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Thanks everyone for your responses! We'll be in CR August 5-16th. The 5th and 6th, we'll be in Hermosa (outside of Jaco). Then we'll be in MA the 7th, leaving for BDC the 12th, so we'll spend our last four nights at BDC. We're so excited.
Oh, and our wedding is August 9th on Playitas beach in MA. Feel free to crash=)
I figure that we drove from Arenal to Mal Pais on our last trip. Although most of those roads were paved (until we got to Mal Pais), it was a loooooong drive but totally doable. We like driving in CR, for the adventure and the scenery but so many people discouraged us from making the MA to Osa drive.
Your posts have helped a lot! I appreciate it!
Oh, and our wedding is August 9th on Playitas beach in MA. Feel free to crash=)
I figure that we drove from Arenal to Mal Pais on our last trip. Although most of those roads were paved (until we got to Mal Pais), it was a loooooong drive but totally doable. We like driving in CR, for the adventure and the scenery but so many people discouraged us from making the MA to Osa drive.
Your posts have helped a lot! I appreciate it!
Mar 30th, 2008, 10:00 AM
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We really shouldn't be in the business of discouraging people too much on this board, particularly with regard to their transportation options. Lots of people (we are among them) enjoy driving in Costa Rica and the stops and interactions along the way (or opportunities for). Others just don't care for it and the perceived or real hassle. Everyone knows their own preferences regarding that.
We'll be in Manual Antonio area August 5-9 (leaving the morning of the 9th) so will not be able to do any crashing (just teasing, of course!) but perhaps we'll run into one another here or there!
Again, congratulations, I'm sure it will be a gorgeous wedding!
We'll be in Manual Antonio area August 5-9 (leaving the morning of the 9th) so will not be able to do any crashing (just teasing, of course!) but perhaps we'll run into one another here or there!
Again, congratulations, I'm sure it will be a gorgeous wedding!
Mar 30th, 2008, 12:12 PM
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I drive to Puerto Jimenez sometimes to see friends...my kids love to visit Carate...some times they like better to drive than stay in our farm in Drake's Bay...I drive there to pick up friends that are flying into Puerto Jimenez...is nice to own a farm there...every body wants to visit us when we are there!
My GPS is working fantastic...the good thing is that I use it almost every day driving around MY country...it can be hard to have a GPS and use it once every 5 years...
Hopefully some day I can build a bigger home and have all my friends there...is a beautifull piece of land...great views, waterfalls, a lot of wild life...
Luis GPS
My GPS is working fantastic...the good thing is that I use it almost every day driving around MY country...it can be hard to have a GPS and use it once every 5 years...
Hopefully some day I can build a bigger home and have all my friends there...is a beautifull piece of land...great views, waterfalls, a lot of wild life...
Luis GPS
Mar 30th, 2008, 12:22 PM
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San Isidro del General is a kind of far from BDC...I think I am a lot more closer in Drakes Bay in my 11.000 acres farm than in a small lot in San Isidro!
I have been driving those roads for many years...hopefully I can give some good and safe advice to some people...
Luis GPS
I have been driving those roads for many years...hopefully I can give some good and safe advice to some people...
Luis GPS
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