Costa Rica Travel Posts

Costa Rica Travel Guide and Tips – Driving in Costa Rica

By Patrick Brunelle ⋅ November 10, 2009 ⋅  Email this post ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

Driving in Costa Rica is one of the most common questions I get regarding traveling to Costa Rica. Although Costa Rica is one of the safest countries in Central Amarica, it is definitely not one of the best in terms of driving conditions. Much of this is at no fault to Costa Rica, but to its mountain roads. The Central Valley is completely surrounded by mountains, making a mountain drive impossible to avoid if you are to go anywhere else in the country.

Some of the worst mountain drives in Costa Rica include the one to Jaco Beach, to San Isidro de General and Arenal. The easier mountain drives are to Guanacaste and Limon. The road to Limon is by far the best in the country, offering a double lane road throughout most of the uphill climbs. What makes this road a little dangerous is the fact that it is the commercial highway of Costa Rica, and is filled with transport trucks going to the Coast. Costa Rican drivers seem to get a little impatient and often times try to pass in areas where they really shouldn’t, endangering both themselves and the other drivers on the road.

I have personally been driving in Costa Rica for over four years and have only encountered one problem on the road. I honestly believe that driving is the best way to explore Costa Rica, allowing you to see many hidden gems off the beaten path. I have created a list of tips for driving in Costa Rica bellow to help you out during your next drive around the country.

Driving Tips in Costa Rica
A. Be careful going around corners. Don’t ever pass on a corner, and always assume someone could very well be in your lane coming the other way.
B. If you get in an accident, don’t move your car, no matter what. Moving your car after an accident in Costa Rica means that your insurance will no longer be covering your accident.
C. Get a GPS system. The GPS system in Costa Rica is quite good, and is a great way to located restaurants and bars in whatever area you find yourself.
D. Stay out of the Central Valley during peak hours (6:30am until 9:00am and 3:30pm until 7:00pm) as much as possible. Some of the worst traffic jams I have ever seen anywhere in the World occur right here in the Central Valley.