As Monteverde is one of the most popular destinations in the country, we get these questions all the time. Is the road to Monteverde paved, how far is San Jose Airport to Monteverde and do I really need a 4×4 for Monteverde?
For those who are renting a car in Costa Rica and plan on visiting Monteverde, this post will be extremely helpful. I’ll go over the Monteverde road conditions and how to get to Monteverde. You can also read our Monteverde, Costa Rica travel guide to learn more about this region.
This post has been updated January 2021 with the current road conditions for Route 606 and updated information about Route 145*.
The best route to take to get to Monteverde is Route 606 thanks to the newly paved road.
Below, I will talk more in depth about the Monteverde roads and routes to take. You can click the section to skip to it.
- GPS
- San Jose to Monteverde
- Route 606 Sardinal
- Guanacaste to Monteverde
- Las Juntas Route 145
- La Fortuna
- Santa Elena and Monteverde road conditions
- Do You Need a 4×4? (Our thoughts)
- Driving tips
Using GPS
Always check to see which route your GPS device will take you to Monteverde.
If you use a GPS device (rented through your car rental or if you bring your own), enter the name of your hotel as your final destination. Check the GPS to see which route they are taking you because as you’ll read more below in this post, we recommend to take Route 606 to Monteverde.
If you use Google Maps or Waze, they will take you to the “fastest” or closest route which may be Route 145 (I’ll talk about this one in a bit) or Route 605. Of all the routes to Monteverde, we do not recommend to take Route 605 (it’s not a nice road).
As Route 605 eventually connects to Route 606, it is better to stay on the Interamericana highway 1, go straight to Route 606 and then turn to go up the mountain to Monteverde. On our last trip, Waze was trying to make us go through Route 605. Yeison has had experience on this route which is an old road not used as much due to its poorer conditions. Road 606 is much better.
Driving from San Jose to Monteverde (Route 606)
If you are driving from San Jose Airport to Monteverde, the best route to take is Route 27, 23, Interamericana highway 1 and then Route 606. This route takes around 3.5 hours depending on traffic and the distance from San Jose Airport to Monteverde is 133 kilometers, or 83 miles via Route 606. This entire route from San Jose Airport to Monteverde is now paved.
Here is the route on Google Maps. Remember that Santa Elena is the name of the main town and tourism hub of Monteverde. You will see lots of signs for Santa Elena.
Route 606 Road Conditions (Sardinal)
*January 2021 update. The Route 606 is still asphalted over but due to the heavy 2020 rainy season, there is a section where the road suffered a landslide and has not been fixed. There are also now some fairly big potholes going up the mountain so we still do recommend a 4wd/4×4 for Route 606 to Monteverde.
Route 606 from San Jose is a fairly straightforward route. Head onto Route 27 Highway and continue for about 107 kilometers (66 miles). You’ll merge onto InterAmericana highway 1 a little past Puntarenas. This is a paved road and takes around 1.5 hours (depending on traffic).
Then you will turn right onto Route 606 Costa Rica, the route to Monteverde via Sardinal. You will see a gas station on your right and a huge billboard for Sky Trek/Adventures.
Drive onto this road for about 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) and turn left. There are plenty of signs for Sardinal and Monteverde so you know you’re going the right way.
After about 17 kilometers (10.5miles), turn right at this sign to continue onto Route 606 to Santa Elena.
Turn left when you see this sign and continue up the mountain to Monteverde!
The gravel road is now asphalt but has lots of potholes and some damage
At this part, it used to be a gravel road but they asphalted it over late 2019. Here are some photos.
Unfortunately this very nice road didn’t stay in this condition for too long. Due to the heavy rains in the 2020 winter season, there are now some big potholes and a section that was destroyed by a landslide which hasn’t been fixed yet (Last drove this route January 2021).
Majority of the road is still asphalted over but with large pot holes. I’ll talk a little bit more about if a 4×4 is really required for Monteverde later in the post (click here to skip to it). Now I’ll talk about Route 145!
Driving from Guanacaste to Monteverde Route 145 Las Juntas
If you are driving from Guanacaste (Liberia, Tamarindo, Playas del Coco, Samara, Gulf of Papagayo, Conchal) to Monteverde, then the closest route is Route 145, Las Juntas. It takes around 3.5 hours with a mix of gravel and concrete roads. Route 145 is very narrow and windy. Below are the current road conditions for Route 145, Las Juntas (as of February 24, 2020).
Las Juntas Road Conditions Route 145
This route is very narrow, curvy and windy with concrete and gravel roads. It goes from gravel to concrete many times throughout the entire route. Trailer trucks, public buses and shuttles use this route. Be careful when driving because the road is very narrow and curvy so you may need to suddenly brake and make space for oncoming cars. Drive slow on this route!
Coming from Guanacaste, Las Juntas is the turn off a couple kilometers (~1 mile) after the Restaurant Tres Hermanas (where the big bull is) at the Limonal Plaza. Turn left.
You will continue on this road for 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) and drive through the town of Las Juntas and continue up towards Monteverde, passing small towns like Eco Museo, Canderlaria and Campos de Oro.
As it’s a rural area, you may run into some unusual traffic.
Our Experience with Route 145
Route 145 has beautiful scenery. However, the drive is harrowing due to narrow gravel roads and big trailer trucks. During our drive, one of the huge trailer trucks got stuck going up a hill, blocking the road. We managed to drive down on the side of the road on the grass in our 4×4 but it was super steep. We almost got stuck in the side ditch!
Another time we turned a corner and there were 3 huge oncoming trailer trucks but there was no space. We had to inch over to the side (very carefully because there was a grass ditch) and the trucks all had to back down around the curve to give us space.
This route also has a ton of big potholes and there are no guard rails either. Be extremely carefully on this route during rainy season. Below are some photos.
You can see the route in our video below.
From Santa Elena, go to soccer field/school and continue on the bumpy road towards Xtremo and Don Juan Tours. You will then continue until a slight left to Route 145 (signs for Las Juntas) and continue on that road.
Driving from La Fortuna to Monteverde
If you are driving from La Fortuna to Monteverde, the best route to take is Route 142 around Lake Arenal towards Tilaran, Route 145 Las Juntas and then Route 606 Sardinal. This route has a mix of concrete and gravel roads and has lots of potholes, taking around 3 to 3.5 hours. Here is the map below.
Santa Elena and Monteverde Road Conditions
Santa Elena town itself has paved roads. Cerro Plano, the smaller town also has paved roads but it ends where the El Establo Hotel is. That road continues on to the Monteverde cloud forest reserves, San Luis town and Curi Cancha Reserve and is unpaved after the CPI Spanish School.
The road to Sky Adventures, Selvatura Park, Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena and Vista Verde Lodge is also unpaved with potholes and is steep at some parts.
We stayed at 2 Airbnbs in Monteverde that had awful roads. Awful. Like hitting your head on top of the car awful. These roads are the way to Finca Modelo and past the Santa Elena cemetary (Valle Bonito).
Do You Need a 4×4 for Monteverde?
This is what you are probably dying to know. Do I really need a 4×4 to get to Monteverde? Here are our thoughts about the kind of car you should rent for Monteverde. This is coming from a Costa Rican man who is very used to driving rural roads and a woman from the US who is not. And as always, safety is our number one priority for our readers.
Before the 2020 rainy season, for us, we personally saw it fine to drive a sedan if you go by ONLY Route 606 to and from Monteverde. This is because it was freshly asphalted over in December 2019 and it was in good condition.
However, like we mentioned earlier, the 2020 rainy season was very strong and part of Route 606 was hit by a landslide and the road suffered greatly. They still haven’t fixed the landslide section so that part is now all gravel with holes and there are now some big pot holes throughout this route.
For this reason, we recommend to rent a 4×4 or 4wd for Monteverde. Not all the roads in Santa Elena are paved so it is much safer to have a high car, especially as this area tends to rain often and is windy, even in the dry season.
The public bus and shuttles in Monteverde
To take the bus and shuttles, you can book them at the Monteverde Info Center in downtown Santa Elena.
There is a bus from Santa Elena town to Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve at 6:15 AM, 7:30 AM, 9:30 AM (in high season), 1:20 PM and 3 PM everyday for 700 colones one way. There is a shuttle bus from Santa Elena to Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve at 7 AM, 8 AM, 1030 AM and 130 PM for $3 USD one way or $5 roundtrip.
Additionally, there is a shuttle from Santa Elena to Reserva Santa Elena at 630 AM, 830 AM, 1030 AM and 1230 PM for $2 USD.
You can also book tours with transportation as most of the adventure parks and tour companies offer transportation.
If you do not want to rely on these shuttles and buses or if you want to explore and check out places like Finca Modelo, San Luis, then rent a 4×4/4wd.
Please also ask your host as there are a lot of hotels like Vista Verde Lodge and Airbnbs that require a 4wd/4×4.
We did see a couple of sedans on our way to Selvatura Park but boy they were having a rough time and we saw two rental sedans stopped on the side. I think they hit a rock and were trying to assess the damage. You may also see some locals with sedans but like Yeison says, give a rural Tico (Costa Rican) a sedan and they’ll make it anywhere.
Bottom Line
If you are wondering which route is best to take to Monteverde, Route 145 and Route 606 are both drivable, particularly with a 4wd/4×4. Both are very curvy and narrow, so either way you’ll have to drive slow and carefully.
Route 145 is closer to those coming from or going to Guanacaste, Route 606 is closer to those coming from or going to San Jose. So you will see that for these reasons, 99% of the rental cars are SUV’s.
When it comes down to it, it is most comfortable and secure with a SUV in Monteverde. One quick additional note, in dry season, a car like a Hyundai Creta SUV 4×2 can work (but make sure to ask your host if they really require a 4wd/4×4 or not). In rainy season, it is better to get a 4wd/4×4.
Additional Tips for Driving to Monteverde
- We do not recommend driving to Monteverde at night. All routes are very curvy with no guard rails or street lights. Remember it gets dark by 6 PM everyday in Costa Rica! If your flight arrives in the afternoon and the timing does not work out that you can get to Monteverde before 6 PM, it is better to stay a night in San Jose/Liberia. Rest and then leave early the next morning. This is highly recommend in rainy season as it tends to start raining hard in the afternoon.
- Drive slow, take your time. Don’t pass if you’re not comfortable. You will run into some buses or trucks that are super slow. Just take your time and drive safely.
- If you get car sick, take anti-nausea medicine! I get car sick easily and got fairly dizzy on Route 145.
- For more driving tips, you can read our in-depth Costa Rica driving guide.
John says
Hi Sammi!
I’m hoping to take 2 families ( 4 adults, 4 kids) using a similar itinerary to your 2 week trip.
Could this be done in the big Hyundai van?
Would we be able to visit Monteverde?
Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi John, you can go by Route 606, there are some pot holes but it’s mostly asphalted/concreted and the main road through Santa Elena is paved, just make sure that your lodging doesn’t require a 4×4 to get there.
Cynthia says
Hi, I am arriving to Liberia Airport around 3:30 pm and would like to visit Monteverde. Should I drive straight there (I was reading that we shouldn’t drive in the dark), or stay somewhere overnight and then continue driving there the next morning? Thanks.
Sammi says
I would recommend to stay a night close to Liberia, once you get through immigration and customs and then pick up your rental car, it’ll be closer to sunset and Monteverde tends to rain more so you will spend most of the route driving in the dark and going up the mountains to Monteverde after dark is not recommended at all
Christopher says
Hi Sammi,
Renting a Diahatsu Bego Compact SUV – I think that’s a 4×4? and driving:
A. San Jose – Arenal
B. Arenal – Monteverde
C. Monteverde – Playa Flamingo
Which are the the routes you recommend?:
A.
B. Arenal – Monteverde: Route 142 around Lake Arenal towards Tilaran, Route 145 Las Juntas and then Route 606 Sardinal.
C.
Sammi says
I would say Route 142, I am not sure if they have finished fixing Route 606 (there was a section that got hit by a landslide from last year’s rainy season).
Felix says
Hi,
Great blog with really good information!
Just wanted to let you know that we just (end of May 2021) drove from La Fortuna to Monteverde and then to Quepos with a sedan (Toyota Yaris) and the road condition was fine. Some potholes but overall no problem and no need for a 4×4 at all.
Thanks
Felix
Jill Shannon says
Sammi, Your posts are always so helpful, because you know the kind of details many of us need. I was just googling to find info on the road conditions to Monteverde, and here was this wonderful article. Your “flying with pets” one was also one of the best that I have used a few times myself and shared with others. Thank you.
Sammi says
Aw glad to be of help! Thanks for reading our blog 🙂
Jillian Truesdell says
Thank you so much for this post!
I am planning on 2-3 nights in monteverde over thanksgiving. Do you have any tips of whether this year is going to be bad through that time due to the la nina? I don’t want to get stuck in torrential downpour and winds the entire time.
Any help would be much appreciated!
Sammi says
It does tend to rain a bit more up in Monteverde and this year we have definitely had more rain and strong rain. It’s always hard to say exactly what the weather will be like because you can still get a couple hours of clear skies and sun in the morning but it may pour or be windy by noon or it could be a really sunny morning as we will begin to transition to dry season end of November. I recommend to be prepared for everything (rain, sun, winds, etc.)
Kassie says
We are staying at Lake Arenal Brewery for a couple days next week. Is the road from there to Monteverde less bad than how you describe 145 the whole way? We have a 4wd car but I’m wondering if it’s less of a headache to drive from the brewery back down 142 to the 1 to the 606. What do you think? Not worth it?
Sammi says
If you have a 4wd/4×4, then just go slow and try to leave earlier as it has been raining a lot this rainy season so far.
dominique says
hi thank you for so many good advices
which road are the safest if i will drive from playa samara to monteverde?
Sammi says
You can go out to Nicoya, go across the Friendship bridge and take 606 to Monteverde.
Lynda Hausman says
Hi, thanks for the great blog,soooo useful!
We’re going from Chachagua to Santa Elena (Monteverde) on February 21. Waze gives us two routes – the shortest is around Lake Arenal on 142, 145 and 606 at 3:15 hours, and the longer on 702, 1 and 606 at 3:48 hours.
We have a Suzuki Jimny but have hit roads so bad we can’t believe them (143 for example, etched in our memories forever and already an inside joke).
Would you suggest the longer way to spend more time on 606 and have an easier though longer drive? Or is the 142, 145 combination fine?
Thanks!
Lynda
Sammi says
I’d go with 606 because the time isn’t a giant difference and 145 is really narrow and not as easy of an drive, especially now 606 is in better conditions.
Swan says
Hello – Now that Route 606 is newly paved, if we are driving from Liberia airport to Santa Elena, would you recommend we drive from Rt 1 to Rt 605 to Rt 606 rather than taking Rt 145 to 606 and approaching Santa Elena from the north? I was wondering if the drive would be less stressful if it’s paved and it sounds like 145 is not paved. We will have a 4WD SUV. Appreciate any advice.
Sammi says
It will take longer to take 606 from Liberia because its more south than 145, you could still go on 145 but from what I’ve heard, 606 is easier now so would be less stressful.
Josh says
Headed to CR in March, and we land in Liberia at 8:00pm. Now that the 606 is paved, is driving from LIB to Monteverde in the dark much better if I take that route (of course taking it easy on the curvy roads)? I have a midsize SUV (4wd) reserved.
I’d rather wake up in Monteverde than by the airport on our first day in paradise if possible, but of course I’d like to be safe too. Thanks for any insights from folks that have been there in the last week or two since the paving was completed.
Sammi says
I would definitely stay a night at the airport, even though the road is better, it goes up and around a mountain so it’s windy, steep, curvy and no street lights and takes around 3.5 hours in daylight so it will take way longer in the dark. It is much safer to stay a night and leave early the next morning.
Josh says
Thank you so much for your response. A follow up question, how about driving from Liberia to Canas in the dark? 🙂
Sammi says
That is not bad, it goes on the Interamericana highway 1 and is well lit plus it is not too far.
Lorri says
Hola! Thanks for your awesome blog! We drove from Arenal to Monteverde on December 27 and there was definitely a section that had tons of potholes, gravel, and curvy roads (AND it was foggy and rainy!). We were so happy to have our 4×4 capability. We just took it slow.
When we hit southbound 606 toward Santa Elena it got much better. Not paved per se but it was a compacted Rock, almost like what they put down as the first layer before they actually pave? So, no potholes but it *was* bumpy. Still, such a welcome relief after the crazy Potholed road before that.
On Dec 31, we made our way out of Monteverde south on 606, to route 1 and then eventually route 18 to Playa Conchal. Wow! That portion of 606 was totally paved and Smooth and amazing. They must have just paved it? And then of course the roads after that were a piece of cake.
I was so nervous about driving to and from Monteverde in particular but the roads are so much better in CR than I anticipated!
Your post on getting gasoline was also super helpful. I used your tips and it all worked out great!
Thanks again! Pura Vida!
Sammi says
Thanks for the feedback Lorri and actually you went right on those days they finished paving the 606! 145 is still not great but I think it was like Jan 1 or even Dec 31 when they finished the 606. Glad you got to drive on some nice roads 🙂
Björn says
606 is fully paved with asphalt since last week. We drove today with normal car – no SUV no 4×4. No problems at any time.
Johan says
Thanks for an excellent post. We drove up from San Jose to Monteverde this morning and were surprised over how good the conditions were. The 606 seems to have been paved just recently and its was only the last couple of km:s that were still gravel, and they were working on paving it as we drove past. Smooth driving almost all the way!
Ivy says
Last week we drove from Arenal to Monteverde, then from Monteverde to Manuel Antonio. From Arenal to Monteverde there were a few rough, steep, or potholed areas on 145 that justified having a high clearance 4×4, especially if you’re unaccustomed to potholed country roads or it’s raining. I guess from all the written reports I was expecting something like the Rubicon trail, which it definitely wasn’t. The shoulder/ ditch areas did look very squishy, and we saw a truck that had sunk into the shoulder and tipped over. It was a little hairy, and a little bumpy, and we were glad to arrive in Monteverde.
From Monteverde south on 606, the roads were actually much better than we expected and could easily be traversed in a sedan. No significant potholes. More paved areas than we expected too. It appeared that a lot of 606 had recently been regraded or resurfaced with kind of a packed earth material, much nicer than gravel. This was a very enjoyable drive.
Sammi says
Thanks for the update and feedback Ivy!
Rob says
Hi – I am travelling in late December and planning to drive from San Jose to Monteverde. Have the road conditions improved or is it still unpaved with potholes on route 606?
We will spend two nights in Monteverde, then drive to Arenal Volcano where we will spend 2 nights. The fifth day we have our return flight out of San Jose at 12:40pm. What time should I start driving from Arenal to get to our flight safely? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Sammi says
Hi Rob, I know 606 is still not fully paved but it’s gotten a bit better though still unpaved for the last part. People have been taking 606 lately, but it is still recommended to have a high car and it does still has potholes.
The drive from La Fortuna to San Jose is around 3 hours and I would add on at least one extra hour to stop for food and traffic and then at least 20-30 minutes for returning your car so I’d leave around 530, 6 AM the latest to be on the safe side to arrive at the airport by 1030 AM. Late December is super super busy in Costa Rica so just keep that in mind that things can take longer (driving, traffic, returning car, airport security, airport check in, etc.) so earlier the better.
Marco Van geffen says
Hello tomorrow we must drive from tamarindo to montverde wich Road is now beter to drive 145 or 166
Sammi says
Route 145 – closer and better roads than 606
Sammi says
Hi Paula, the route through San Ramon doesn’t have quite as nice views but the vies you probably saw leaving Monteverde last time was on Route 606, that route has the nicest views. Route 145 has some nice views but most of the route going up is through the small towns whereas Route 606 goes purely up the mountain. There are some nice views in Tilaran but personally since you are going in October which is our rainiest months, I would just go straight to Manuel Antonio instead of detouring because most likely it will be raining and Route 606 is in very bad shape (and it will take much longer so personally I don’t think it’s worth it).
Paula Jordan says
Greetings. I love your website! I have a question. We will be going from La Fortuna to Manuel Antonio. We do not plan to go to Monteverde, but I recall when leaving Monteverde on a previous trip that we saw some spectacularly green scenery on the way back to Highway 1. In looking at the map now, I am wondering if that was on Highway 145. So I am wondering if taking the road around Lake Arenal, and then going from Tilaran through Candelaria and down to Las Juntas would be pretty. That is a little farther than going from La Fortuna south through San Ramon. Do you have an opinion on this? Would the Tilaran to Las Juntas route maybe get us that beautiful lush green scenery that we previously experienced? Or is the road through San Ramon just as pretty? We will be there the first week of October. Thank you so much.
Andrew says
Hey! Your blog is beyond helpful. We’re coming in late November, and I’m trying to squeeze a detour to Monteverde into our trip. We’d end up on both these routes coming and going… this is so helpful.
We’re headed to the Marriott south of Tamarindo November 19-24 for a conference. I’d like to fly in a day early, to spend one night in Monteverde on the way, to do a hike that next morning. We’d land SJO at 1:06pm, and currently I’ve got a RAV4 reserved from Budget (because I think their pickup is a short walk from the terminal… no shuttle for quick turn around was my hope). We’ll have just carry-ons, so I’d hope to be on the road by 2:30. I’d like to make it to Hotel Belmar by sunset, eat dinner, sleep, and do an early morning guided forest walk and a few Monteverde sights before heading to the Marriott after lunch.
Is this plan too tight? I’ve rented 4x4s in Hawaii and done some pretty rough driving, but never Costa Rica. If I split our flights, I could do Spirit and land at 12:30 to get a little more time. I guess I’m curious if the time of year makes it not a good idea. Thanks so much for your thoughts!
Sammi says
Just make sure you get a good GPS and study the route. I recommend to take Route 145, it’s a bit further than 606 but 606 is still in pretty bad shape, route 145 has more concrete sections and drive slow because you may have to drive part of that route up the mountain in the dark if there is a lot of traffic in San Jose and it tends to rain more in the afternoons and nights. I also recommend to get a prepaid sim card so you have a local number in case of emergencies.
Anthony R says
Hello,
I am planning to drive to Monteverde from Samara next month (August) in a Toyota Rush.
How long should this take? What time do you suggest leaving Samara?
Also, we’re stopping at Monteverde for 3 nights on our way back to San Jose. Knowing this I assume it would be best to take the 145 in from Samara but then take the 606 out on our way to San Jose.
Thanks.
Sammi says
You can check on Google Maps an approximate time for this route: https://goo.gl/maps/fj6xuQtTx3bAWhk96
I would give it around 3.5 hours, maybe a little more if you stop for food, etc.
Sally Lees says
Hi Sammi! We are staying at Casitas Tenorio as our first stop and then travelling to Arenal for 3 nights followed by Samara for a few days, then Manuel Antonio. With road conditions/ routes in mind, when would you recommend going to monteverde, possibly from Bijagua on the way to Arenal? Or day trip from Arenal? I think we will just go to monteverde for a few hours and save ziplining for Arenal. Thanks for any advice – love your site!
Sammi says
Hi Sally, you could do that but it’ll be a lot of driving (it’s like 2.5 hours from Bijagua to Monteverde, then 3.5 hours from Monteverde to La Fortuna and keep in mind that Monteverde does not have good roads). If you’re visiting in the next few months, we are entering our rainiest months so keep that in mind because it will rain a lot more in those areas and you don’t want to be driving in the dark in the rain on those routes (especially with no GPS or cell phone and it gets dark by 6 PM here everyday). I would do it as a day trip from La Fortuna personally if you reallllly want to visit Monteverde because getting to and from Monteverde is not an easy drive (very bumpy, steep and unpaved roads up a mountain).
Rajat says
Hi – Can you please advise if Toyota Hiace 15 seater van will be ok for the trip from La Fortuna to Monteverde and what route to take? It is just a 2 wheel drive. Going last week of May. We will be 6 adults plus 6 kids and luggage. Concern will be steep single lane wet mud pit roads. Not sure if there are still any on the Tilaran 606 145 route suggested to us. Thanks in advance.
Sammi says
Hi Rajat, the Hiace’s can make it up there (it’s the type of vehicle many shared shuttle companies use). Just make sure to go slowly though because it is an unpaved road for pretty much most of it and it gets a bit steep at some parts. Make sure to take your time and leave early because we are in transition time to rainy season and that area tends to rain more. Usually mornings are clearer.
Lynn says
Hi we are a group of 9 manning a visit to the Monteverde area in early August. Looking for an air bnb but the 2 houses we find talk about the horribly bumpy roads and if have not yet decided if want to rent cars or try to take taxis. Where would you recommend we stay should we get a hotel to just make things easier on all?
Sammi says
You should pick a hotel that’s in or close to Santa Elena town, and not in the outskirts so that way you can walk to restaurants and not be out in the bumpy roads. These are hotels around Hotel Poco a Poco, El Establo, Arco Iris, etc. If you’re not renting a car, I definitely recommend to be close to town because August is rainy season and Monteverde rains quite a bit so it’s good to be close.
Vicky Boehmer says
We are staying in Arenal. What is the best route from there? Down through la fortuna? Or counterclockwise through Tileran and off to Monteverde? We drove Tileran to Monteverde 6 years ago. It was tough and too us about 2.5 hours so I think we know what we are in for.
Thanks in advance for some advice.
Sammi says
It will depend on where you’re going after Arenal. You can go to Monteverde going around the lake or if you’re going to Guanacaste, it’d go through Tilaran and Canas.
Wes Perrey says
Do pot holes require a SUV 4×4 in the dry season?
If all but 6 miles is unpaved gravel would a SUV 2 wheel drive work as well on that condition?
Sammi says
You can get something like a Hyudndai Creta or RAV4 4×2 for dry season, keep in mind that these roads are also quite steep so it’s not just pot holes.
Benny Marcel says
Dan you recommend the best rout from. Monteverdi to Play Conchal Westin on the coast? We will have a 4×4
Thanks so much in advance
Sammi says
Hi Benny! Las Juntas 145 is closest from Guanacaste and you can perfectly go to Monteverde via that route.
Benny Marcel says
thanks! should i take 1 and go north thru Liberia or follow 18/21 west?
Thanks. this is an awesome site by the way!
Sammi says
You can see in this post the map via Las Juntas (Route 145) and use Google Maps to find your route from Westin Conchal, it’s a very common route.
Tony Cimino says
Hi, is route 606 out of Santa Elena still unpaved for 11 miles or so? We’re headed towards Puntarenas in the morning and want to take the smoothest route, even if it’s longer than the gravel section. We have a 4×4 but I hate driving these roads!
Sammi says
Hi Tony, 606 is not done yet so still the same condition, I’d go with Route 145, it has more concrete sections than 606.
MIke says
We are thinking about doing a coffee tour near Monteverde and will be driving from an Airbnb near Tilaran. We have a Midsize SUV rented from Adobe (Hyundai Creta 4 x 2). We are arriving next week. What is the best way to get to Monteverde from Tilaran?
Thanks.
Sammi says
Hi Mike, you can follow the route here: https://goo.gl/maps/B6DfTPcxRf82 through Route 145
Cinda says
Thanks for this blog. I’m trying to think through the transportation options for four for early next July. If we fly into/out of Liberia, would it make sense to rent a car for 3 nights to drive to the Arenal area and then take the taxi boat for an overnight from the Arenal area to Monteverde? Then take the taxi boat back to our rental car to drive to our beach hotel for five nights afterwards? Since that will be the rainy season, based upon the road conditions around Monteverde, just wondering if that would be a better option than driving there from Arenal? Would it be safe to leave our rental car overnight? Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Cinda, you can technically do that but there aren’t any public parking places at the lake and the taxi-boat includes transportation from your hotel. You will need to talk to your hotel to see if you can leave the car for a nigh or however long you’re staying in Monteverde, most hotels do for a small fee.
Helen Canty says
Hi, we are going to be driving from La Fortuna to La Pavona to get the boat to Tortuguero in mid December. Can you please advise on the best route to take and how long the drive will take.
Many thanks
Helen
Sammi says
Hi Helen, you can check this post for more information: How to get to Tortuguero
Alex says
Hi Sammi – great site and thank you for all the info! We followed suit and rented a car for our trip next week. We will be coming to Monteverde from La Fortuna and I seem to have that route down but wanted to see the best route from Monteverde to Jaco with 606 still under construction. Can we take 606 to 605 in Guacimal and then jump on Hwy 1 to Jaco? Or is the 606 construction going to prevent us from doing that? Thank you!!
Sammi says
Hi Alex, the best route is to go via Las Juntas 145. Route 606 is closed all the way through (it’s only open for half an hour like 3 times a day) so to avoid any obstacles or delays, you should leave Monteverde via Las Juntas.
Glenda N Belnap says
I am planning an early December 2018 trip to Costa Rica. We will be traveling in a rented 4 x 4 from Monteverde to Tamarindo. Is route 606 open yet? What is the status. We will also be driving from La Fortuna to Monteverde. Is 142 to Tileran and then 145 to Santa Elena still the best route that time of year.
Sammi says
Hi Glenda, Route 606 isn’t supposed to be done until 2019 or even 2020… the construction is going fairly slow and they don’t project it to be done anytime soon. The best route will be Route 145 Las Juntas.
Glenda N Belnap says
I am still confused…Sorry. So when leaving Monteverde take 145 to Las Juntas and then 18 to 21 and then on to Tamarindo. Or is it better to go to Liberia from Las Juntas on Hwy 1.
Sammi says
From Monteverde, go on 145 Las Juntas towards the 1, then onto 18 towards the Taiwan Friendship Bridge, then towards Nicoya after the bridge.
Sammi says
Hi Sandy, there is not too much on this route but you can stop by the Taiwan Friendship Bridge which is nice quick stop. There isn’t too much on this route and once you start going up the mountain towards Monteverde, there are some very nice view points along the way. If you hired a private driver, usually they will stop at nice view points. For lunch, a lot of people stop at Tres Hermanas, it is a restaurant about halfway from Tamarindo to Monteverde. There is also a nice little cafe across the street that has Scarlet Macaws.
When you’re in La Fortuna, you don’t need a 4×4. The roads in La Fortuna are all well paved and a sedan will be perfectly fine.
Sandy H says
Hi, we will be traveling from Tamarindo to Monteverde with a driver. Is there a good place to stop for lunch along the way, or something we should see? We also will be renting a car through your link for a few days when we are in La Fortuna. Do you recommend a 4×4?
Angela says
Hi–just saw your update to Route 606 to Monteverde: Route 606 to Monteverde is currently under construction as of March 2018 and only open certain hours a day. It is open from 10 AM to 1030AM, 1230 PM to 1PM, 3 PM to 3:15 PM and 5 PM to 7 AM. It is recommended to take Las Juntas, Route 145 which is open. Read about Las Juntas in the post below.
Is this impacting tours traveling to that area? We plan to rent a car but don’t want to be stuck in traffic trying to get to Monteverde….should we forgo it this trip?
Sammi says
Hi Angela, there may be a little bit more traffic in Las Juntas since that will be the route early everyone is going to take now but since it’s a long route and not that many people drive to Monteverde, you won’t be in bumper to bumper traffic. You may run into a slow truck and other cars but it’s not like you will be sitting in traffic for hours since that route is completely open whereas the Route 606 will be closed most of the day (and they are changing closing times according to their progress).
Rebecca D'Elena says
We are planning on going in July to Monteverde, but are wondering if we should reconsider, as we are heading to Santa Teresa after, the 145 route seems to add a lot of time to travel to Monteverde. Any status updates on 606?
Sammi says
Hi Rebecca, I am not exactly sure when the 606 will be done but I recommend checking the Monteverde Facebook page for updates. The 145 does add a bit of time from Puntarenas but it’s not a huge difference so if 606 isn’t open yet, you can still take 145. 145 actually has mostly concrete roads but it is fairly curvy and narrow so you do have to go slow. But it’s not like a 5 hour difference between the two from Puntarenas, it may be like an extra hour or so so that is still an option if the 606 isn’t open all the way yet.
Judith says
Were planning to rent through Adobe as you suggest for about 12 days and wonder if we need an SUV from San Jose, to Liberia, Hermosa, Playa Coyote and return to San Jose? Im used to driving in the mountains in BC, Canada, so not a city dweller. Any help would be great before i book, travel dates: Nov 1-13,
Sammi says
Hi Judith, you won’t need a 4×4. Playa COyote might have a couple unpaved roads but the main road down to Samara is paved as well as San Jose to Liberia. I wrote a post about road conditions with pics/videos you can check out for more info: Costa Rica road conditions.
Ilya says
Hi!
Thank you for a lot of great info, spent so much time going through the website getting ready for the first to Costa Rica.
For the trip from Liberia to Monteverde, do you think Hyundai Creta 4×2 will have enough clearance, there will be 2 adults and young teenager, but very lightly packed? Expected travel very early August
Thanks in advance
Sammi says
Hi Ilya! The Hyundai Creta should be OK – just go slow. That car isn’t a 4×4 but should be high enough lightly packed, you’ll just need to go slow and drive careful up the hills and around the pot holes which do get bigger in rainy season.