If you’re renting a car in Costa Rica, then you absolutely have to research how the road conditions are for where you are going in Costa Rica so that you rent the appropriate vehicle. In this post, we will share how the road conditions are for popular destinations in Costa Rica.
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Costa Rica Road Conditions: Popular Routes and Destinations
Arenal and La Fortuna
When it comes to Costa Rica road conditions, the roads to La Fortuna are fairly good from both international airports. Then the roads in and around La Fortuna are paved, as well as roads to popular attractions such as La Fortuna Waterfall and Mistico Hanging Bridges.
There are some unpaved roads in the area such as the road to the Arenal Volcano National Park Peninsula sector but it is not horrible. Majority of hotels have paved roads.
Therefore, a 4×4 is not necessary to go to La Fortuna.
San Jose to Arenal (3-3.5 hours)
The route from San Jose to Arenal is in good shape. It gets a bit windy and curvy after San Ramon so go slow, but you won’t run into bumpy roads or need a 4×4. You can see what the drive from San Jose to La Fortuna is like here.
Liberia to Arenal (3 hours)
Liberia to Arenal is also in good shape. You go on the InterAmericana highway 1 for a little bit from Liberia to Canas and then you will pass through Tilaran and around Nuevo Arenal. It’s a beautiful route and does get very curvy around the lake. There may be some big potholes once you get around the lake so watch out.
We have a video of us driving from Tamarindo to La Fortuna you can watch here:
Arenal to Monteverde (3 hours)
You can also drive from Arenal to Monteverde. You can go through Tilaran or get back on Highway 1. This is an unpaved road for most of it but has gorgeous views. A high clearance car is recommended.
Monteverde
Monteverde is one of the destinations in Costa Rica where it is highly recommended to have a high car and is necessary in rainy season. As a small mountain village up in the cloud forest, the road infrastructure is still rural.
There are two main routes going to Monteverde, Route 145 (Las Juntas) and Route 606 (Sardinal), both of which are mostly asphalted/concrete. However, it can be slippery when wet and very curvy. The one main road through downtown Santa Elena is paved, but outside the town center, the roads are mostly unpaved.
Read our detailed post about Monteverde road conditions for more information.
If driving from San Jose, take Route 606. If driving from Guanacaste, take Route 145. It takes about 3.5 hours both ways depending on how fast you drive. Due to the nature of the road, please drive slowly and carefully as the road goes up a mountain with no guard rails.
Additionally, we do not recommend to drive to Monteverde in the dark (it gets dark by 6 PM everyday in Costa Rica).
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Puerto Viejo has fairly good roads in town. The main road that goes along the beaches from town is paved (Route 256).
A 4×4 is not required for Puerto Viejo or Cahuita, nor is it required to get from San Jose to Puerto Viejo.
Costa Ballena (Dominical, Uvita, Ojochal)
For the Costa Ballena in the South Pacific, it is highly recommended to have a 4×4. The main highway, Route 34 is fully paved as well as the roads into the town centers of Uvita and Dominical, outside those areas, roads are not.
Specifically, the roads going up into the mountains are unpaved and steep and the roads in and around Ojochal are not fully paved either.
If your hotel is up in the mountains of Dominical, Uvita or Ojochal, definitely get a 4×4. Many of those hotels like Manoas require a 4×4. Some restaurants like Jolly Roger also require a 4×4 so if you plan to explore the area, you must rent a 4×4.
However, if you plan to stay only in the town center and not explore, then a 4wd is not necessary as the main road is paved.
There are two ways to get from San Jose to the Costa Ballena area.
San Jose to Costa Ballena via Interamericanca 1 and Costanera Sur (~3 hours)
This route is goes part of the time on the highway which is well paved and then onto the Costanera Sur, which is a very well paved road. It is super easy to drive since there aren’t a lot of cars and it has nicely painted lines.
San Jose to Costa Ballena via Cerro de la Muerte (~3.5 hours)
Route 2, or locally known as Cerro de la Muerte is the route from Cartago down past San Isidro de Perez Zeledon, Platanillo and ends up in Dominical. It’s fully paved but super curvy and gets incredibly foggy near San Gerardo de Dota (hence the name which means hill of death).
It’s more straightforward to go through the Costanera Sur and you can drive a lot faster on it since it’s just a straight road instead of tons of curves.
Central Valley (Alajuela, San Jose, Heredia, Cartago and other small cities like Grecia, San Ramon)
Since the Central Valley is the main known as the greater metropolitan area of Costa Rica, roads are paved. There are pot holes here and there but for the most part, all paved. Most of the city Costa Ricans drive small compact cars so you don’t need a big car if you’ll be going around these areas.
Some hotels in the mountains outside the cities may have unpaved roads but most of them are not too bad. I would check with the hotel just in case if yours is out in the hills.
Manuel Antonio
The roads around Manuel Antonio are paved and in good shape. There is a pretty steep hill going from Quepos to Manuel Antonio National Park but it is paved so you won’t need a 4×4, you can drive a sedan.
This route is the same as it is down to the Costa Ballena since Manuel Antonio is on the way, driving mostly on Route 34 down south.
There are some attractions outside Manuel Antonio that do require a 4wd like Kids Saving the Rainforest, so in case you plan to explore, then rent a 4wd.
San Jose to Manuel Antonio (3 hours)
Depending on how traffic is getting out of San Jose, this will take roughly 3 hours.
Liberia to Manuel Antonio (4.5 hours)
Paved road. You’ll get onto the Interamericana highway like you’re going to San Jose and then exit at the same exit on the highway to Jaco.
Tamarindo to Manuel Antonio (5 hours)
The best route from Tamarindo to Manuel Antonio is via Route 21, Route 18 (Friendship Bridge), Route 1 and Route 34. All paved roads.
If Manuel Antonio is the only destination you’re going to, or Jaco + Manuel Antonio from San Jose, you can rent a sedan for your whole trip.
Jaco
Jaco beach town has one of the nicest roads with painted lines and parking lines! Make sure to pay attention to the parking signs because the police does give parking tickets in Jaco.
San Jose to Jaco (1.5 hours)
Route goes onto the highway, past Tarcoles bridge and to Jaco. Great well paved road.
Liberia to Jaco (~3 hours)
Same route as Liberia to Manuel Antonio as Jaco is just 1 hour north of Manuel Antonio.
Tamarindo to Jaco (4.5 hours)
Same as the route from Tamarindo to Manuel Antonio.
So if you’re only visiting Jaco from either San Jose or Liberia, you can rent a sedan.
Osa Peninsula
As a very remote destination in Costa Rica, a 4wd/4×4 is absolutely necessary for the Osa Peninsula. The main road down to the Osa Peninsula from the east side (Puerto Jimenez) is all paved but that’s it, it ends in town.
Puerto Jimenez
The main road to Puerto Jimenez is very nicely paved since it goes from the Costanera Sur, past Palmar and all the way down south but it ends once you get to town.
Carate/Matapalo
The road to Carate/Matapalo is extremely bumpy and has a ton of holes. If you’re going all the way to Carate, make sure you check tides because there’s a couple of rivers and in rainy season, they get very full. You can only pass in low tide.
Drake Bay
The road to Drake Bay is one of the worst in Costa Rica and it is not recommended to drive to Drake Bay. You can drive in dry season only in 4×4 and in rainy season, it is not recommended at all.
To get to Drake Bay, the best way is to take a domestic flight or take the boat from Sierpe to Drake Bay.
Tamarindo
The road to Tamarindo is a paved main road. You don’t need a 4×4 and can rent a sedan if you’re only staying in Tamarindo or the area.
If you plan to visit other beach towns around like Playa Conchal, Brasilito, Potrero or Flamingo, a sedan is fine. If you plan to visit some more remote beaches such as Playa Mina, Playa Real, Playa Negra, Playa Junquillal, Playa San Juanillo or further, a high clearance car will be required.
Liberia to Tamarindo (1 hour)
All on a well paved road.
San Jose to Tamarindo (5 hours)
This route is all paved and goes mostly on the highway.
Ostional
From Liberia to Ostional Wildlife Refuge, it is about a 2.5 hour drive via Route 21 and Route 160. From Tamarindo, we take Route 160 going down the coast.
We recommend getting a SUV to go to Ostional as that road is extremely bumpy being unpaved with lots of potholes. There are some steep hills and there is one main river before you reach Ostional. Although this river does have a small bridge, sometimes it is under construction or out of commission due to weather conditions since it is not in great shape.
If you are visiting in peak rainy season months like September, October and November, check the Ostional Guide Association Facebook page for updates on this bridge status.
You can watch the video below (the one for Nosara) to see how the road is to Ostional and the river.
Samara
Samara has paved roads and doesn’t require a 4×4. A section is unpaved but it is nothing bad and can be driven to with a sedan. Make sure you take the route through Nicoya when driving from Liberia as it’s all paved (Route 21 and Route 150).
Nosara
A 4×4/4wd is required for Nosara. You can drive down along the coast via Route 160 and this road is unpaved nearly all the way through. You have to cross two rivers to get to Nosara. You can watch our video of driving from Tamarindo to Nosara below (Mid April).
In the rainiest months of the year, the rivers can overflow so be extremely careful and ask how conditions are if you’re visiting September to December.
Santa Teresa/Mal Pais/Montezuma
From San Jose, the best route is to take the Puntarenas ferry to Paquera. That route is completely paved and the road from the Paquera ferry to Montezuma is paved.
Beyond Montezuma starting at Cabuyal towards Mal Pais and Santa Teresa, the road is not paved at all. For Santa Teresa and Mal Pais, it is recommended to have a 4wd/4×4.
If you are coming from Liberia, make sure to take paved road around the Nicoya Peninsula (route 21 past Paquera). There is no coastal road connecting Liberia to Santa Teresa completely.
Turrialba
4×4 highly recommended the last section of the road towards Turrialba Volcano National Park is not paved and goes up the mountains. The road to Turrialba is paved.
Playas del Coco/Hermosa/Ocotal/Panama
The Gulf of Papagayo including Playas del Coco are easily accessible and on a good road. The road to other beaches like Hermosa, Panama and Ocotal is also on a good road. A 4×4 is not necessary for the Riu Guanacaste Resort.
Rio Celeste (Tenorio Volcano National Park and Bijagua)
The road to Tenorio Volcano National Park where Rio Celeste is is paved/concrete. It is not necessary to have a 4wd in the dry season, however as this area tends to rain more and the road to the park is narrow and can get slippery when wet, we still recommend a 4wd or car with high clearance.
The roads in Bijagua, the main town near the national park are not paved – only the main one through town.
Irazu Volcano National Park
You can drive a sedan up to Irazu Volcano National Park from San Jose, the road is all paved. It is a bit curvy as you’re going high up into the mountains of Cartago.
Poas Volcano National Park
The road up to Poas Volcano National Park is completely paved but narrow and curvy. Drive slowly!
La Paz Waterfall Gardens and Peace Lodge
The road to Peace Lodge and La Paz Waterfall Gardens is completely paved but is narrow, curvy and windy. Make sure to drive slowly, especially in rainy season. Do not ride your brakes when coming down this hill, you may burn them out.
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Now you know what the road conditions in Costa Rica are like for popular destinations. Don’t forget to get our Costa Rica car rental discount with our extra benefits in this link to save some money!
Read other Costa Rica travel tips below!
Costa Rica ultimate survival guide
Tips for driving in Costa Rica
Andre Wells says
Can you provide any information on how the drive is from Playa Flamingo to Rincon De La Vieja? We will be recalling early August.
Sammi says
If you’re going to the Las Pailas sector, it is majority paved until the last bit of the road up to the park entrance but it is not bad, it is a straightforward drive, a bit curvy when you turn into Rincon de la Vieja from the Interamericana highway 1 though so take note if you get car sick
Yvette says
Hi !I appreciate people like yourself who give this type of information for visitors. We will be going to Costa Rica in two weeks and torn between needing a 4×4 or not. We will be flying into SJO and heading to la fortuna then from la fortuna we will be going to tamarindo. Do you think we will be fine without a 4×4?
Sammi says
4×4 not required on the routes to get there – i would just check with the hotels you’re staying at and where you plan to visit in case those places require a 4wd. Right now in dry season, a car with high clearance is better but if you’re staying on the main roads and not going off exploring really, a sedan is fine.
Teresa says
Is driving from Liberia to San Jose airport safe at 3am?
Sammi says
You could do it as there won’t be any traffic or congestion but make sure you are very alert and get a local phone number in case of emergencies Do note nothing will be open (no supermarkets, no restaurants, etc. etc.) but gas stations are normally 24/7 here. Do also note this is a 4 hour drive so it’s very long, we recommend to stay in Liberia close by the airport when you land and then leave the next day after a good nights sleep.
Melissa says
Hello! We are flying into Liberia, going to La Fortuna and then to Westin Playa Conchal and back to Liberia…will a sedan be ok for all of these roads? Thank you!
Sammi says
Yes but check your hotels in Liberia and La Fortuna to make sure they don’t require another type of car
Leo says
Hi
Great blog.
We are planning to go from Monteverde to Puerto Viejo and we’re wondering what the best route would be.
We went from La Fortuna to Monteverde and it was very very windy and of course bumps and potholes up to Monteverde.
Thanks
Sammi says
Here is the Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/vh86a2ZJnyXoPttt9
It’s a long drive so I’d definitely stay somewhere halfway in between
Dave Stamboulis says
Hi guys, great informative blog. Can you update on Santa Teresa/Montezuma. I’ve been told that the road to Santa Teresa is now completely paved. I’m assuming if you are in Montezuma you have to go back up 624 to Cobano and then down one of those roads to Santa Teresa?
Sammi says
The main road to Santa Teresa is paved, but most of the roads in town are not, there is just a short section that is paved and rest is unpaved.
Kali says
First, this is a great blog. I appreciate all the work that has gone into it. It’s very informative. I’ve read through many of your packing/driving tips and watched many of the videos.
We’ll be renting a 4×4 and from LIR will be driving to Bijagua then onto Santa Elena in late November. It looks like from Bijagua to Santa Elena we have a few routes to choose from. We would like to take the smoothest and safest route, what roads would you suggest we take? We plan to leave early in the AM to allow plenty of driving time.
Following Santa Elena we will be driving to Samara is there a particular route you would recommend, that again is the “smoothest”. I’m traveling with family of all ages and between the young and old I’d like to give them as smooth and least hairpin turns as possible (if that exists).
I’m assuming it might take up to 4 hours to go from Bijagua to Santa Elena and then when leaving Santa Elena another 4 hours to reach Samara?
Sammi says
From Bijagua to Monteverde, you can go back down on the InterAmericana highway 1 and then take Route 145. Then Monteverde to Samara, go back down on Route 142 and then take Route 18 to Nicoya and then go to Samara
Cynthia Williford Bean says
Hi! We’re coming in October and will be driving from the San Jose airport to La Fortuna, from La Fortuna to Tamarindo, then from Tamarindo back to the San Jose airport. Would we be okay to rent a sedan or do we need a 4×4?
Sammi says
All those routes are paved so a sedan is fine but just make sure to ask your hotels if they require a 4×4 or 4wd.
Kendra says
Would a Sedan be fine from Samara to La Fortuna?
Sammi says
Yes, just make sure to take the route through Nicoya and stay on the main route 150
Charlotte says
Hi! Suggestions on route/type of car we should rent for a trip from Santa Teresa to La Fortuna?
Thank you in advance, you guys are awesome:)
Sammi says
A 4×4/4wd if in rainy season. If in dry season, something with high clearance like a Hyundai Creta works.
Jared Norwood says
Hello, my itinerary is San Jose- Arenal-jaco- Manuel Antonio
I see most of this covered above, but not the Arenal- jaco part. Is a 4wd needed?
Sammi says
The route goes through a highway and main roads so it’s paved, 4×4 not necessary (but make sure to check your lodging in case they do)
Brittany says
Hello,
Any information on a route from Puerto Viejo to La Fortuna?
Thanks!
Sammi says
It’s a long drive but you can take the Route 32 to Route 4 if you’re going from Puerto Viejo de Talamanca in Limon.
Mike Rossi says
Thanks for the detailed info! We’re coming for two weeks at the end of July, and it seems the only place we’re visiting that you recommend a 4×4 is when we go to Monteverde. During that time of the year, is there any way to get to Monteverde in a larger sized sedan? Besides a 4×4 costing me $200+ over the two weeks, I like the idea of having a trunk that locks and takes our belongings out of view if we’re traveling between spots and can’t drop our bags at our new place we’re staying. Your blog is wonderful so thanks again for all of the great info!
Sammi says
Hi Mike, July is during our rainy season and Monteverde tends to rain more so a 4wd is highly recommended for rainy season in Monteverde. (A sedan, whether it’s a big or small sedan is not 4wd)
Gaby says
Hi Sammi and Yeison.
Your blog is out of this world! Thank you for all your time and effort you put into it.
I do have a question about the road conditions. I have been reading on Facebook and the news say that Ruta 160 is destroyed by the recent rainfalls and wanted to check out with you guys that are there (in Costa Rica). What parts of the road are affected? Should I just avoid the whole mid/south Nicoya Peninsula or is it safe to drive around? Plans were to visit a lot of stuff in between Tamarindo and Montezuma but now I don’t know because of this Thanks!!!
yeison says
Hello Gaby,
Thank you for the nice comments about the blog 🙂
The route 160 always has problems during the rainy season, this route is mostly a gravel road and you will have to cross a 2 or 3 rivers that 11 months of the years are perfectly fine to cross, however when the area gets a lot of rain, rivers get high and cars can’t cross the river. Just last week the river that you need to cross to get to Ostional got super high and people had to wait for river to get lower.
If you are planning to come during the dry season you will be fine, local governments always fix the “roads” after the heavy part of the rainy season.
My recommendation is to always check the day before you come or you drive this route things here changes very quicky one day the road can be perfectly fine and then the next day you can’t use it (especially during heavy rains), you can also use the paved roads that connect those areas, for example, if you are planning to go to Nosara and you heard that the 160 is not in good shape you can use the route 21 to Nicoya then the 150 to Samara and the section from Samara to Nosara is usually in good conditions even in the rainy season, same with Montezuma you can take the 21 and go all the way down (public buses use the #21).
Thank you again for reading our blog!
sian says
Thank you so much for your amazing blog!! So so grateful for all the information! What is it like to drive from La Fortuna to Monteverde? Also if we are driving to Sierpe to get the boat to Drakes bay will we still need a 4×4?
Sammi says
Hi Sian, the drive from Fortuna to Monteverde is on an unpaved road. It takes around 3 hours or so.
You will need the high car to get out of Monteverde, once you get onto the highway, it is a paved main road down to Sierpe. It gets unpaved for a little bit on the road to Siepe when you turn off the highway but it is not bad.
Gloria Barber says
we will be driving from Liberia Airport to El Castillo next March, 2020. what vehicle do you recommend and how long is the drive? Absolute excellent blog site!
Sammi says
Depending on how many people you have, the road from La Fortuna to El castillo is mostly gravel but it is not bad and doesn’t require a high car or 4×4. It’s about 3.5 – 4 hours from Liberia Airport.
Amie says
Thank you for this great blog! We are staying in Dominical up in a mountain house. Do we need a 6v or 8v, or is a standard 4×4 (4 cylinder) okay? We are going in July.
Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Amie! That depends on how steep/muddy the road is, I would recommend to ask your host because in that area, they do have some pretty steep roads and can get very muddy in rainy season (and that area tends to rain a bit). Generally a 4 cylinder is fine but it is hard to say for sure without seeing the road so I would check with your host.
Laura says
Hi, I’m headed from LA Fortuna to the ferry parking at tortuguera at the end of August and from there down the coast to Puerto Viejo. I don’t see anything specific to that route and wanted to be sure I don’t need a 4×4 or anything other than a regular sedan for those roads? Thank you!
Sammi says
There is a part of the road to la Pavona parking lot to Tortuguero is unpaved but it is not bad and from Puerto Viejo to La Fortuna it is on a major road so a sedan should be fine.
Cristina Flippen says
Can we get by with a sedan from the SJO airport to Villa Blanca in the Cloud Forest , from Villa Blanca to Hotel San Bada, from Hotel San Bada to Villas Sol in Playa Hermosa, from Villas Sol to Los Lagos in th Arenal area and from Los Lagos to the Bambú area of San Jose?
Sammi says
Hi Cristina, I’m not sure where Villa Blanca is but if it’s in Monteverde, then you need to have a high car. The roads in and around Monteverde are in unpaved, potholey and very hilly since it’s up in the mountains and a high car is required.
David says
Hi, I have a question. Can I get by with a regular sedan in Montezuma? Is it that bad?
Sammi says
Hi David, you can technically get by with a sedan to Montezuma, depending on where you’re coming from and where you’re going afterwards. The road from Paquera if you take the ferry is unpaved but not too horrible but the road from Montezuma to Mal Pais through Cabuya is pretty rough and we definitely recommend a high car. You can get by with a sedan if you go super super slow but you may damage the bottom since it’s so low so if you get a sedan, I’d recommend purchasing full insurance since there is a huge chance to hit the bumper or damage the bottom.
Brady and Shelly says
Great list of road! We drove the Osa Peninsula in our 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4×4 and couldn’t have done it without it. We had to cross 7 rivers to get to San Josecito, and one of them was quite deep (up to the top of the hood) and we barely made it across. So, keep that in mind if you think you can just take any car off-road here, you won’t make it far.
Sammi says
Oh wow I bet it was even crazier back in 1998! We went in July last year and the rivers thankfully weren’t that high though we did time it so we drove in low tide. But yes, definitely – you won’t make it far and it won’t be a very pleasant drive!