Last updated on July 19th, 2021 at 02:53 pm EST

Why predetermining drive distance and duration in Costa Rica matters

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Costa Rica’s diminutive size can be deceiving. Though tiny, you’ll find no shortage of mountains, volcanoes, rivers, valleys, canyons, and cliffside communities here, plus plenty more obstacles for roads and highways to weave around. Rarely are drives conducted on straightaways, which means destinations that appear close to one another on a map may actually be tens or hundreds of kilometers apart (note that Costa Rica uses the metric system). For this reason, trips almost always take longer than you’d expect them to, and that’s not even factoring in potential delays caused by rough road conditions, poor weather, protests or celebratory parades, road construction, and other time-consuming encounters.

While you may not be able to narrow down exact arrival times, it’s important to obtain an approximate duration for each route you intend to travel while in Costa Rica. This information will help you best prepare for your trip. Knowing roughly how many kilometers and how much time separate the destinations you intend to visit can help you determine the following:

• When you’ll likely need to stop for gasoline
• When you’ll likely need to stop to stretch or use the bathroom
• When you may need to stop to eat food along a route (assuming you drive over the lunch hour or the dinner hour)
• The latest time of day that you should set out on any route in order to ensure you arrive at a destination before dark (6pm; driving after this time is not recommended)
• Plans for hotel check-ins and check-outs
• Whether you’ll have enough time in the morning (before setting out on a route) or in the afternoon (after completing a route) to participate in a tour or activity

Important notes about our approximate travel times

The average drive times listed below are estimates based on our own travels around Costa Rica. This being said, the duration of Costa Rica routes can be influenced by many factors, so it’s best to assume that your driving experience may be different than ours.

For routes cited below to take less than an hour, give yourself an extra 15 minutes when scheduling your trip. For example, if we suggest that a route takes 45 minutes to drive, assume you’ll arrive at your destination in no less than 30 minutes but likely no more than 1 hour. For routes that take between 1-3 hours to drive, give yourself an extra 30 minutes of buffer time, and for routes that take more than 3 hours to drive, extend that window to 45 minutes to 1 hour.

The average drive times listed below are for travel via direct (non-collective) ground transportation, ideally routes driven in a rental car. Routes traveled via shared shuttle service, private transfer service, and public transportation (i.e., local buses) may take more or less time than our approximations. Domestic flights, which are an alternative form of domestic travel in Costa Rica (see our related blog post Costa Rica Transportation: 12 Ways To Get Around Costa Rica for more transportation options), may also take more or less time than our approximations.

Note that each list below begins with “San Jose”–Costa Rica’s capital city. Following San Jose, destinations are listed in alphabetical order.

Highway help

If you’re interested in learning about the highways mentioned in our charts, including highway conditions, traffic, tolls, river crossings, 4×4-vehicle requirements, and more, please see the links directly below. Note that clicking on one of the highway links below will open our related blog post Costa Rica Highway Conditions By Route in a new window.

Highway 1 / Highway 2 / Highway 3 / Highway 4 / Highway 6 / Highway 10 / Highway 14 / Highway 17 / Highway 18 / Highway 21 / Highway 27 / Highway 32 / Highway 34 / Highway 36 / Highway 39

Driving from San Jose (capital city)

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
Alajuela	Highway 1	20 kilometers	30 minutes
Atenas	Highway 27; Highway 1 and Highway 3	40 kilometers	40 minutes
Cahuita	Highway 32 and Highway 36	200 kilometers	3 hours and 45 minutes
Cartago	Highway 2 and Highway 10	25 kilometers	40 minutes
Coco (Playas del Coco)	Highway 1, Highway 21, and Road 151	245 kilometers	4 hours
Dominical	Highway 27 and Highway 34 *This coastal route avoids driving over Cerro de la Muerte	210 kilometers	3 hours
Dominical	Highway 2 and Road 243 *This mountain route requires driving over Cerro de la Muerte	170 kilometers	3.5 hours
Flamingo (Playa Flamingo)	Highway 1, Highway 18, Highway 21, Road 155, and Road 180	285 kilometers	4.5 hours
Golfito	Highway 27, Highway 34, Highway 2, and Highway 14 *This coastal route avoids driving over Cerro de la Muerte	345 kilometers	5 hours
Golfito	Highway 2, Road 243, Highway 34, Highway 2 (again), and Highway 14 *This mountain route requires driving over Cerro de la Muerte	305 kilometers	6 hours
Grande (Playa Grande)	Highway 1, Highway 18, Highway 21, Road 160, Road 155/152, and Road 933	275 kilometers	4.5 hours
Hermosa (Playa Hermosa)	Highway 1, Highway 21, Road 254, and Road 159	240 kilometers	4 hours
Jaco	Highway 27 and Highway 34	100 kilometers	2 hours
La Fortuna / Arenal	Highway 1 and Road 702 (through San Ramon)	130 kilometers	3 hours
La Fortuna / Arenal	Highway 1 and Road 141 (through Ciudad Quesada)	140 kilometers	3.5 hours
Liberia	Highway 1	220 kilometers	3.5 hours
Limon	Highway 32	160 kilometers	3 hours
Manuel Antonio / Quepos	Highway 27, Highway 34, and Road 235	170 kilometers	3 hours
Manzanillo	Road 256, Highway 36, and Highway 32	230 kilometers	4 hours and 20 minutes
Monteverde / Santa Elena	Highway 1 and Road 606	150 kilometers	3 hours
Montezuma	Highway 1, Highway 23, Highway 17, ferry ride across the Nicoya Gulf, the Nicoya Peninsula coastal road, and Road 624 *This route requires a ferry ride	140 kilometers (excluding distance traveled by ferry)	4 hours (excluding the 1-hour ferry ride across the Nicoya Gulf and additional ferry loading/unloading time)
Montezuma	Highway 1, Highway 18, Highway 21, the Nicoya Peninsula coastal road, and Road 624 *This route avoids a ferry ride	310 kilometers	5.5 hours
Nosara	Highway 1, Highway 18, Road 150, and Road 160	260 kilometers	4.5 hours
Papagayo Peninsula	Highway 1, Highway 21, and Road 253	240-255 kilometers	4-4.5 hours
Puerto Jimenez	Highway 27, Highway 34, Highway 2, and Road 245 *This coastal route avoids driving over Cerro de la Muerte	375 kilometers	5.5 hours
Puerto Jimenez	Highway 2, Road 243, Highway 34, Highway 2 (again), and Road 245 *This mountain route requires driving over Cerro de la Muerte	335 kilometers	6 hours
Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui / Sarapiqui	Highway 32 and Highway 4	85 kilometers	1 hour and 45 minutes
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca / Puerto Viejo	Highway 32, Highway 36, and Road 256	215 kilometers	4 hours
Puntarenas	Highway 1, Highway 23, and Highway 17	100 kilometers	2 hours
Samara	Highway 1, Highway 18, Highway 21, and Road 150	240 kilometers	4 hours
San Gerardo de Dota	Highway 2 and Calle San Gerardo	85 kilometers	2 hours
San Isidro de El General	Highway 2	135 kilometers	3 hours
San Ramon	Highway 1	60 kilometers	1 hour
Santa Teresa / Malpais	Highway 1, Highway 23, Highway 17, the Nicoya Peninsula coastal road, ferry ride across the Nicoya Gulf, and the unnamed principal access road *This route requires a ferry ride	145 kilometers (excluding distance traveled by ferry)	4.5 hours (excluding the 1-hour ferry ride across the Nicoya Gulf and additional ferry loading/unloading time)
Santa Teresa / Malpais	Highway 1, Highway 18, Highway 21, the Nicoya Peninsula coastal road, and the unnamed principal access road *This route avoids a ferry ride	315 kilometers	6 hours
Siquirres (Pacuare River rafting tours)	Highway 32	100 kilometers	2 hours
Tamarindo	Highway 1, Highway 18, Highway 21, Road 160, Road 152, and Avenida de las Palmas	290 kilometers	4.5 hours
Tambor	Highway 1, Highway 23, Highway 17, ferry ride across the Nicoya Gulf, and the Nicoya Peninsula coastal road *This route requires a ferry ride	120 kilometers (excluding distance traveled by ferry)	3.5 hours (excluding the 1-hour ferry ride across the Nicoya Gulf and additional ferry loading/unloading time)
Tambor	Highway 1, Highway 18, Highway 21, and the Nicoya Peninsula coastal road *This route avoids a ferry ride	290 kilometers	5 hours
Tortuguero	Highway 32, Road 806, and boat ride through canals from the dock at Cano Blanco *This route requires a boat ride	135 kilometers (excluding distance traveled by boat from the dock at Cano Blanco to Tortuguero Village)	3 hours (excluding the 75-minute boat through the canals and additional boat loading/unloading time)
Turrialba	Highway 2, Road 219, Road 230, and Highway 10	60 kilometers	1.5 hours
Uvita

Driving from Alajuela

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Highway 1	20 kilometers	30 minutes
Atenas	Highway 1 and Highway 3	25 kilometers	30 minutes
Cartago	Highway 1, Highway 39, Highway 2, and Highway 10	45 kilometers	70 minutes
San Ramon	Highway 1	45 kilometers	45 minutes
Turrialba	Highway 1, Highway 39, Highway 2, Road 219, Road 230, and Highway 10	80 kilometers	2 hours

Driving from Atenas

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Highway 27; Highway 2 and Highway 1	40 kilometers	40 minutes
Alajuela	Highway 3 and Highway 1	25 kilometers	30 minutes
Liberia	Highway 27 and Highway 1	180 kilometers	2.5 hours

Driving from Cahuita

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Highway 36 and Highway 32	200 kilometers	3 hours and 45 minutes
La Fortuna / Arenal	Highway 36, Highway 32, Highway 4, and Road 142	255 kilometers	4.5 hours
Limon	Highway 36	45 kilometers	45 minutes
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca / Puerto Viejo	Highway 36 and Road 256	15 kilometers	15 minutes
Siquirres (Pacuare River rafting tours)	Highway 36 and Highway 32	105 kilometers	1 hour and 45 minutes

Driving from Cartago

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Highway 10 and Highway 2	25 kilometers	40 minutes
Alajuela	Highway 10, Highway 2, Highway 39, and Highway 1	45 kilometers	70 minutes
Liberia	Highway 10, Highway 2, Highway 39, Highway 27, and Highway 1	235 kilometers	3 hours and 40 minutes

Driving from Coco (Playas del Coco)

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Road 151, Highway 21, and Highway 1	245 kilometers	4 hours
Liberia	Road 151 and Highway 21	35 kilometers	40 minutes

Driving from Dominical

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Highway 34 and Highway 27 *This coastal route avoids driving over Cerro de la Muerte	210 kilometers	3 hours
San Jose	Road 243 and Highway 2 *This mountain route requires driving over Cerro de la Muerte	170 kilometers	3.5 hours
Liberia	Highway 34, Highway 27, Highway 23, and Highway 1	295 kilometers	4 hours
Manuel Antonio / Quepos	Highway 34 and Road 235	40 kilometers	30 minutes
Uvita	Highway 34	18 kilometers	15 minutes

Driving from Flamingo (Playa Flamingo)

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Road 180, Road 155, Highway 21, Highway 18, and Highway 1	285 kilometers	4.5 hours
Liberia	Road 180, Road 155, and Highway 21	75 kilometers	75 minutes

Driving from Golfito

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Highway 14, Highway 2, Highway 34, and Highway 27 *This coastal route avoids driving over Cerro de la Muerte	345 kilometers	5 hours
San Jose	Highway 14, Highway 2, Highway 34, Road 243, and Highway 2 (again) *This mountain route requires driving over Cerro de la Muerte	305 kilometers	6 hours
Liberia	Highway 14, Highway 2, Highway 34, Highway 27, Highway 23, and Highway 1	430 kilometers	7 hours

Driving from Grande (Playa Grande)

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Road 933, Road 152/155, Road 160, Highway 21, Highway 18, and Highway 1	275 kilometers	4.5 hours
Liberia	Road 933, Road 155, and Highway 21	75 kilometers	75 minutes
Tamarindo	Road 933, Road 180, Road 155, and Avenida de las Palmas	20 kilometers	30 minutes
Tamarindo	Boat transport across the estuary at Rio Matapalo	N/A	5-15 minutes

Driving from Hermosa (Playa Hermosa)

Playa Hermosa on the northern Pacific / Guanacaste coast (not Playa Hermosa along the central Pacific coast)

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Road 159, Road 254, Highway 21, and Highway 1	240 kilometers	4 hours
Liberia	Road 159, Road 254, and Highway 21	35 kilometers	35 minutes

Driving from Jaco

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Highway 34 and Highway 27	100 kilometers	2 hours
Liberia	Highway 34, Highway 27, and Highway 1	185 kilometers	3 hours

Driving from La Fortuna / Arenal

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Road 702 and Highway 1 (through San Ramon)	130 kilometers	3 hours
San Jose	Road 141 and Highway 1 (through Ciudad Quesada)	140 kilometers	3.5 hours
Cahuita	Road 142, Highway 4, Highway 32, and Highway 36	255 kilometers	4.5 hours
Liberia	Road 142 and Highway 1	135 kilometers	2.5 hours
Limon	Road 142, Highway 4, and Highway 32	215 kilometers	3.5 hours
Manuel Antonio / Quepos	Road 702, Highway 1, Highway 23, Highway 27, Highway 34, and Road 235	245 kilometers	5 hours
Monteverde / Santa Elena	Road 142, Road 145, and Road 606 *This route avoids a boat ride across Lake Arenal	115 kilometers	3.5 hours
Monteverde / Santa Elena	Via combined ground-boat-ground transfer *This route requires a boat ride across Lake Arenal	N/A	3 hours
Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui / Sarapiqui	Road 142 and Highway 4	75 kilometers	75 minutes
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca / Puerto Viejo	Road 142, Highway 4, Highway 32, Highway 36, and Road 256	270 kilometers	5 hours
San Ramon	Road 702	70 kilometers	1 hour and 45 minutes
Siquirres (Pacuare River rafting tours)	Road 142, Highway 4, and Highway 32	155 kilometers	2.5 hours

Driving from Liberia

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Highway 1	220 kilometers	3.5 hours
Atenas	Highway 1 and Highway 27	180 kilometers	2.5 hours
Cartago	Highway 1, Highway 27, Highway 39, Highway 2, and Highway 10	235 kilometers	3 hours and 40 minutes
Coco (Playas del Coco)	Highway 21 and Road 151	35 kilometers	40 minutes
Dominical	Highway 1, Highway 23, Highway 27, and Highway 34	295 kilometers	4 hours
Flamingo (Playa Flamingo)	Highway 21, Road 155, and Road 180	75 kilometers	75 minutes
Golfito	Highway 1, Highway 23, Highway 27, Highway 34, Highway 2, and Highway 14	430 kilometers	7 hours
Hermosa (Playa Hermosa)	Highway 21, Road 254, and Road 159	35 kilometers	35 minutes
Jaco	Highway 1, Highway 27, and Highway 34	185 kilometers	3 hours
La Fortuna / Arenal	Highway 1 and Road 142	135 kilometers	2.5 hours
Manuel Antonio / Quepos	Highway 1, Highway 23, Highway 27, Highway 34, and Road 235	255 kilometers	4 hours
Monteverde / Santa Elena	Highway 1, Road 145, and Road 606	110 kilometers	2 hours
Montezuma	Highway 21, the Nicoya Peninsula coastal road, and Road 624	210 kilometers	4 hours
Nosara	Highway 21, Road 150, and Road 160	135 kilometers	3 hours
Puerto Jimenez	Highway 1, Highway 23, Highway 27, Highway 34, Highway 2, and Road 245	460 kilometers	7 hours
Puntarenas	Highway 1, Highway 23, and Highway 17	130 kilometers	2 hours
San Gerardo de Dota	Highway 1, Highway 23, Highway 27, Highway 2, and Calle San Gerardo	295 kilometers	5.5 hours
San Isidro de El General	Highway 1, Highway 23, Highway 27, Highway 34, and Road 243	325 kilometers	5 hours
Santa Teresa / Malpais	Highway 21, the Nicoya Peninsula coastal road, and the unnamed principal access road	215 kilometers	4.5 hours
Tambor	Highway 21 and the Nicoya Peninsula coastal road	190 kilometers	3.5 hours
Turrialba	Highway 1, Highway 27, Highway 39, Highway 2, Road 219, Road 230, and Highway 10	270 kilometers	5 hours

Driving from Limon

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Highway 32	160 kilometers	3 hours
Cahuita	Highway 36	45 kilometers	45 minutes
La Fortuna / Arenal	Highway 32, Highway 4, and Road 142	215 kilometers	3.5 hours
Manzanillo	Highway 36 and Road 256	75 kilometers	1.5 hours
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca / Puerto Viejo	Highway 36 and Road 256	60 kilometers	1 hour
Siquirres (Pacuare River rafting tours)	Highway 32	60 kilometers	1 hour

Driving from Manuel Antonio / Quepos

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Road 235, Highway 34, Highway 27	170 kilometers	3 hours
Dominical	Road 235 and Highway 34	40 kilometers	30 minutes
Liberia	Road 235, Highway 34, Highway 27, Highway 23, and Highway 1	255 kilometers	4 hours
La Fortuna / Arenal	Road 235, Highway 34, Highway 27, Highway 23, Highway 1, and Road 702	245 kilometers	5 hours
Monteverde	Road 235, Highway 34, Highway 27, Highway 23, Highway 1, and Road 606	190 kilometers	3.5 hours

Driving from Manzanillo

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Road 256, Highway 36, and Highway 32	230 kilometers	4 hours and 20 minutes
Limon	Road 256 and Highway 36	75 kilometers	1.5 hours
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca / Puerto Viejo	Road 256	13 kilometers	20 minutes

Driving from Monteverde / Santa Elena

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Road 606 and Highway 1	150 kilometers	3 hours
La Fortuna / Arenal	Road 606, Road 145, and Road 142 *This route avoids a boat ride across Lake Arenal	115 kilometers	3.5 hours
La Fortuna / Arenal	Via combined ground-boat-ground transfer *This route requires a boat ride across Lake Arenal	N/A	3 hours
Liberia	Road 606, Road 145, and Highway 1	110 kilometers	2 hours
Manuel Antonio / Quepos	Road 606, Highway 1, Highway 23, Highway 27, Highway 34, and Road 235	190 kilometers	3.5 hours

Driving from Montezuma

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Road 624, the Nicoya Peninsula coastal road, ferry ride across the Nicoya Gulf, Highway 17, Highway 23, and Highway 1 *This route requires a ferry ride	140 kilometers (excluding distance traveled by ferry)	4 hours (excluding the 1-hour ferry ride across the Nicoya Gulf and additional ferry loading/unloading time)
San Jose	Road 624, the Nicoya Peninsula coastal road, Highway 21, Highway 18, and Highway 1 *This route avoids a ferry ride	310 kilometers	5.5 hours
Liberia	Road 624, the Nicoya Peninsula coastal road, and Highway 21	210 kilometers	4 hours
Santa Teresa / Malpais	The road to Delicias	15 kilometers	40 minutes

Driving from Nosara

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Road 160, Road 150, Highway 18, and Highway 1	260 kilometers	4.5 hours
Liberia	Road 160, Road 150, and Highway 21	135 kilometers	3 hours
Samara	Road 160	30 kilometers	45-60 minutes

Driving from the Papagayo Peninsula

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Road 253, Highway 21, and Highway 1	240-255 kilometers	4-4.5 hours
Liberia	Road 253 and Highway 21	30-45 kilometers	30-50 minutes

Driving from Puerto Jimenez

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Road 245, Highway 2, Highway 34, and Highway 27 *This coastal route avoids driving over Cerro de la Muerte	375 kilometers	5.5 hours
San Jose	Road 245, Highway 2, Highway 34, Road 243, and Highway 2 (again) *This mountain route requires driving over Cerro de la Muerte	335 kilometers	6 hours
Liberia	Road 245, Highway 2, Highway 34, Highway 27, Highway 23, and Highway 1	460 kilometers	7 hours

Driving from Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui / Sarapiqui

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Highway 4 and Highway 32	85 kilometers	1 hour and 45 minutes
La Fortuna / Arenal	Highway 4 and Road 142	75 kilometers	75 minutes

Driving from Puerto Viejo de Talamanca / Puerto Viejo

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Road 256, Highway 36, and Highway 32	215 kilometers	4 hours
Cahuita	Road 256 and Highway 36	15 kilometers	15 minutes
La Fortuna / Arenal	Road 256, Highway 36, Highway 32, Highway 4, and Road 142	270 kilometers	5 hours
Limon	Road 256 and Highway 36	60 kilometers	1 hour
Manzanillo	Road 256	13 kilometers	20 minutes
Siquirres (Pacuare River rafting tours)	Road 256, Highway 36, and Highway 32	120 kilometers	2 hours

Driving from Puntarenas

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Highway 17, Highway 23, and Highway 1	100 kilometers	2 hours
Liberia	Highway 17, Highway 23, and Highway 1	130 kilometers	2 hours

Driving from Samara

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Road 150, Highway 21, Highway 18, and Highway 1	240 kilometers	4 hours
Liberia	Road 150 and Highway 21	115 kilometers	2 hours
Nosara	Road 160	30 kilometers	45-60 minutes

Driving from San Gerardo de Dota

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Calle San Gerardo and Highway 2	85 kilometers	2 hours
Liberia	Calle San Gerardo, Highway 2, Highway 27, Highway 23, and Highway 1	295 kilometers	5.5 hours
San Isidro de El General	Calle San Gerardo and Highway 2	60 kilometers	75 minutes

Driving from San Isidro de El General

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Highway 2	135 kilometers	3 hours
Liberia	Road 243, Highway 34, Highway 27, Highway 23, and Highway 1	325 kilometers	5 hours
San Gerardo de Dota	Highway 2 and Calle San Gerardo	60 kilometers	75 minutes

Driving from San Ramon

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Highway 1	60 kilometers	1 hour
Alajuela	Highway 1	45 kilometers	45 minutes
La Fortuna / Arenal	Road 702	70 kilometers	1 hour and 45 minutes

Driving from Santa Teresa / Malpais

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	The unnamed principal access road, the Nicoya Peninsula coastal road, ferry ride across the Nicoya Gulf, Highway 17, Highway 23, and Highway 1 *This route requires a ferry ride	145 kilometers (excluding distance traveled by ferry)	4.5 hours (excluding the 1-hour ferry ride across the Nicoya Gulf and additional ferry loading/unloading time)
San Jose	The unnamed principal access road, the Nicoya Peninsula coastal road, Highway 21, Highway 18, and Highway 1 *This route avoids a ferry ride	315 kilometers	6 hours
Liberia	The unnamed principal access road, the Nicoya Peninsula coastal road, and Highway 21	215 kilometers	4.5 hours
Montezuma	The road to Delicias	15 kilometers	40 minutes

Driving from Siquirres (Pacuare River rafting tours)

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Highway 32	100 kilometers	2 hours
Cahuita	Highway 32 and Highway 36	105 kilometers	1 hour and 45 minutes
La Fortuna / Arenal	Highway 32, Highway 4, and Road 142	155 kilometers	2.5 hours
Limon	Highway 32	60 kilometers	1 hour
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca / Puerto Viejo	Highway 32, Highway 36, and Road 256	120 kilometers	2 hours

Driving from Tamarindo

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Avenida de las Palmas, Road 152, Road 160, Highway 21, Highway 18, and Highway 1	290 kilometers	4.5 hours
Flamingo (Playa Flamingo)	Avenida de las Palmas, Road 155, and Road 180	25 kilometers	30 minutes
Grande (Playa Grande)	Avenida de las Palmas, Road 155, Road 180, and Road 933	20 kilometers	30 minutes
Grande (Playa Grande)	Boat transport across the estuary at Rio Matapalo	N/A	5-15 minutes
Liberia	Avenida de las Palmas, Road 155, and Highway 21	75 kilometers	75 minutes

Driving from Tambor

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	The Nicoya Peninsula coastal road, ferry ride across the Nicoya Gulf, Highway 17, Highway 23, and Highway 1 *This route requires a ferry ride	120 kilometers (excluding distance traveled by ferry)	3.5 hours (excluding the 1-hour ferry ride across the Nicoya Gulf and additional ferry loading/unloading time)
San Jose	The Nicoya Peninsula coastal road, Highway 21, Highway 18, and Highway 1 *This route avoids a ferry ride	290 kilometers	5 hours
Liberia	The Nicoya Peninsula coastal road and Highway 21	190 kilometers	3.5 hours

Driving from Tortuguero

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Boat ride through canals to the dock at Cano Blanco, Road 806, and Highway 32 *This route requires a boat ride	135 kilometers (excluding distance traveled by boat from Tortuguero Village to the dock at Cano Blanco)	3 hours (excluding the 75-minute boat through the canals and additional boat loading/unloading time)

Driving from Turrialba

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Highway 10, Road 230, Road 219, and Highway 2	60 kilometers	1.5 hours
Alajuela	Highway 10, Road 230, Road 219, Highway 2, Highway 39, and Highway 1	80 kilometers	2 hour
Liberia	Highway 10, Road 230, Road 219, Highway 2, Highway 39, Highway 27, and Highway 1	270 kilometers	5 hours

Driving from Uvita

to…	via…	is roughly…	and takes approximately…
San Jose	Highway 34 and Highway 27 *This coastal route avoids driving over Cerro de la Muerte	230 kilometers	3.5 hours
San Jose	Highway 34, Road 243, and Highway 2 *This mountain route requires driving over Cerro de la Muerte	190 kilometers	4 hours
Dominical	Highway 34	18 kilometers	15 minutes
Liberia	Highway 34, Highway 27, Highway 23, and Highway 1	315 kilometers	4.5 hours
Manuel Antonio / Quepos	Highway 34 and Road 235	60 kilometers	45 minutes
Ojochal	Highway 34	16 kilometers	15 minutes

QUESTION TO COMMENT ON: Want to know the distance and duration of a route not covered above? Provide us with the names of the destinations you intend to visit and we’ll add the information you need.

Pura vida!