My family and I are visting Costa Rica for the first time. We are renting a car for the week. We want to drive from Manuel Antonio to Monteverde. And stay in Monteverde one night. Is is safe to drive? How long will the drive take? What is the best route to take? Is it easy to get lost on the way?
Also, should we skip Monteverde all together? Thanks for any suggestions. First to Costa Rica!!
No problema ...safe and nice but of course commons sense...from Manuel Antonio to Monteverde about 3.5 to 4 hours...just the last 12 kilometers are dusty or muddy...just drive slow any vehicle in good shape will taqke you there!
From Manuel Antonio...just get back to Orotina...and then take road to Calsera Barranca....then to Pan Am Hwy...and then once you pass Arnjuez river by Pedregal ...next Gas Station at your right will be the detour to Sardinal...Santa Elena...Monteverde!
My driving times are based on my more than 45 years driving around >Costa Rica...they may be a little different than some links...
roadadvisor
We were first time visitors back in March. we drove from San jose, to la fortuna, to monte verde, to manual antonio over the course of 10 days. It was beautiful and safe. it will take about 4 hours from manual antonio to monteverde depending on time of year and weather. now, to answer the questiion of skipping Monteverde, it all depends on what you plan on doing. we did the Skytrek zip lines, which were great. check out my youtube videos for some ideas of the roads. the bumpy dirt ones are the road from monteverde. email me with any questions
jlcorley2, what are your plans after Monteverde? The road (if you want to call it a road) up the mountainside to Monteverde/Santa Elena is not the best, lots of gravel, pot holes, rocks, and poor shoulders. I am also recommending a 4x4 with some road clearance for the drive, those who tell you a small sedan will work are right, but the suv gives you better ride for bad roads.I don't want you to miss Monteverde if you have plans to do some activities, but what comes next?
Have a safe trip.
Do not worry about those last 12 kms...I have had driving in worst roads in Canada and even Miami...the road floor is hard so the chances are you will get some dust or some mud...of course any good driver can drive there withany problem...
Now days almost at any road condition driving a 4x4 is a lot safer...more road clearence...more power in case you need the 4x4...
roadadvisor
You might want to invest in GPS for your rental vehicle too. In a country with few road signs and less than clear maps, it can be a real lifesaver!
Have a wonderful adventure!
We are planning to head to Arenal after Monteverde.
I like this site for route planning. You can type in your leaving point and destination and get a clear indication of expected time taken for the journey and clear written directions with landmarks, like bridges or rivers mentioned so you can check that you are on the right route.
Good luck with your planning!
One night is really fast for Monteverde. Depending on what you plan to do up there, you may want to have that extra time to spend in Arenal or in Manuel Antonio. Of course, I am partial to the hot beach area as opposed to the cloud forest! Enjoy!
