Transportation - SJO to Los Suenos?

[WhiteLakeBuc]

Can someone recommend an economical and safe way to travel between SJO and Los Suenos? I am thinking about renting a car and doing it myself, please advise. Thanks

WLB

[costaricasportfishing]

PM me and I will get you hooked up with a driver. Also Josh from Hooked On Costa Rica has a van. I am sure he can get you rigged up too. You can rent a car. It's not that bad. Just don't speed.

[marioangler]

Can someone recommend an economical and safe way to travel between SJO and Los Suenos? I am thinking about renting a car and doing it myself, please advise. Thanks

WLB

The drive to Los Sueños from the SJO International Airport is not that bad. It takes around 1.5 to 2 hours depending on traffic. Just don't speed as out friend said. There are a lot of curves up and down hills and automatic cars' breaks tend to overheat if you are going too fast. I recommend you get a GPS with your rental. Its not hard to get there but its always best safe than sorry, specially if its your first time in the country. You can easily get there in a regular 4x2 car, the road is fully paved all the way.

Los Sueños is big. Very Big. You need a car to move around from the beach to your house (the hotel is closer to the ocean though) or to go out and get groceries, visit Jaco, go to the pharmacy or that kind of stuff. There is a golf cart rental place 100 meters before you arrive in case you dont drive up there. I figure the hotel must have some sort of internal shuttle but not sure, the couple of times I've been there I always drive.

There are also charter vans available and taxis available (altough a taxi might be very expensive) its just a matter of how many people and at what time are you arriving/leaving.

What would you rather?

greetings and good fishing

[WhiteLakeBuc]

The drive to Los Sueños from the SJO International Airport is not that bad. It takes around 1.5 to 2 hours depending on traffic. Just don't speed as out friend said. There are a lot of curves up and down hills and automatic cars' breaks tend to overheat if you are going too fast. I recommend you get a GPS with your rental. Its not hard to get there but its always best safe than sorry, specially if its your first time in the country. You can easily get there in a regular 4x2 car, the road is fully paved all the way.

Los Sueños is big. Very Big. You need a car to move around from the beach to your house (the hotel is closer to the ocean though) or to go out and get groceries, visit Jaco, go to the pharmacy or that kind of stuff. There is a golf cart rental place 100 meters before you arrive in case you dont drive up there. I figure the hotel must have some sort of internal shuttle but not sure, the couple of times I've been there I always drive.

There are also charter vans available and taxis available (altough a taxi might be very expensive) its just a matter of how many people and at what time are you arriving/leaving.

What would you rather?

greetings and good fishing

Thanks for the reply. I am thinking about renting a car so we can go and do as we please. Just wanted to get some first hand experience from someone about it so I really appreciate your reply. What about the drive from Los Suenos down to Manuel Antonio, would there be a need for an 4X4 for that trip?

Thanks

[marioangler]

What about the drive from Los Suenos down to Manuel Antonio, would there be a need for an 4X4 for that trip?
Thanks

Nope, no need to use 4 x 4. Its a "straight" road, fully paved (straight in the fact that you dont have to take any exits, but there are some curves and sometimes a pothole here and there). Even if you keep going south, you can still pass through to Dominical with a 4x2 which was not possible 5 years ago. The road has been renewed and actually there are a couple of new bridges you'll see when arriving at Quepos. It is about 1 or 1 1/2 hours from Los Sueños to Manuel Antonio.

The Carara National Park (http://www.costarica-nationalparks.c...ionalpark.html) and the Playa Hemorsa Wildlife Refuge (http://www.costarica-nationalparks.c...iferefuge.html) are also close by the area you will be staying

[scratchinbottom]

I went down two years ago with four other guys and we rented a Nissan XTERRA. The last member arrived after dark so we were forced to drive through the night.

The directions as follows...."Head down the main road and pass the airport. Then take a left and head NW for about an hour. THen take a left and head southwest until you reach Jaco." I asked if there were any street signs or maps they replied "No".

It took 2.5 hours and was a BLAST!!! We only got lost once but it was quite the adventure.

[glen95]

Can someone recommend an economical and safe way to travel between SJO and Los Suenos? I am thinking about renting a car and doing it myself, please advise. Thanks

WLB

I rented a car and it went fine. I rented a GPS also. The insurance on the car is a rip-off. (very high and mandantory)
Glen

[T Burke]

The new road is supposed to be open 1/27 wed. I fly in that day and have a driver taking me to the coast and then have a car waiting in Jaco. Works best for me and then drive from there. Driving up and down the coast is no prob in a car.

[onejacker]

The roads around the country are beginning to show signs of disrepair. Over the last nine years of traveling all over CR, I have seen the roads go from bad, to good, and now back to bad. Its not the unpaved roads that were the problem years ago, it is now the pot holes in the pavement. I was laughing with friends last Thanksgiving as we picked up our rental car. I noticed the tires seemed over-sized for the SUV. Once we were out on the roads, I understood. The philosophy seems to be this: don't repair the holes, put bigger tires on the vehicles so they can drive OVER the holes. lol. Still cracks me up. By the way, make no mistake, CR is the only place I vacation now. Love the country and the people. Very nice, gentle, kind folks, and the fishing is great.

Get the car, take a soft cooler with you so you don't have to buy a $ 100.00 there, and stop at the first luperon you see for Imperials. Lots of 'em.

Pura Vida