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Driving times to the nearby and most visited attractions in Costa Rica
Our convenient location makes Mango Valley Hotel Bed and Breakfast not only a great start or finish of your vacation, but also a perfect base for exploration and adventures.
Within short driving distances are several quaint villages, artisan centers, several national parks, volcanoes and other favorite eco-tourism destinations. Use the driving times below as a guideline. The actual driving time will greatly depend on weather and road conditions. All the big roads (called "la pista") are typically in decent condition.
For example, you will be able to reach the Caribbean coast in 4 hours, guaranteed, as long as it’s not flooded (happens a lot lately) and that there is no major accident or a mud slide. It’s advisable to check road conditions before you leave for either coast. It’s better to change your plans and go to a different beach (there are plenty to choose from) than spend your day in a car watching workers fix the road.
>>Costa Rica Travel: articles and advice
| Destination | Driving Time | Notes |
| Sarchi | 10-15 min | Beautiful countryside town of Sarchi is famous for its exuberantly painted oxcarts, handcrafts and furniture. It’s also known for it’s "birthday cake" shaped church. |
| Doka Coffee Plantation | 20 min | A very educational coffee tour, a must for coffee-lovers. |
| Los Chorros Waterfalls | 20 min | 3 Waterfalls, one with a swimming hole, easy hiking. |
| The World of Snakes | 20 min | A guided hands-on tour, if you are into snakes, don’t miss this experience. |
| Else Kientzler Botanical Gardens | 20-25 min | 7 hectares of manicured paths with more than 2000 plants from all over the world. |
| La Paz Waterfall Gardens | 35 min | 4 Waterfalls, beautiful gardens with butterflies and humming birds, nice trails, very easy hiking. |
| Poas Volcano National Park | 35-40 min | You can see Poas volcano mountains right from the hotel. The views of the whole valley on the way up are so beautiful that you’ll want to stop and take some pictures. |
| Poas Canopy Zipline | 40 min | 14 Cables and 24 platforms (one is 600 meters long). It is the only one to offer a safe zipline experience for children aged 5 and up to ride with the parents. |
| Carara National Park | 1.5 hours | World class birding, the best place to see scarlet macaws and ant-eaters. |
| Playa Blanca beach (Central Pacific, near Punta Leona) | 1 hour 45 minutes | Excellent swimming, body-boarding, can do snorkeling. Turtles visit this beach from time to time. Scarlet macaws, green parrots, pelicans and magnificent frigates can often be seen. |
| Jaco beach (Central Pacific) | 2 hours | Excellent surfing/ body-boarding beach, lots of good restaurants. Also try Herradura beach for surfing or Agujas for fishing. |
| Arenal Volcano (la Fortuna) | 2.5 hours | The drive is very easy. There are lots of hot springs in the area. If your budget allows, try Tabacon springs (day entrance), if not, try any of the less expensive options. Many hotels have thermal pools. If your time schedule allows, stay overnight to see the lava show at night. |
| Manuel Antonio National Park (Central Pacific) | 3 – 3.5 hours | The best place to see all 3 types of monkeys as well as sloths. The park itself is tiny, so hiking is very easy. The best beaches are inside the park, but you can have great time at the beaches in front of some hotels. You can do swimming, surfing (beginners) and great body-boarding. |
| Caribbean side | 3.5 – 4.5 hours | |
| Monte Verde (Cloud forest reserve) | 4 – 5.5 hours | Beautiful drive. Try zip line for adrenaline rush or do some hiking (day and night tours are widely available). |
| Liberia and Guanacaste beaches | 4 – 5.5 hours |
If you plan to drive to a location not mentioned above, feel free to email us at info@MangoValley.com.
August 9, 2009 8:35 am
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