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Heading to P Viejo for the weekend when there on business. Sunset is 545. How is the drive at night?

Unless you are familiar with the route, you don't want to be driving on the highways at night. It's dangerous enough during the day, forget driving at night. It's pitch black in most areas and if you run over a large pothole, you may leave your transmission behind.

Second what Orange said, much more dangerous at night. Not sure I'd want to drive through Limon in the dark right now. However, DO NOT drive to the Panama border at night. A lot of places on that road where it is completely washed out with LARGE ditches. Hit one at anything more than 10Kph and your car is toast in the middle of nowhere.

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So....leave by 2?

I arrived at Puerto Viejo by car my first time around 9pm.. I don't know the condition of the road these days but south of Cahuita I remember it being pretty bad especially south of the turnoff to Sixaola. Another issue is that there will people walking and biking in the road and there are few lights. for sure daylight travel is better...but if you can't do it it's not the end of the world.

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OK. Phoenix and PVT have different takes.

In Costa Rica, I always do traveling at day break. Anything else is taking chances that don't need to be taken.

For many reasons.

Flat Tire ? Better to be changing a flat tire at 9:00am rather than 9:00pm.

Rainy Season: Usually the worst weather here starts after 12 noon and can close a road in 30 minutes.

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As Orange said, the difference is if you've driven that route many times before in daylight and know it very well. If this is going to be your first time, forget driving at night.

I have driven that section at night more than once. The road is much improved over previous years (when pot holes along the right side of the highway were bottomless).

The worst part for me is driving the mountains at night. It is usually raining, the lines on the road disappear or are non-existent to begin with. You are competing with large trucks and buses for your piece of the road.

If you are familiar with the route it isn't too bad but I would want to get over the mountain and onto the flat before nightfall if able.

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Disclaimer: The above is merely the opinion of the author unless specific scientific data is included.
Your mileage may vary. https://costaricaticas.com/phpBB2/viewto ... 978#206978

I've made the trip from SJ to PV many times... and did the trip at night twice. The Braulio Carrillo Hwy over the Central mountain range at night is downright scary... especially in the rain. Once you get to the bottom of the Caribbean slope, as others have mentioned, the potholes and ditches make driving at night dangerous. The roads are also poorly marked and signed. You will need to watch for chatting ticos with their butts parked on the berm line as they seems to be oblivious to passing traffic.

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Blue Devil

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