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Looks like I have 2 options:

Take the Pan American Highway over mountains of Cerro del Muerte then down to San Isidro and into the OSA.

The other option is taking the coastal route through Jaco...Quepos...Palmar Norte on into Puerto Jimenez.

I need to do this in a day so planning on leaving San Jose as early as I can like around 8:00 a.m.

Any suggestions as to the preferred route?

I'll be. Driving a Montero 4 x 4 Turbo Diesel.

Thx.

I have made the drive over the cerro route however it was years ago,the last time in 92, still l bet the same problem exists and you may not be able to avoid it as it the quality of the road south of San Isidro has been notiously hard to maintain as it follows a river valley with steep hills/mountins on either side and poorly built culverts which used to allow water to wash over the road leaving deep potholes and wash-outs. Let me know if anything has changed. If you encounter that situation, drive slow and avoid the potholes at all costs as hitting them at any speed will cause a blowout.

On the plus side the ride through the cerro passes througha cloud forest and gets really cool and mysterous, like traveling through the Moors (I imagine) would be. i woud take the mountain route just for the experience and picture taking opportunity. One other thing please wrte a trip report, it might be intrestng to read one that doesn't start and end with negotiating a working girl down to $60 bucks for a bbjcim

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“Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” And we are the guys that keep them in Eggs & Grits

My dream trip that way, never had the balls to do it, or too cheap to rent a 4 wheel. I've got as far San Isidro but then went downhill to Dominical, which turned out to be my favorite all time of CR, views etched in my mind. That road for views is unreal.

I did go the other route suggested, well, half way, via the ocean route 7-8 years ago (Balino Nt'l Park--phonetic--super nice stretch of pure 20 mile beach) extremely nice road CR standards, after you got to Dominical, it was an easy ride, and I understand it was that way all the way down to the border, and still is. I got about 50 klicks south of Dominical and had to return.

And now, the road from Quepos to Dominical is paved.

That was the huge gravel bumpity bumpity pain in the ass of going that way, you got to Jaco, and then Quepos on pretty good roads, but then 1.5 hs of torture from Quepos to Dominical. Now that's over and a nice ride.

So other than the adventure of the montanas, if that's what you may be dreaming/chasing like me (now only in my mind), the ocean route would be the way to go for comfort/safety.

Very much looking forward to your trip report.

With the new highway to Jaco done, the road from Quepos to Dominical paved, I would take the coastal route to Palmar Norte. The trip over Cerro Muerte has beautiful views when it isn't socked in by the fog, but it can be a very grueling and dangerous route to take into San Isidro. The InterAmerican from San Isidro reduces in width to the size of a county road in some places, whereas, the road from Dominical to Palmar Norte is a 4-lane hwy with a turning lane in the center.

Sounds like from what I've heard that the drive through Cerro Muerte can be pretty spectacular for the views. Think what I may do is take the coastal route down there and take the Cerro Muerte route going back to San Jose. Want to ensure I'm down in Puerto Viejo before dark so coastal route seems more prudent.

And I am sure you thought of this but for newer guys, on the way back make sure you are out of the mountains before dark. I made that mistake one time coming back from Quepos, left too late, took me three hours longer than usual, holding on to that wheel for dear life. I was never so glad to finally see the lights in the valley.

Plan to leave PJ early...around 8 or 9 in the morning so I should be fine.

Hey Bond Trader: If you haven't left yet, read today's Inside Costa Rica about the road to San Isidro.

Flying out tonight and headed down to OSA on Sunday. Was planning on coastal route. I'll read what you suggested. Do I want to?

Here you go from today's e-paper. For the newer guys who are thinking about this trip, the article refers to the town of Perez Zeledon but on your map it will be the town of San Isidro.

Please post your road trip when you get back to CA.

Interamericana Sur Continues Closed At Casamata

The Interamericana Sur (Ruta 2) in the area of Casamata de El Guarco, Cartago, remains closed to all vehicular traffic following a sinking of the road last October 20. The sinking left a 60 metre wide hole in the road at kilometre 40 of the major road to the southern part of the country.

The Consejo Nacional de Vialidad (Conavi) says it expects light vehicles to begin resuming use of the road sometime next week, but heavy trucks will be barred for at least three more months.

The prohibition of the heavy vehicles is due to the instability of the area and the narrow passages opened to resume vehicular traffic.

Marco Rojas, head of Conservación del Conavi, said that work crews are working to restore the road but it will be at least three months before all the work is complete.

The collapse after 12 consecutive days of rain in October. The sinking completely wiped one lane, leaving the other lane in bad condition.

Traffic to and from Perez Zeledon and other points south is being rerouted on the Caldera and Costanera. César Quirós, director de la Policía de Tránsito, said that additional patrols and measures are in place to control traffic.

In the past, such a closure would be catastrophic for the country as it was the only major route between the Southern zone the Central Valley and the rest of the country.