Discover rich flora and fauna of Costa Rica

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/07/2005 (7706 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ARENAL, Costa Rica — First-time drivers to Costa Rica can be forgiven for thinking that every oncoming driver they meet has been drinking too much cerveza.

The road ahead is sometimes strewn with oncoming cars that are weaving from side to side, rendering a comical if somewhat alarming scene. But that’s not too much tequila at work. It is, in fact, the pothole dance determined by the dodgy road conditions.

We were given a full lesson in this en route west from Arenal Volcano, on a road whose thick, red aspect on the map made it appear to be a secondary highway. It may have been at one time, but now it was massively broken and holed, as in the aftermath of an air raid — a result of the heavy rains and steamy geothermal forces at work underground. I emerged at the other end thinking that not even a new eruption of Arenal could render such a torture course.

We had spent the previous day and night in the shadow of Central America’s most active volcano. Arenal rises 1,615 metres above the popular tourist town that bears the same name, and is almost always emitting plumes of smoky gases. Hotels line the road that runs along the foot of the mountain, and guests take their seats on front porches to watch Arenal’s often-spectacular pyrotechnics at night.

But the show is a constant reminder that this relatively young volcano (4,000 years) still has lots of life in it. It last erupted in 1968, when its west side and cap exploded, destroying 17 square kilometres of land below it. Between 60 and 80 people were killed in that blast. Occasional loud booms confirm mini-eruptions by Arenal, but the townsfolk carry on unperturbed by the restless giant sitting next door to them.

Now, we were heading west towards the coastal resort village of Flamingo, and getting another lesson in Costa Rican driving. And this time it was getting dark.

The tour operator had mentioned that it was probably not a great idea to travel at night on the back roads of Costa Rica, but I had lost my way and strayed far from our destination. By the time we reached the resort, the jungle lining both sides of dirt road was inky black, and my wife was silent and watchful in the passenger seat.

Flamingo rises up like a little kingdom on a small, raised peninsula facing the Pacific Ocean. Its twinkling lights were a welcome sight after being lost. Flamingo is one of Costa Rica’s Pacific coast resorts that are generally accessed by flights to the city of Liberia. It is not opulent, but retains a pleasant village aspect that gives holidayers the opportunity to walk about and visit the shops and restaurants. Others resort towns worth considering on the country’s Pacific coast are the Playa Avalana in Tamarindo and the Playa Conchal, just south of Flamingo.

Much further south, on the Nicoya Peninsula, the climate is drier and the land flat and sandy. The province of Puntarenas is a popular beach destination, accessed most quickly by flights to the city of Puntarenas.

Our journey, on the other hand, was on a dirt road that sliced through the centre of the peninsula. There is another, paved route, but it is longer and requires a ferry trip. Besides, this would give us the opportunity to see parts of the less-visited Costa Rican countryside. So, potholes and washboards be damned, this was the route of choice for us.

Not many tourists get to the city of Nicoya, which was one of the first to be settled by the Spanish. It’s about two-fifths of the way down the peninsula on this day-long drive, and is best known for its white-washed church of San Blas, which was built in 1644. It has a small museum with pre-Columbian exhibits, and can serve as the anchor point for a stroll about the town.

Near the bottom of the peninsula is the Barcelo Playa Tambor Resort, which caters to shaken bones with simple cures, like a hammock by the beach. Hang out here in all-inclusive luxury for a couple of days, and consider that nothing on this introductory course to Costa Rican driving could really compare to our visit to the Selva Bananito eco-lodge, earlier in the trip.

No weaving drivers here — just a rough dirt road that eventually narrows down to two tracks over its 13-kilometre length. The lodge property is located in an 800-hectare patch of pristine rainforest, a good distance from the main highway that runs along the Caribbean coastline to Panama. En route are two creeks and two small rivers that must be forded — and a small fallen tree may need clearing from the trail, as was the case with our visit.

But the lodge experience is well worth the entertaining drive. Airy cabins with large decks sit astride a ridge facing the Talamanca Cordillera, or mountains. The mountains are dense with rainforest vegetation and wildlife. In the morning, this community of birds and beasts raise their collective voices to welcome the new day with a racket that starts at about 5 a.m. Urban noise pollution should sound so sweet.

The lodge adheres to some strict standards of eco-preservation. There is no electricity, for starters, so the starry nights are lit only by gas lamps. Daytime activities include hikes and horse rides into the famous rainforests of Costa Rica, which are home to one of the world’s most diverse cross-section of flora and fauna. Costa Rica only constitutes .01 per cent of the earth’s total land mass, but accounts for five per cent of its biodiversity. The forests of Selva Bananito teem with creatures ranging from tapirs, howler monkeys and even jaguars to more than 300 species of birds, including colourful toucans.

There’s not much chance that a regular rent-a-mobile would make it to Selva Bananito, and one of those costly calls to the rental company for a rescue would likely be necessary for those who attempt it. Four driving wheels and some more usable suspension clearance are in order here. The Daihatsu Terios is a good combination of economy and utility for those who have a lower rental budget. It is a capable sport-cute that handles the Costa Rican roads reasonably well, and has space enough for two or three people with luggage. It’s not a bad deal, at about $55 US per day, compared to about $90 per day for a bigger SUV, like a Mitsubishi Montero. I got the Terios from Adobe Rent-A-Car in the capital of San Jose.

Ted Davis is a Vancouver-based travel writer.

Driving Costa Rica

Here’s some other facts worth considering before setting out on your Costa Rica road trip:

* Gasoline costs are about 328 colones per litre (440 colones trades for $1 US) for regular grade fuel, depending on your location.

* The uppermost speed limit is 80 kph, and there are lots of slow-down zones for schools that must be obeyed. Police pounce on speeders in these zones, so watch for signs instructing “Dispacio,” which means “slow down” and for “Paligro,” which means “caution.”

* Most rental vehicles have manual transmissions, and 60 per cent of rentals are SUVs.

* A road trip from Selva Bananito near the Caribbean east coast, westward through the mountains past Arenal and southward to the bottom of the Nicoya Peninsula will be about 500 kilometres in length. Give yourself 10 days to see and enjoy the destinations for more than a night each.

More information

Tour operators that sell Costa Rica trips include Fun Sun Vacations of Edmonton and Global Connections of Vancouver. Contact your travel agent.

* Montana de Fuego Resort and Spa, Arenal: www.montanadefuego.com

* Flamingo Beach Resort: www.resortflamingobeach.com

* Barcelo Playa Tambor Resort, Puntarenas: www.barcelocostarica.com/tambor.htm

* Selva Bananito Lodge: www.selvabananito.com

* Adobe Rent-A-Car: www.adobecar.com

* Costa Rica Tourism Board: www.visitcostarica.com; 1-800-343-6332.