A once was quiet remote town of Puerto Jimenez has grown to become the largest town on the Osa Peninsula today. Located in the southern part of the Puntarenas province, this kick-back town is one of the main gateways to the beautiful Corcovado National Park. With said, it has become one of the hot eco destinations in Costa Rica.
Many will take a plane, but those that like to see the country side, getting to Puerta Jimenez by vehicle can be a 6-8-10 hour drive from San Jose, and that is only if road conditions are good. When traveling during the rainy season ask the locals for information on whether the road has problems or is it ONLY passable with 4WD.
To really see Costa Rica, it requires you to drive out into the rural countryside. By far, the majority of roads in Costa Rica are dirt roads. Don’t even think of a gravel road – dirt roads are dirt, which becomes mud in the rainy season. And even the gravel and paved roads like Ruta (highway) 245, the turnoff from the Pam American Highway (Highway 2) getting to Jimenez can become one adventure and one huge obstacle course dodging mega pot holes, squeezing by 18-wheelers, landslides and one-way bridges that have the looks of rust and used as targets in aerial bombings.
Highway 245 is also the turnoff heading to Drake Bay which is one of the most popular and pristine snorkeling locations in the area. Drakes Bay also provides a wonderful base to explore some of Costa Rica’s environments like the uninhabited Caño Island (Isla del Caño) and the Caño Island Biological Reserve (Reserva Biológica Isla del Caño). The island has remnants from an ancient civilization that carved stone spheres dating back to pre-Columbian eras.
During the dry tourist season (Nov-June) road conditions are generally pretty good, with creeks and rivers dry or low. But during rainy season (June-Nov) flash floods have been known to wash out entire roads and bridges, pot holes spring up out of nowhere and mudslides are common. When Tropical Storm Tomas hit the Central Pacific in November 2010, road closures were everywhere.
The problem with Highway 245 is there have been years of political promises from the government to improve the road, including building bridges, repaving, and new drainage systems. Well, that promise finally came true a few years back, but building has been slow with local townships fighting to get their area done first. It has been a battle.
The road has been the perfect, cliché, “Don’t believe everything you hear.” Back in June, 2009, it was announced that the Corcovado access road will be passable during the wet season. And then went on and explained how Highway 245’s, $30 million face lift, that included all the construction of eight new bridges would be completed to make an all-weather road between Puerto Jimenez and Rincon south. Obviously, that has not happened when the above video was taken back in November, and things have not changed much.
Any improved highway is good for Costa Rica tourism. Especially when motorists can use it to reach roads that go to cool natural parks like Corcovado in the dry or wet season.
… your guess is as good as mind when the road will be completed.
thats about right!! been there done that (road) with my jeep…sparky…proverbs 3:5-6
Yeah, I also had to laugh 😉 Nice point Jacoguy.
I had to laugh watching the video, the guy driving made it look like it was no big deal, he must be a local. The video reminds me a few years back when I had to drive a SUV for a Gringo couple who were scared S@$%less to drive across one of the bridges. It was funny. Nice post.
WOW!!! what a great video and so accurate. My wife and I have been on that road a few times. Thanks for sharing.
Great post, thank you. I am not sure if always road improvements are good in Costa Rica. Since bad road conditions force people to drive slowly. But in this case I think road improvements are necessary.