Arenal Report
The somewhat controversial new highway from San José to the central Pacific coast has substantially reduced travel time from Tilarán to the big city – usually. The trip now takes about two and a half hours or less, instead of the three and a half hours we have been used to. This new two-lane “throughway” between the port of Caldera and San José’s western suburb of Escazú takes about an hour, though locals traveling to San José on a recent Sunday afternoon found it glutted with cars full of Central Valley residents inching their way home from their weekend at the beaches.
Those who don’t already know the way to Caldera from Tilarán may have trouble finding the new highway because of the continuing dearth of signage. Overall, though, the highway is great for cutting down travel time to Arenal, though there has been criticism of unsafe engineering.
–Alex Murray
alex.murray37@gmail.com
You may be interested

Vaccinated people don’t have to self-isolate after Covid contact
Alejandro Zúñiga - March 8, 2021People who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 won’t have to isolate if they are a close contact to someone who…

Starting in April, Manuel Antonio NP will be open on Mondays
Alejandro Zúñiga - March 8, 2021Costa Rica’s most popular national park is switching up its hours. Starting April 1, Manuel Antonio National Park will remain…

Costa Rica unemployment disproportionately impacts women
Alejandro Zúñiga - March 8, 2021Unemployment in Costa Rica is at 19.1%, but the job loss provoked by the pandemic has predominantly impacted women. According…