Hell ride in paradise?

The World Happiness Report 2024 gives Costa Rica a top ranking (12) The World Economy Forum gives our country the (10) worst ranking for road traffic.

We want to give you honest information about the traffic infrastructure in Costa Rica and our countrymen's driving habits and enable you to drive your car in a relaxed manner on your vacation with our recommendations.

I became a motorcyclist again in Costa Rica because of the fun of driving, and I know the point of view of car and motorcycle drivers. Despite being retired, I use my two-wheeler every day like another 500,000 Costa Ricans.

Motorcycles/mopeds are an integral part of traffic in Costa Rica. In the last 25 years, not one of our car customers has been seriously injured in a traffic accident. Unfortunately, motorcyclists have suffered severe injuries in collisions with our customers on several occasions.

We would therefore like to ask you to read the article and follow our advice to minimize the risk of an accident with a tree, a bridge, a ditch, or any vehicle or living creature.

When we ask our customers for a short statement on their return, we often hear the following:

"The country is an absolute paradise, but the traffic is hell."

Where does this contradiction come from?

There are several factors to blame. What we perceive as paradisiacal nature makes road construction very difficult. Driving is more dynamic and less rule-oriented than driving in the USA, Europe, or Canada.

The inhabitants of Costa Rica live their unique lifestyle (Pura Vida) in all areas of life. Politeness, helpfulness, serenity, time, and a relaxed way of dealing with one another form the basis.

They will be transformed into other personalities if they enter a vehicle and turn the ignition key. Egoism and a lack of awareness of danger dominate traffic in Costa Rica.

Due to the topography, road construction is slow, complicated, and expensive. Over the last 30 years, many new paved roads have been built. However, the slow progress of construction has not been able to keep up with the explosive growth of cars, mopeds, delivery trucks, and huge tractors with 12-meter-long trailers. Despite the increase in new roads, traffic jams are developing nationwide.

Due to the extreme population distribution, 50% of the Costa Rican population lives in the Meseta Central (the high plateau between Cartago and San Ramon). Unfortunately, public transport only consists of buses that connect the capital with the other cities and villages in a star shape. The train runs to some of these cities but operates on a single track with short trains. There is no other public transport.

The manufacturing industry, warehouses, industrial plants, and free trade zones are also mainly found in this high valley. They transport their finished goods and raw products in these extra-long containers.

Due to bureaucracy, all transport projects start 10 to 30 years late. There are further traffic jams due to road closures when construction begins. What was planned 40 years ago is then outdated by the time it is built.

Should you then not visit paradise at all?

Yes, because this country will reward you with fantastic flora and fauna, with beaches in sand colors ranging from black to pink. Even when you drive, the landscape behind the next bend will take your breath away. But you should mentally prepare yourself for "different traffic." The more you deal with the traffic situation in advance, the better you will cope with it.

On this page, we want to inform you how your car trip can be stress-free and safe. So, read the article entirely and internalize our advice.

Do I need a four-wheel drive vehicle?

If you only book accommodation in the tourist hotspots, you do not need a four-wheel drive vehicle. Many places along the Caribbean and Pacific coasts, in particular, are connected to acceptable and safe asphalt roads. However, Costa Rica's natural treasures are not only along the coast. There is so much to see in the backcountry. If you spend several weeks in the country, consider renting a 4WD car. You will not use 4WD all the time, but you will always need high-ground clearance, stronger axles, and reinforced tires.

Despite 30 years of efforts by left and right governments to eliminate potholes and unpaved shoulders, there are still thousands of kilometers of poorly maintained roads. These roads are not dangerous, but they require a different form of driving. Europeans, Americans, and Canadians have lost these skills and are often overwhelmed by them. The combination of human behavior and technical differences in the road network, in particular, unsettle some tourists.

Road factor

Although the asphalting of many roads has been completed, drivers from industrialized countries feel a certain discomfort when driving in Costa Rica. There is a lack of passive safety measures such as guard rails, center lines, road shoulders, parking strips, reflectors, signage, and clear right-of-way rules. The traffic lights hang very high on cables above the intersections. The roadways are narrower than in our visitors' home countries.

Photo taken on the coastal road between Jaco and Uvita in 2003. This road is now well-developed and equipped with passive safety. However, as soon as you move onto Category II or III roads, you will encounter precisely these roads.

Road from Golfito to Playa Zancudo in 2011. The road narrows and is one lane at the bridge, but there is no indication of a road narrowing from this side.

"Repaired" bridge on the way to Puerto Jimenez in 2011.

"Repaired" bridge on the way to San Gerardo de Dota in 2017. The planks at the beginning of the bridge are moved and adjusted to the lane width of the car driving over it.

Typical unsecured and narrow wooden bridge in the backcountry of Manuel Antonio without warning signs in 2018.

Unsecured multi-function bridge in the banana belt near Guapiles. It is used by pedestrians, motorcyclists, car drivers, cows and horse riders, and the banana train—a photo from 2014.

Heavy rain at Braulio Carillo National Park. In these rainforests, around 400 cm of rain falls per year.

Road washed away due to constant rain. The solid concrete bridge was washed away.

Dirt road between the Panamericana and Manuel Antonio in 2016 at the end of the rainy season.

Landslide after heavy rain on road 32 from San Jose to Limon.

Typical after-work traffic in the “Valle Central.” The “free space” between the car lanes is used by two-wheelers.

There are zebra crossings and pedestrian lights, but pedestrians take the shortcut.

Mopeds in the countryside that are no longer licensed but are still used.

Human factor

Unfortunately, there is no traffic education in Costa Rica. No one makes people and road users aware of the dangers that arise in traffic. There is a driving test, but this consists of a simple theoretical and very limited practical part. The practical part of the driving test does not require training with a driving instructor. The drivers are happy about their new mobility but do not think much about their new responsibilities.

Driving with a cell phone, writing text messages, and putting on makeup while driving are part of the routine in Costa Rican traffic. Bicycles have no lights, and pedestrians walk on the road due to a lack of sidewalks.

There is no weight limit on the load, you can load whatever fits in the loading area.

The pick-up vehicle was overloaded several times with giant bananas (platanos).

5-axle truck with damage due to overloading.

Half of the road on a well-developed country road is missing without barriers or warning signs.

Homemade warning sign on a 1-meter hole in the middle of the road.

Invisible and unreadable traffic signs. Many signs are hidden by the fast-growing vegetation. This stop sign is only visible at the last moment. But only if the road user can interpret it because it has no color or writing. In this photo, it is a stop sign.

A typical bridge in Costa Rica on a side road. The road is 2 lanes but without markings. A "Give way" sign indicates a 1 lane bridge.

It is a typical country road without a center line or edge markings. The road shoulder is lower and unpaved.

The mountain road between Monteverde and Tilaran is in good condition.

Large puddle on a dirt road. Driver does the right thing. First, go through the puddle and check the depth and muddiness, then switch on the four-wheel drive and drive through in first gear.

River or stream? How deep? Can you drive through it? Allowed? Insured?

Life-threatening, populated with crocodiles, and impassable for 9 months of the year, the Rio Ario.

Sunken RAV4, the flooded bridge, is further to the right.

Despite the experience, the ideal line was missed, and the vehicle dug into the soft river sand.

Our suggestions for an “accident-free” vacation in Costa Rica:

Plan your arrival day realistically. Planning a night drive to the Caribbean coast after a 15-hour flight from Europe and arrival in San Jose is a fool’s errand. Many of the rainforests turn into cloud forests in the late afternoon. The winding roads on the “Interamericana” (2) to the south, Ruta 32 to Limon, and National Road 702 to La Fortuna are damp in the evening and only partially marked with central and sidelines.

All European airlines with direct connections arrive in the afternoon or evening. The distance from the airport to San Jose is only 10 miles (17 km). Stop-and-go traffic in the evening can take an hour or more. There are B&Bs and hotels in all price ranges around the airport and Alajuela. Many offer shuttle services from the airport.

Drive more carefully and defensively than in your home country. Try to understand the traffic. There is no right-before-left rule, and the right of way is always regulated by signs (also at traffic lights).

Watch out for the half a million moped riders. By law, using the free space between the car lanes as a motorcyclist is acceptable.

Familiarize yourself with the traffic signs. Many are not real signs but in white paint on the asphalt.

Don't try unnecessary river crossings. Tourists sink a few hundred rental cars into rivers and streams every year. Even if locals do this, it should not be imitated. There are now river bypasses all over the country. You can, of course, drive through streams and puddles with our 4X4 vehicles. With the proper technique, 40 cm depth is no problem. You can drive through the area slowly and with the four-wheel drive on. If you drive too fast, a wave will build up in front of the vehicle and flood the air filter. If you are unlucky and the engine sucks water into the cylinders, it will be very expensive (for you). Water cannot be compressed, and the engine will burst.

These water crossings are not covered even with fully comprehensive insurance Without a deductible. No insurance in Costa Rica will compensate for this damage. It will be interpreted as willful destruction.

And every car rental company will try to hold you liable under civil law.

Statistically, most accidents happen on the last day of the vacation. The departure time is planned down to the minute. If there is a delayed arrival at the airport due to a traffic jam or an accident, it becomes stressful. People drive more carelessly to avoid missing the plane, and then it happens.....

We wish you a safe journey.
The Wild Rider Team