General Road Trip Notes & Tips
Driving Directions
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Addresses in Costa Rica are usually given in terms of how many meters a spot is form a specific landmark (churches, stores, large trees). Street names and numbers are not commonly used. Each block is assumed to be 100 meters, even if some are much longer or shorter.
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Have $200 changed into colones in San Jose (possible to do at many International Airports). Colones will be required for your road-trip money, but once you get to Nosara dollars are accepted everywhere.
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“Alto” means stop and “ceda” means yield. Right turns on red lights are allowed unless a sign indicates otherwise. “peligro” means danger, “salida” means exit, “despacio” means slow down and “derrumbes” means land slides.
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The actual town of Nosara (Nosara Centro) with groceries, medical care and shopping is another 5 kilometers away and further inland from Guiones Beach where Harmony is located.
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The road from Nicoya to the last gas station just before you take a right to Nosara gets very slippery during the rainy season. Please be careful.
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Be careful when driving through the dirt road, some big holes can be found on the side of the road. These roads are easy to drive during the dry season (Dec.-Apr.), but quite challenging during rainy season (May-Nov.). We recommend driving them with extreme caution.
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Costa Rica is generally a safe destination but crime and thievery does exist. Never leave valuables in the car or anything lying in sight. Always keep you car locked.
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