The roads continue to improve in Guanacaste! Ordinarily I am not happy to be stuck in traffic, but it’s fine by me if the the delay is due to road construction and they are making improvements that will make our lives easier.

The roads have seen drastic improvements in Guanacaste. Once treated like the evil step sister, Guanacaste is getting the attention she deserves. The government has promised millions of dollars to address the poor state of most roads in Guanacaste. Much of the focus is in areas that are more developed, but there is also money being invested in more rural areas as well.

The main route from Villareal (just outside of Playa Tamarindo) to Liberia is fully paved. The route from Villareal to Cartagena is currently being paved with a second coat of asphalt. The road from Huacas to Matapalo has been paved as of a few months ago.

The main route from Villareal to 27 de Abril (16 km west of Santa Cruz) is slated to be paved later this year. Currently there are 10 miles or 16 km of unpaved road on this route. This is also the route that most travelers take when driving from San Jose to the beach areas of Junquillal/Negra to Conchal areas. The route from Santa Cruz to 27 de Abril has been widened and paved recently.

The roads from Playa Grande to Matapalo are paved as of last year, and the road from Matapalo to Bahia del Pirata (other side of Playa Conchal/Puerto Viejo) will be paved next year per the municipality of Santa Cruz. The Pirate’s Bay area, or Playa Real, is the location for several high end developments, including the Canyon Ranch Spa and Resort, Bella Colina, and Punta Playa Vistas.

The famed “Monkey Trail” which is a well known short cut from Playa Potrero to Playas del Coco, has been recently graded and is a smooth ride which shaves 40 miles roundtrip off your commute as opposed to taking the paved route towards Liberia.

The Monkey Trail will eventually be paved in the years to come due to the announcement of Riu Hotel Group to build a 2,000 room hotel on the shores of Playa Matapalo.

There are also plans to open up a second entrance/exit route to the beaches areas of Potrero/Flamingo/Surfside. The road will go from Potrero to Tempate to Cartagena.

Even those roads that are not scheduled to be re-paved, the crews have been out in full force filling those famous Costa Rica potholes. The route from Villareal to downtown Tamarindo is virtually pot hole free!

Stay tuned for more road reports as the year progresses.

Written by Rebecca L. Clower who was born in Chicago, grew up in Buffalo, NY and graduated from Arizona State University. Rebecca is fluent in Spanish, thanks to her mother who is “Tica.”

Costa Rica Realtor Video Interviews – Becky Clower:

• You can see a video interview with Becky Clower about investing in Costa Rica real estate here.
• You can also see a video interview with Becky Clower about living in Costa Rica here.

Rebecca started investing in real estate at 22 years of age and it became a passion, she is also a Realtor® and after rehabbing 40 homes and selling millions in real estate in Tampa, she relocated to Costa Rica to continue practicing her love for real estate, investing and to be closer to her family.

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Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.