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As long as you do not intend to use the back roads to explore the countryside, you should be fine with a regular map.
On the other hand, navigating one’s way through the maze that is metropolitan San Jose is markedly easier with a GPS and the NavSat maps.
There are, of course, those among us who can rely on celestial navigation at all hours of the day and regardless of the weather. For us mortals, however, modern technology can be a godsend. If you don’t believe that, next time you need to make or receive a phone call away from home, just dead reckon your way to the nearest ICE pay phone.
GPS really changed my life here in the NYC area, how did I ever get anywhere before! In CR I have often laughed at the imagined voice commands; “Turn left 300Ms past the steel church.”
ICE pay phone – that works – HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!
To me, if you miss the back roads, you’re missing the REAL EXPERIENCE of Costa Rica!!!
[b]CRResourceGuide[/b] while I totally agree with you regarding the ‘real’ back roads, unless you have someone who knows [i]where they are[/i] and [i]where there going[/i], regular ‘tourists’ should stay off them.
Of course, they may not get very far on those that are full of [i]very large potholes[/i]….[quote=”lavemder”]Please help us prepare for a long-term trip to CR.
What navigation system works the best? Is it better to buy one in CR? What brand, where to buy it?
Garmin or Tom tom? How many rental cars have navigation system in it?
Thanks in advance…[/quote]Try: http://www.gpstravelmaps.com/costarica.php
Have a nice trip!!!
[quote=”jtd2″][quote=”lavemder”]Please help us prepare for a long-term trip to CR.
What navigation system works the best? Is it better to buy one in CR? What brand, where to buy it?
Garmin or Tom tom? How many rental cars have navigation system in it?
Thanks in advance…[/quote]Try: http://www.gpstravelmaps.com/costarica.php
Have a nice trip!!![/quote]
Good road signs! HAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!! CR does not have road signs other than the major highways and no addresses, so yes, I can read a paper map and have but like everyone said once off the main drag you are F&*^% without a GPS. Spend the freakin money and use common sense.
We went off on an excursion with a group of ATV enthusiasts last weekend, armed with maps and even a printout of a Google map…[i]and you know what could happen then[/i]… and even with a hand held GPS, it took a few stops to ‘consolidate ideas’ to determine where were ‘exactly’.
I can just imagine [i]Garmin[/i] telling us to turn at the corner where the light brown cows…not the chestnut colored ones… were ‘chewing the cud…’.[quote=”alexander69″][quote=”jtd2″][quote=”lavemder”]Please help us prepare for a long-term trip to CR.
What navigation system works the best? Is it better to buy one in CR? What brand, where to buy it?
Garmin or Tom tom? How many rental cars have navigation system in it?
Thanks in advance…[/quote]Try: http://www.gpstravelmaps.com/costarica.php
Have a nice trip!!![/quote]
Good road signs! HAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!! CR does not have road signs other than the major highways and no addresses, so yes, I can read a paper map and have but like everyone said once off the main drag you are F&*^% without a GPS. Spend the freakin money and use common sense.[/quote]
Alexander69,
Are you responding to the website link that I posted??? The link that I posted provided a GPS navigational software of Costa Rica for Garmin GPS devices…they had an update last Nov. 2010 that fixes the general navigation fixes throughout Costa Rica and added more roads. Since then, I had no problem so far…
You can also download a Costa Rica GPS map here:
http://www.mangovalley.com/costa-rica-gps/It’s absolutely free for personal use. The drawbacks: no support or guarantees.
We found the map to be very good. We use Magellan, so we had to convert it before uploading. For Garmin, you just upload it and you’re ready to go.
Thank You all so much. We will bring our Garmin and download Cr maps in CR. Marry Christmas you all!
[quote=”CRResourceGuide”]Where do you go around Costa Rica Bill – San Jose to Jaco & back??? Sure there are some easy routes but then you’re not really EXPLORING Costa Rica!
I don’t know WHERE you’ve seen many “road signs” here – let alone a DECENT map to navigate you around???
For those not familiar with CR – there aren’t a lot of street signs & when we do, it’s OFTEN SUDDENLY – AT the exit (like the one taking you from Escazu to the airport – oh, & it’s like 16″ wide & 4″ tall with NO lights around it) – heck – we don’t even have ADDRESSES!![/quote]
I am not quite sure how to say this without letting the cat out of the bag, but people (including me) have been exploring Costa Rica’s back roads for many years, long before there was a GPS system available. I, and they, did it using whatever maps were available and the benefit of stopping and asking the friendly people of CR for directions and local knowledge.
For the benefit of “CRResourceGuide”, yes there are many road signs on the back roads of CR. If you could find the time to stop meditating for a bit, get out of Escazu and away from your “House of Connections”, and quit looking for “street signs and addresses” you will obviously be surprised to see how many government-installed directional signs there are all over the countryside on the back roads offering more than sufficient directions to the next town and towns beyond, as well as those towns that are to the left and right.
Just so you will recognize them, they are rectangular white signs with black letters and numbers (km distance). Are the distances always correct, NO, but I would be surprised if they were. More often than not the stated distance is “optimistic”, but it is close enough.
And no, I don’t drive between San Jose and Jaco. I haven’t been to Jaco in many years, but I have been coming to CR since before the “Amistad Bridge” was constructed and you had to take the ferry to the Nicoya Peninsula, and before the road from Nicoya to Samara to Carrillo was even paved. So I have been exploring for a bit of time.
My car is 5 years old and has almost 80,000km on it and about the only time we use it is either to go to/from the Liberia airport and to go exploring. I can’t say that we’ve been to all parts of the country, but we have extensively explored Guanacaste, Puntarenas all the way down to Golfito, and the area all between SJO and Arenal. Our local, everyday vehicle is a 4-seat diesel UTV by ClubCar, and we use that for exploring as well. It is less than 2 years old and has 340 hours on it and is ready for its 3rd set of tires. At 40kph (top end) or slower on the area’s rough roads it is a great exploring vehicle up and down the Nicoya Peninsula and as far inland as Nicoya, Hojancha, Mansion, Nosara, etc., and all the little towns in between.
I offer two pieces of advice to anyone visiting CR:
1. get (or rent) a GPS if you think that will make you more comfortable – especially if you are planning to drive in and around San Jose. If you are flying into SJO and leaving straight from the airport it is not as critical a piece of equipment.
2. be wary of taking advice about “exploring” from a self proclaimed “resource” guide whose own website describes her rental home as being [i]“in the heart of all the gringo conveniences, home to many Ambassadors & also known as the “Beverly Hills of Costa Rica” – in San Rafael de ESCAZU”. [/i]Now that is REALLY EXPLORING!!!My sister and her husband were in CR for two weeks awhile back and put 1400 miles on the rental car. They had a thrilling time. They always do what people tell them not to do. They left the airport at 3 pm and made it to somewhere after dark. They did have a few comments about being passed by a bus while they were passing a car. lol No GPS and a great time was had.
I don’t recall ever having too much trouble finding my way around by car on my first visit…with the exception of finding a particular nice hotel in San Jose at night. I simply stopped a taxi driver and asked him to lead the way. I paid for the fare after I arrived at my destination. But that was my fault for driving in a new area at night.
Otherwise, I really don’t see the need for a GPS. Locals are always happy to give you directions, whether they know the way or not. :-}
I have been having fun reading this thread. I now have a long-running back-and-forth discussion with friends who wouldn’t leave their house without their GPS to guide them. I don’t want a GPS because it would have robbed me of some great experiences that I have had exploring Costa Rica.
Getting lost, getting found and the little “consultations” with various and sundry Costa Rican strangers has been one of the special delights we have shared while exploring different parts of Costa Rica.
I will admit that San Jose is pretty intimidating, but we have managed (so far) to find every place we needed with very little fuss. Of course, we always get good directions from someone before we take off for San Jose proper.
Road trips have always been one of the great pleasures of my life and introducing the GPS would undoubtedly subtract the serendipty and fun from the activity.
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