By Car
From airport to el Arbol
On leaving the airport go right stay on right lane and follow the highway to San Jose you are on the highway go straight on to San José at the traffic light.
After the Hospital de Mexico (on you right side) you take the exit La Uruca.
On the rotonda the third exit (going under the viaduct).
At the traffic lights turn right, the cookies factory Pozuelo is on your left hand side.
Follow direction San José, follow the middle lane as far as possible.
After the garage Mercedes/Jeep/Chrysler you will see a Shell gas station, keep right here.
At the 3rd traffic light turn left (gas station Interamericana on your left hand side), at the next gas station (left hand side) at the traffic lights go right (Guadalupe), take the first street left (on your right hand there is a big bus station), next street you must go to the right. You are on what is basically a really big rotonda. Stay on the left hand side (passing HSBC) and onto another road (from where you entered the rotonda to here is like a left hand turn), this road is going a little bit up (be careful when you enter this road).
At he traffic lights straight on direction Limón (route 32), through Braulio Carillo National Park and Costa Rica’s only tunnel. You will have to pay 250 colones toll just after leaving San Jose and before entering Braulio Carillo National Park.
Follow the highway direction Guápiles and pass this town then just keep going direction Siquirres.
Keep following the highway and finally you will reach Puerto Limón, or simply Limon.
Here you will see the containers of the banana and other fruit companies left and right from the highway. Limon is the biggest harbor of Costa Rica.
In Puerto Limón you turn right at the second traffic light (Texaco gas station on your right hand side), direction Cahuita / Puerto Viejo / Manzanillo / Sixaola. There is a left hand turn on a Y intersection you have to make after about 20 kilometers, direction Sixaola (sign on your right hand side). Keep following the road for about another 40 kilometers. You enter a little town called Hone Creek over a bridge and after the bridge you will see a gas station on your right hand side. This is the last gas station – fill up your tank. After this gas station the road bends to the left past Pali supermarket and then the road turns right. This is another Y intersection and you don’t follow the road to the right but keep going straight. You are now 5 kilometers from Puerto Viejo. Follow the road and at some point it turns right and suddenly you are driving next to the ocean. You cross a bridge and a little further down you will see the famous barge just off the beach in the ocean. Cross another bridge and you are entering Puerto Viejo. On your right hand side there is a Banco de Costa Rica and a Banco Nacional de Costa Rica (this one at the end of the little ‘strip mall’ leading off to the right). They both have an ATM. Last opportunity to get money.
Follow the main road through Puerto Viejo and keep following for 9 miles after. Manzanillo is situated at the end of the road.
12 kms south of Puerto Viejo, just before entering Manzanillo, there is a road to the right. There is a sign El Arbol (next to a big sign centro de vacanciones de RECOPE), turn right and after 500 m (opposite the Recope / Fonapre compound) you turn right again. Follow our jungle road for 400 m and you have arrived. You pass our house on the right and can park 20 meters after that end of the road before the bridge is the parking lot.
Arrival: El Arbol GPS: 9°37’11” N, 82°39’43” W
From San Jose (alternative route)
In the rare case the highway is closed off, there is a beautiful, scenic, alternative route from San Jose to the Caribbean coast. From San Jose you drive to Cartago. There you follow the 42 to Turrialba. When you have passed Turrialba follow Siquirres/Limon follow the signs to Limon and drive as above. It will take a little longer but is well worth the trip.
By Air
Look for daily flights to Limon on websites from national airlines (below). From the airstrip in Limon it is a 1,5 hour ride to Manzanillo.
Nature air www.natureair.com
Sansa www.flysansa.com
We advise you to book your ticket to and from Limon in advance. Please note its not always possible to fly into limon , schedules change heavily.
It is possible to get to us by private plane, please inform for details.
By Local Bus
5 daily local buses depart from Gran Terminal del Caribe, San Jose
By Shuttlebus
Shuttlebus companies like Interbus and Greyline have daily rides to and from all destinations in Costa Rica. You have to book and pay in advance with your credit card.
Private Transfer
We can arrange a private transfer to and from any hotel in Costa Rica. For more information and bookings please contact us in advance.
If you would like to know more about El Árbol, if you have any further questions, suggestions or comments, please contact us at any time.
Would you like to see what guests that visited us before think of El Arbol? Look at for example: www.tripadvisor.com or www.zoover.nl. We appreciate your comments after you have visited us too!
P.O. Box 95
7304 Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Costa Rica
T: (00506) 8721 3949
CHECK IN: 3.00 PM CHECK OUT: 11.00 AM
GPS:
9°37’11” N, 82°39’43” W