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| Casa de Ventanas Driving Directions From Int’l Juan Santa Maria Aeropuerto around San Jose via “ring road” (highway #39) to San Isidro and on to Dominical and Casa de Ventanas. Notes: You will need to change a little money at the airport. It is also a good idea to buy a phone card at baggage claim at the airport. They come in $5, 10 and 20 denominations and work in any pay phone in the country. Rates are very reasonable to the USA (around 25 cents/minute). It’s also a good idea to have a bottle of water in the car. Not all restrooms have t.p.; take some from your hotel room. Take a right out of the airport and follow signs to San Jose. Stay on this road for approximately 15-17 km. *Important Turn: Get in right lane and look for green highway signs, Highway #39 and Pavas. IMMEDIATELY after these signs you will be on an overpass (or elevated highway). IMMEDIATELY, turn right (in front of a fountain) and get on highway 39 towards Pavas. You will be staying on #39 for a long time. This is the “ring road” or “Beltway” around the center of San Jose. You will pass signs for Pavas, Escazu, Hatillo and go through 2 or 3 stop lights. After the 2 or 3 stop lights, you now will go through several roundabouts. And you will be exiting each roundabout as if you were going straight. Be sure and use your run signal to indicate your exit. The roundabouts will have the big green signs, first to San Sebastian, then Paso Acho with the big store “HiperMas” on the right. You will go through a park over an elevated part of the highway with water on both sides. The next roundabout is for Zapote. There are several tall statues – 3 prominent ones in the center – still keep going straight and get into the right lane of traffic. *Important Turn: You will be exiting #39 soon. Follow green signs to San Pedro Highway 2. You will see a large orange building on left called Planet Mall. You will come to a stop sign (ALTO). After the stop sign, turn right at the Yield sign – onto the major road (now the little one just before). Traffic will be coming from left under the busy overpass. You are now on Highway 2 (Pan American Highway). Go approximately 2-3 km through a densely populated business area, eventually past McDonald’s on the right and Plaza del Sol on the left. Pick up signs for Curridabat. You will pass several car dealerships on the right and left. Look for green signs for Cartago and S.Isidro Gral. *Important Turn: Keep right at sign for Cartago 17km and continue on divided highway (still Highway 2). You will need 100 colone coin soon to go through toll booth. *Important Turn: After toll booth look for signs for Cartago and bear right at 4 Cartago. Stay straight on #2 through large stretch of industrial businesses. *Important Turn: Do NOT go left at sign Cartago 3 – Exit right. Now you are on the only road to San Isidro – still higway #2 – up over the Cierro del Muerte. Climate will change dramatically. A couple of “bus stops” are up high at top of mountain; good for bathroom stops and stretching to get out of the car. Stop for a bottle of water. This will seem a long drive. It’s hard to pass trucks and everything moves slowly at times. When you finally get over the mountain and down the other side (approximately 3 hours), you will come into San Isidro. Turn right at McDonald’s. Go straight through 4 or 5 stop lights and then bear right at “El Una Mas” bar. You are now on the only road to Dominical. This is a terrible road full of pot holes. Drive slowly and be careful. Other cars will be weaving and dodging pot holes as well. Once you arrive at Dominical you will come to a “T” in the road with a fruit stand and the police check point. You will turn left and head south on the Costanera Sur Highway. It will be the best highway you will have encountered in Costa Rica. Dominical is an immediate right off the highway once you cross over the Rio Baru. Continue south on the Costanera Sur. You will drive about 15 minutes and come to Uvita. From there proceed south another 10-15 minutes and you will come to the “Ventanas de Osa” service station and other stores on your left. Immediately after the Ventanas de Osa you will see the entrance sign to “Cinco Ventanas”. You will turn in here and proceed straight until you come to your first left. Turn left and head up the mountain. |
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