Driving from Tamarindo to Monteverde

Driving Directions from Tamarindo to Monteverde: The fastest, most direct route is to get to the Pan American Highway by crossing the Tempisque River via the El Puente La Amistad (Friendship Bridge). You could also get to the Pan American Highway by going through Liberia - this route is longer so don't take it! Toucan Guides has a pretty good FREE map you can download to see the route. And here are step-by-step directions.

1. Leaving Tamarindo, follow the signs East to Santa Cruz (27km away) - there will be some flat stretches of dirt road w/potholes before you get to Santa Cruz, but it's not very bad (see video below).
2. From Santa Cruz, head SE towards Nicoya (20km away).
3. Follow signs to the Puente La Amistad bridge (30km away). Stay to the left when you see a fork in the road for "ferries." You will reach the bridge a couple kilometers later.
4. Turn Right on the Pan American Highway.
5. Turn left onto the dirt road to Monteverde (known as the second left to Monteverde) just after you cross the small bridge over the Rio Lagarto (Lagarto River). Here is a map showing this turnoff:

And finally, here are some video highlights of the drive. The dirt road to Monteverde is not bad at all - although people may tell you it's treacherous. This is not true at all! It is a fairly smooth dirt road with no sharp turns, severe grades and definitely no switchbacks. See the video for yourself...