Driving in Costa Rica can be one of the most intense experiences in one's life. Driving there seems like chaos, but once you understand the difference between what you are accustomed to and the driving habits of Costa Ricans, you will feel more comfortable.
Costa Rica is a very small country and most tourist destinations are within a few hours drive of San José. Not only will you drive through beautiful countryside, but some small, out-of-the-way places will only be discovered by car. The adventure lover will appreciate the freedom to explore.
If you are only staying in San Jose it’s not recommended to rent a car. Traffic and parking can be difficult and finding your way around is almost impossible, as most buildings don't have addresses. Taxis are not only relatively cheap, but the drivers know where everything is. Driving outside of San José is considerably less frantic but still a quite experience.
A combination of unpredictable road conditions, aggressive drivers and changing weather calls for tourist drivers to be cautious. Driving over the mountains to either coast at night, especially your first night in town is not recommended. During the day you will have the problems of potholes, cars passing where they shouldn't and being stuck behind a banana truck doing 5 mph. However, if you allow plenty of time and drive with care you shouldn't have any difficulty. So many tourists rent cars, that at times none of the 40 car rental agencies have one available. Very few tourists have problems, although there are some real horror stories.
The law requires you to drive on the right hand right of the road, the same as the United States. When driving in Costa Rica, lanes are not always used so it is important to understand that you must always signal other drivers with your turn signal in order to show your driving intentions.
Speed limits in Costa Rica are posted in Kilometers Per Hour (km/h) and the basic math formula to calculate Kilometers Per Hour to Miles Per Hour is to multiply the posted Kilometers speed by .62, for example 60 Kph is equal to roughly 36 mph. The speed limits in Costa Rica are much lower than those in the United States with the fastest speed usually not being over 80 km/h.
You should have a valid American or international driver's license before driving in Costa Rica. There are few reasons you may consider to get Costa Rican driver license. To obtain a Costa Rican Driver's License, all you need to do is go to MOPT, which is the equivalent of the DMV in The United States, and apply for a license using you current U.S state issued driver's license.
When parking your car, often there is a man shouting at you to guide you to park. These guys that help people parked, more often at night, are called Wachiman or Wachi. They make their money by watching your car while you are away. Sometimes these men do absolutely nothing to watch your car. However, you are obligated to tip them. Remember, to only tip a wachiman if you come back to your vehicle and nothing is missing or wrong with the car. A typical tip for a wachiman is between 100 and 300 colones depending on your generosity. Remember to keep your car locked and do not leave any belongings in the car where they might be spotted by passersby. Theft is a big problem in Costa Rica.
Pull over if a police officer signals you to do so. Police officers may ask you to stop if there is an accident ahead, a checkpoint or if you are violating the law by not carrying a license plate or exceeding the speed limit, for example.
Your personal documents and the vehicle's registration papers are private property and may not be retained by police officers for any reason.
Posts
