mybluegirl asked 7 years ago
Hi, thanks so much for all your useful information! Has helped greatly in planning our trip for December. We arrive at LIB airport at 2:40pm on a Saturday and intended to make it to La Fortuna that night, booking via your rental page. I’ve read several blogs and most advise not to drive in the dark to this area. From what I can gather, it’s related to twisty roads and darkness. If the road is well paved and we drive for conditions (ie.. dark and unfamiliar road)… is there any other reason(s) why we shouldn’t plan to get there that night? We live in a rural area, no street lights, no highways…. so I’m just looking for your thoughts on this. thanks!
Jenn and Matt Staff answered 7 years ago
Hi mybluegirl,
Yes, it is possible to drive in the dark. However, like you said, the road is very curvy around the lake and it is not lit. A lot of Costa Rica’s back roads (including this one) also have faded or no painted lines, no reflectors, some areas without guardrails, very narrow sections, etc. It also often rains at night so you have to add the glare on your windshield of oncoming traffic, which can make it almost impossible to see (with no lines on the road to guide you). So while you can totally make it there safely in the dark, it can also be dangerous or at the very least, exhausting. After living here for more than 4 years, we try to avoid driving at night whenever we can and usually only go a short distance (out to dinner and back). So while it is possible, it’s not recommended. For people who really want to get to their destination the same night, we often recommend taking a private shuttle and then picking up the rental car from their destination the next day. The shuttle drivers know the routes very well so it is a much safer option.
