Location

Guanacaste Map

Los Almendros de Ocotal:

–  #1 rated Specialty Lodging in Playa Ocotal (TripAdvisor.com, 2015)

–  Guanacaste’s Best Beachfront Value !!!

Driving Directions From San Jose Airport to Playa Ocotal,  3.5 Hours

Note: Kilometer readings may not be exact, but they are very close.   When driving after dark,  the occasional pothole may be difficult to see.  However, with these detailed directions, one can easily drive to Los Almendros at night. The roads from San Jose to Playa Ocotal are paved and in reasonably good condition.  Try to drive behind someone.  If the vehicle in front of you swerves to miss a pothole or something in the road, be prepared to do the same.

The directions below assume you pick-up your vehicle at the San Jose airport.  It is also very easy to get onto highway CA1 from the car rental agencies located 1 km from the airport.

• As you exit the airport, turn right.   Stay in the right lane.  Drive about 200 yards, going under a highway overpass.  Just after the overpass take the exit on the right onto a cloverleaf entrance onto CA1 (There is a brown sign for Parque Nacional Volcan Poas).  As you enter the highway… it splits.  Stay left, taking CA1 towards San Ramon.   Do not go to Alajuela…off to the right.

• After driving 6.1 kilometers on CA1, on the left you will see the Lanco Paint manufacturing plant and then the Dos Pinos dairy.

• Less than 1 kilometer past the Dos Pinos plant you will see a small overpass.  Slow down.  Go under the overpass and immediately exit on the right.  Stay to the right as you curl up and around to a small traffic circle.  When traffic clears, enter the traffic circle and immediately turn right to cross over the CA1.  A few meters past the overpass is a yield sign, and a second traffic circle (Note:You want to go straight ahead onto the highway.)  To enter onto the highway, go 180 degrees around the traffic circle and exit on the right.  Drive 5-6 kilometers until you come to a traffic circle.  Enter the traffic circle and then turn right, following the signs to Orotina & Atenas. You will drive only 100 meters before you must stop and pay toll at the entrance to Caldera Highway 27.

• You will pay toll three times on the Caldera Highway.  You pay toll when you enter the highway at the Ciruelas entrance.  You will also pay toll at Atenas and then again a few kilometers past Ortina.  You may pay tolls with colones or US dollars.  The exchange rate is roughly 540 colones/Dollar.  Each toll payment will be for a different amount.  The toll payments range between 500 and 700 colones.  Avoid the automated lanes dedicated to vehicles with a pre-paid “Qwik Pass”.  Always choose a lane identified as “Manual”.  Some lanes may identify and service both “Manual” and “Quik Pass”.

• Stay on the toll road, driving past Atenas, Ortina, Jaco and Caldera.  When you reach Caldera you will drive along the ocean towards Puntarenas.  Puntarenas will have several exits…stay on the main road.  The road will bend to the right after you pass Puntarenas.  You will pass a large gas station on your left.  1-2 kms past the first gas station, you will pass another gas station on your right.  Get in the left lane.  About ½ km past the second gas station the road divides. There are no signs!!!   Stay in the left lane, going straight ahead.    You will drive under the CA1 and then loop around to the right onto CA1 headed towards Liberia.  From this point, it is about a 1.5 hour drive to Liberia.

• After driving about 30 minutes on the CA1, you will pass the Caballo Blanco (White Horse) restaurant.  This is a very popular restaurant that in open until 9:00PM.  The restaurant will be on your right. A statue of a white horse is in front of the entrance to the restaurant.

• As you approach Liberia you will pass a gas station on the right. About 2km past the gas station is a stop light with a McDonald’s restaurant on the right.  Turn left onto HWY 21.

• After traveling 12km on HWY 21 you will pass Liberia’s Daniel Oduber International Airport.

• Drive past the airport, continuing on HWY 21 for another 10km.
  • You will pass over the River Tempisque, and shortly afterwards drive past the Do It Center on your right. Stay left on the main road as you pass the Do It Center.
  • About 2 km past the Do It Center there will be a gas station on your left.

• 25 yards past the gas station, turn right onto Hwy 151, the road leading to the area beaches (Coco, Hermosa, and Ocotal).

• Drive 13.8 km to Coco
  • When you reach the turn off to Sardinal, stay on the main road…it bends sharply to the right at the Sardinal turn off.
  • You will drive past a gas station on your left. Appox 3 kms past the gas station you will pass the turn-off to Playa Hermosa and Playa Panama. Stay left (straight ahead) on the main road to Coco and Ocotal.
  • The entrance to Coco is marked by a large antique boat anchor in the median of the road.
  • 1 km into Coco there is a shopping complex on the right. This new shopping center contains the Auto Mercado…the best supermarket in the area. The Auto Mercado is a good place to stock up on fresh fruit, beer, yogurt, cereals, meat, eggs etc. Auto Mercado is open until 8:00PM on weekdays, and 9:00PM on Friday and Saturday.
  • On the right, just past the Auto Mercado, is the Pacifico condo development. Drive slowly for another ½ km, looking for a small road on the left leading to Playa Ocotal.  The road is just a few feet past a large blue and white Super Compro sign on the left side ot the road. (If you miss the turn, you will enter the restaurant and business center of Coco).

• Turn left onto the road to Playa Ocotal and Los Almendros. Drive 3 km to Los Almendros. (Caution: The road is narrow and has many pedestrians and bicyclists. Drive slowly and be cautious as you go over one lane bridges…if you have a yield sign, give right-of-way to oncoming traffic).
  • After ½ km on the road to Ocotal, you will come to a two lane bridge…cross the bridge and follow the main road to the right.
  • After another ½ km you will pass some retail stores on both sides of the road.
  • 100 yards past the retail shops, the road forks. Stay left on the main road following the signs to Father Rooster’s.
  • The road will twist and turn all the way to the ocean. You know you are getting close when you pass on your left the gated entrance to the residential area above Playa Ocotal (Casa Blanca, Bahia Pez Vela, Father Rooster’s). Keep right (straight ahead) following the main road. After another 300 yards…you will go over a small rise and see the ocean.

• The entrance to Los Almendros is signed and lighted on the right. Turn right into Los Almendros. The Los Almendros office will be the first building on your left.
  • After 5:00PM the office is closed.
  • If you arrive after hours, the front gate is manned by two security guards. Identify yourself to the guards. The guards will give you your keys and show you to your condo.

Enjoy your stay at Los Almendros…Guanacaste’s best beachfront value!!!

Driving Directions from Liberia’s Daniel Oduber International Airport to Los Almendros, (30 minutes).

 
–  Exit the airport. Turn right onto HWY 21 towards Santa Cruz, Playa Hermosa, Playas del Coco, Playa Panama & Papagayo.
–  Follow the directions above, starting at the Daniel Oduber International Airport.