Location
The Caño Negro district is located in the canton of Los Chiles in the Province of Alajuela, Costa Rica. Its access routes are only by road and by boat through the Caño Negro lagoons. The main accesses to Caño Negro are described below.
From San Jose
Take the inter-American highway via San Ramon de Alajuela. Then we continue on a picturesque road to Bajo de Los Rodríguez, where we take the route to Santa Clara, Florencia and Muelle. From Muelle, the highway continues towards the North of the country (Los Chiles) passing through Buenos Aires, Santa Rosa until reaching the Jobo intersection where the detour to Caño Negro is located, and from the detour to Caño Negro you begin to travel a gravel road for 19 kilometers.
Another access route from San Jose can be via Naranjo, Zarcero, Ciudad Quesada, Florencia, Platanar and Muelle.
The entire road is in good condition and due to the state of the gravel road to Caño Negro, the use of a four-wheel drive car is recommended. Additionally, the entry of minibuses must be of a maximum size of a Toyota Coaster or similar. The gravel road is passable all year round.
The duration of the entire tour is approximately 3:50.
From Fortuna
You leave La Fortuna de San Carlos, and take the road that goes towards Tanque, from there you follow the road towards San Rafael de Guatuso (passing through Monterrey), and continue to Colonia Puntarenas, where you take the road to ballast for 26 kilometers towards Caño Negro.
The duration of the entire tour is approximately 3:30 hours.
The road from La Fortuna to the Puntarenas neighborhood crossing in Upala is paved and is in good condition. Due to the state of the gravel road to Caño Negro, the use of a four-wheel drive car is recommended. Additionally, the entry of minibuses must be of a maximum size of a Toyota Coaster or similar. The gravel road is passable all year round.
From Guanacaste
Taking Liberia as your starting point, take the inter-American highway until 4 km before the entrance to Cañas, at this point you turn left (there is clear signage on the inter-American highway towards Upala) and continue for 63 kilometers on a picturesque road to Upala. When you reach the Upala bridge, continue for 12 more kilometers and in Colonia Puntarenas, take the detour to Caño Negro (there is signage) along a 26-kilometer gravel road.
The duration of the entire tour is approximately 3:30 hours
The Inter-American highway and the highway to Upala are paved and are in good condition. Due to the state of the gravel road to Caño Negro, the use of a four-wheel drive car is recommended. Additionally, the entry of minibuses must be of a maximum size of a Toyota Coaster or similar. The gravel road is passable all year round.