When most American's think of Costa Rica it stirs up images of Instagram models at beach resorts along the Gold Coast and American ex-pats who still like having a Walmart just down the street. But outside of the tourist areas, there is another Costa Rica, one that is best explored on a motorcycle. If you can't find a friend with a cool vintage bike, Elephant Motorcycle Tours will rent you a BMW GS, a very capable bike and perfect for exploring Costa Rica. Route 32 starts in the heart of San José and snakes its way across the countryside ending in Puerto Limón on the Caribbean Coast.
The ride from San José to Limón is about four hours long and takes you up the foothills and into the mountains of Braulio Carrillo National Park, by Brava Volcano, and through the Zurquà tunnel before descending back down towards the Caribbean. Once you have arrived in Puerto Limón, be sure to spend a few days exploring this amazing city. Hotels in Limón can be as inexpensive as $25 a night, but you might want to spend a little more. Columbus landed in the area around 1502, but nothing really developed until the mid-1800s when the port was established. The port has been a popular stop for cruise ships, so it is accommodating to tourists.
The next day head down Route 36, which hugs the Caribbean Coast, taking you through sleepy beach towns like Westfalia and Penshurt. Plan to stop for lunch in Cahuita and then visit Parque Nacional Cahuita, which is known for its blue water beaches and wildlife. From there keep heading down the coast taking 256 which deadends in the seaside town of Manzanillo, plan on spending the night at a beachside hotel, if you like surfing, diving, or snorkeling, you won't be shy of opportunities in this region.
Heading back out on 256, you may want to stop in at the Jaguar Rescue Center, a charity that supports local wildlife initiatives and rehabilitates and protects the region's unique animals. They offer public and private tours, a night tour, and a VIP experience where you will get to experience animals up close and hike into the La Ceiba Natural Reserve at night to see animals in the wild. Another way to support the center is to book your accommodations at one of their bungalows on site.
From here there isn't much choice except to backtrack to make your way to San José until you come to the town of Siquirres, where a fork in the road takes you down Route 10, a twisty mountain road that eventually takes you to the charming town of Turrialba. The area is known for its white water rafting, pre-Columbian ruins of Guayabo, and incredible views of Irazú and Turrialba volcanos. For about $50 a night you can book at the Pacuare River Lodge, which in addition to being one of the best hotels in the area also offers rafting trips and kayaking if you are looking to get off the bike for a bit.
When you are ready to leave Turrialba to head back to San José take the long way up on highway 230 which takes you through a series of small mountain villages and ends up in the same place as Route 10, the city of Cartago. From there take 219 to Route 2 which will lead you right back to the heart of San José.
This trip can take a little as three days, but five to six will give you more time to enjoy the sights and experience the different parts of Costa Rica. If you have never been I suggest visiting their official tourism website and if you are not comfortable riding on your own look into a guided motorcycle tour as a quick Google search will yield dozens of companies providing tours and bike rentals.
Enjoy more photos from my trip below:
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