Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
San José
US$7, four hours, departs 5am, 7am, 9:30am, 2pm and 5pm.
Santa Elena/Monteverde
US$3, 2½ hours, departs 4am and 12:30pm.
NORTHERN LOWLANDS
Los Chiles
Seventy kilometers north of Muelle on a smooth, paved road through the sugarcane, and
just three rutted kilometers south of the Nicaraguan border, lies the sweltering farming and
fishing town of Los Chiles. The humid lowland village, arranged with dilapidated grace
around a ragged soccer field and along the unmanicured banks of the leisurely Río Frío, is
charming by border-town standards, sex workers and foreboding 'import-export' types not-
withstanding. It was originally settled by merchants and fisherfolk who worked on the
nearby Río San Juan, much of which forms the Nicaragua-Costa Rica border. In recent
history, Los Chiles served as an important supply route for the Contras in Nicaragua, and
was home to a strong US military presence throughout the 1980s.
Gringo traffic is on the rise in Los Chiles as it's a great base for enjoying the scenic wa-
ter route to Caño Negro, and an early-morning excursion by small motorized boat is an ad-
venture in itself. The second big draw is the scenic route to Nicaragua, a one-hour boat
ride across the border that is becoming increasingly popular among foreign tourists. Cross-
ing the border via the river is a relaxing, hassle-free way to go. Although the road contin-
ues past Los Chiles to Nicaragua, this border post is closed. The police patrolling this line
in the sand are heavily armed and extremely bored, so don't waste your time or energy
there.
