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This is a map of the alternate access back road, via Margarita Road, going from Hone Creek towards Bribri, then towards Sixaola to Margarita, then to Playa Cocles. It is usually open when there is no heavy rain. A 4×4 or dirt bike is recommended but not always necessary, especially in the dry season. See DRIVING NOTES below.

Click the image below for a detailed map of the route:

Margarita Road - Alternate Route to Puerto Viejo - Click for wider image

Points of Caution:

Please bear in mind that during heavy rains this road becomes impassable, particularly at two points (illustrated below). Although there has been recent private efforts to improve the road, and it’s been built up and fortified ( a big thanks from all of us to Ned and Josh who spearheaded the project), when there’s extreme flooding as we had in November of 2008, the creeks and rivers themselves overflow and nature will take it’s course. This is very rare, but when this type of flooding occurs here, sometimes Margarita Road is the only alternative link to the outside world. If you are considering driving it during these types of conditions, please see the detailed driving notes below.

Margarita Road Points of Caution

Margarita Road Rainy Season Driving Notes:

There are narrow bridges which, when covered with muddy water, become invisible and it is easy to misjudge where you are, especially at two particular river points (see photo below). At both of these areas the water can overflow at the creeks and cover the bridges or even become too deep for vehicles to pass through without engine flooding. Proceed with caution during heavy rains.

NOTES ON THE ROUTE: Coming from the entrance of Margarita road on the Margarita side, driving towards Playa Cocles, the road starts at 20 meters elevation, rises to 95m elevation at 2.3 kilometers in, then starts to drop to 36m at an old wooden bridge 3.5km in (the lower caution point on the map), and continues to drop to 28m 3.8km in. The road stays an average of 30m elevation until 5km in, then begins its descent to the sea.

At this point you will see a long hedge on the west side of the road, and a place called Las Casas on the right. This is approaching another area of caution (the upper caution point on the map). There are two very narrow bridges here. The bridges are only 2.5m (7-1/2ft) wide, and have erosion around them. The second bridge is about 100 meters past this, at Dave’s Valley Apartments (on east side of the road). About 200 meters past this is a point in the road where water frequently flows over the road, just past Casa Farmer, a wooden house up on the east side of the road. From here the road goes down a rather steep hill out to the main road at Playa Cocles. Turn left for Puerto Viejo, right for Punta Uva/Manzanillo.