Be aware when parking in cities such as San Jose, there are individuals that will `help` you park your car and then ask you for money to watch your car! These people are `unofficial` parking attendants in the cities and it can be well worth paying them a few colones (500 colones = less than $1) to watch your car, which is a good way to avoid it from being broken into or worse, stolen. These guys are called `Los Guachimanes` or watchmen and are generally just regular honest people who are trying to make a living and normally patrol parking found on a city block, outside a restaurant or by the beach.

The weather in Costa Rica can make for treacherous driving conditions during the rainy season, which runs from May through November. Many of the roads throughout the country are in poor condition and the drainage system is very inadequate, so roads just wash away! The roads during the wet season are prone to washouts and landslides making it dangerous to drive on the mountain and hillsides. Some of the roads to use extra caution on during this time are Route 2 which runs between San Jose and San Isidro de El General, Route 32 runs between San Jose and Limon on the Caribbean Coast and Route 27 which connects San Jose to Puntarenas and Jaco. During the rainy season, many of the mountain routes can be closed for several days at a time, the rainiest months are August and September.

Many of the bridges throughout the country of Costa Rica are narrow one-lane bridges that are used to cross the rivers. A general rule to follow on these bridges is the car that arrives at the bridge first has the right of way and any cars behind going in the same direction can proceed over the bridge, then vice versa. Puente Adelante is the sign for these bridges, be on the lookout when driving as they can come up quickly.

There are also many rivers to cross in Costa Rica, that don`t have bridges. Most of the time it is a small stream that is passable with a regular sedan, keep in mind most rental car agreements void river crossing and the insurance will not cover any damage caused to the car. A good rule of thumb when coming to a river crossing is to get out of the vehicle and wade across to check the depth of the water or observe another car going through and follow the path they take.

Driving at night in a foreign country can be daunting for anyone, driving in Costa Rica at night in certain areas can be downright scary and a recipe for disaster. The signposting here is pretty much non-existent and major changes in the road and terrain can come up without warning. There are no street lights especially out in the mountains and countryside. The roads here can unexpectedly end, trees and poles grow in the streets and the potholes and manholes can be the size of a small car! Add darkness to these conditions and you could end up in a serious accident. Try to avoid driving at night unless you are in the main cities or populated areas with other cars and lights to navigate.

The driving distances in Costa Rica can be misleading, on a map it may seem very close to drive from one area to the next, but the distances are actually a lot greater than they seem. On a map, Arenal looks like it is situated very close to Monteverde, but it will take you three hours to get there by car, the same applies driving from Arenal to Liberia, it looks close by but is a 3-hour journey. A Lot of the driving in Costa Rica is an adventure and if you are traveling along the remote rural dirt roads the journey can take a lot longer. It is recommended to drive using a GPS in Costa Rica especially in the more remote areas where signs are not common. The Waze app also works great in Costa Rica.