Map of Playa Coyote, San Miguel, Bejuco and Islita until Carrillo /Samara
The area between Playa Coyote and Carrillo /Samara hosts some of the most remote and undeveloped beaches
of the Nicoya Peninsula. Here you find the authentic rural Costa Rica
with quiet hamlets, pastureland, and dramatic coastal scenery. Only few hotels and lodgings are dispersed along the route.
In dry season you can drive all the way with a simple passenger car. In rainy season however, some tracks can prove impassable even with a 4WD. Before you head off fill up on gasoline and check if your spare tire and tools are in good order.
In rainy season from Punta Coyote to San Francisco de Coyote:
With heavy rains the Rio Jabillo sometimes floods the road and turns it into quagmires.
Rains can also turn the slopes of the hilly surroundings near Islita into mud slides.
Fording the Rio Ora in dry season
From Samara /Carrillo to Punta Islita:
with no rains you can turn left at Estrada, 5 km north of Carrillo, and then cross
the Rio Ora. 1 km after the river turn left again and drive 10 km until Punta Islita.
With rains don't try to ford the river. Instead continue from Estrada for another 7 km until you get to Santa Marta where you
turn left driving on the bridge over the Rio Ora.
Driving along the coast from Malpais/Santa Teresa to Coyote:
From Mal Pais and Santa Teresa: see description and road map Manzanillo to Playa Coyote
Coming from the Costa Rica mainland:
To reach the beaches of Playa Coyote and San Miguel you can take the
Ferry from Punatarenas to Naranjo, then drive via Jicaral
to San Francisco de Coyote.
If coming from Nicoya or the Tempisque bridge drive to Carmona where you turn right to
Bejuco then continue south to San Miguel and Playa Coyote.
The fastest way to get to Punta Islita is on the paved road from Nicoya or the Tempisque Brigde via Hojancha.
