Driving to Drake Bay Without a 4x4 Car + Map

We recently drove from Uvita to Drake Bay during our road trip around Costa Rica. With the newly finished road, it’s now easily possible to reach Drake Bay with a regular car as bridges render river crossings unnecessary.

Here’s our full guide on getting to Drake Bay by car:

• How to Get to Drake Bay Costa Rica by Car
  • Considerations When Driving to Drake Bay
  • Driving Drake Bay Map
  • Drake Bay by Car Step-by-Step Guide

How to Get to Drake Bay Costa Rica by Car

Considerations When Driving to Drake Bay

• Some sections of the drive are gravelly so be realistic about your confidence level as a driver – especially during the rainy season.
• The road is narrow and gravelly so budget plenty of time.
• The last gas station is in Chacarita.
• Don’t trust the route on Google Maps! It will lead you to river crossings. We have marked the correct roads and turns on our map!
• Check if your accommodation is accessible by road or only by boat!

Driving Drake Bay Map

Drake Bay by Car Step-by-Step Guide

Here’s how to drive to Drake Bay:

1. Palmar Norte to Chacarita

Coming from pretty much anywhere in Costa Rica, you’ll first reach Palmar Norte on your way down the Osa Peninsula. Here, you’ll continue for a bit on the Inter-American Highway (Route 2). The main route to Drake Bay leaves the Inter-American Highway at Chacarita. Here, you’ll turn to Route 245.

2. Chacarita to Rincon

Route 245 connects Chacarita and Puerto Jimenez. To get to Drake Bay, you have to turn again just after the town of Rincon. It’s roughly a 45-minute drive from Chacarita. The road does not have a name but we have marked the point on our map.

3. Rincon to Rancho Quemado

For the last 30 km / 18 mi, this is where the road becomes gravelly. Only consider this drive if you’re a confident driver! Some sections on this part are also quite steep but the steep parts are paved.

3. Rancho Quemado to Agujitas

Just behind Rancho Quemado, around 7 km / 4 mi before Agujitas, things get a little more complicated. This is the spot where you can’t trust Google Maps. Google Maps (and common sense) will tell you to go straight but you actually have to turn left!

Take the left road when you reach the spot we marked as “crossroads” on our map. There, you’ll find a sign saying “Punte / Bridge Drake Bay” (see picture below from Costa Rica Travel Blog).

4. Driving in Agujitas and Drake Bay

Agujitas is the main town in Drake Bay. Check out the location of your accommodation before you go. While you should be able to reach all accommodations in town by car, there are some remote accommodations which you can only reach by boat!

We had no problems driving to our accommodation Corcovado Adventures.

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