Directions and Maps

Villa Esmeralda is about 20 km south of Quepos and about 5 km north of Matapalo. We are at at 500m (1,500 ft.) and always have nice breezes and incredible views, including the Savegre River and Manuel Antonio Park.

You will need a four wheel drive to get here. The road is dirt south of Quepos and varies in condition from time to time. There are also a couple of steep parts off the main road when taking the road up to the house.

Let us know if you need help with up travel or car rentals.

Directions are interesting in Costa Rica. There are no street addresses in the country, and few road signs. See the Maps section, below.

If driving from Juan Santamaria airport in San Jose start by heading northwest. Immediately out of the airport follow signs that say San Ramon. Take the "La Garita" exit and head towards Athenas. You will drive over a windy mountain pass which is beautiful but takes a while. After you pass through Athenas, follow the signs to Jaco and Quepos. Proceed straight past Jaco and Parita and continue to Quepos. At Quepos follow the signs that say airport and Dominical.

Starting at Quepos the road becomes a dirt road. It is mostly flat and mostly straight, but occasionally has some good sized pot holes and ruts. Follow this a little over 20 kilometers. You will pass several small villages and cross the Savegre River. After crossing the river you will pass through the village of Pasito just before coming to Portalon.

At the "Hills of Portalon" sign in Portalon turn left off the main highway. Follow this up the hill about 4 km, or about 2.5 miles.

When you see a thatched roof "ranchito" and horse corrals on your right, you are getting very close. Keep going and you will pass one more house on the right. Keep going. Very soon you will see a small road off to the right and a property with three houses on it. Contratulations, you've arrived!

As of December, 2008, due to extensive work on the main hightwy, the enterance to the Hills of Portalon has changed. Some photos of the temporary entrance, along with detailed driving distances, are now availalbe. Also note that the left-hand turn off the main highway can be tricky. Please use care when turning, especially in the evening. Thank you!

Don't hesitate to call if you get lost. When driving in Costa Rica be careful. A lot of the bridges are one lane, but usually people are polite about sharing the road. Just take your time and plan for the possibliity of delays.

Be very careful when driving at night. Your best plan may be to find a place to stop for the night. This is especially true when it's raining. Night driving is best left to the locals.

An interactive map courtesy of Google Maps is available. This interactive map shows the village of Portalon but not the Hills of Portalon Development. (When viewing the Google Map, it will start on the Pacific Coast with a view from Quepos to Dominical with Portalon in the middle. Use the controls in the upper left and lower right corners to enlarge, reduce and move the map view.)

Other Maps of Costa Rica showing the location of Villa Esmeralda.

Click on any map for a larger view.