Sixaola to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica Road Trip: Route & Stops

By admin, 13 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Sixaola to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica is 315 miles (507 km), about 10 h 13 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Costa Rica — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution

Full advisory: Costa Rica. Advisory issued: Costa Rica April 02, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.

On the roads, the State Department says:

  • Costa Rica: “Try not to drive outside of urban areas at night.”
Volio WaterfallCahuita National ParkBarbilla National ParkBraulio Carrillo National ParkIrazú Volcano National ParkMelico Salazar TheatrePre-Columbian Gold MuseumMuseo La SalleBarra Honda National ParkSixaolaSanta Teresa, Costa Rica
Route from Sixaola to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Total distance315 mi (507 km)
Time at the wheel, no stops10 h 13 min
Provinces on the routeLimón, San José, Heredia, Alajuela, Puntarenas, Guanacaste
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 12.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below9

The Sixaola–Santa Teresa, Costa Rica drive in a few lines

It runs through 6 provinces: Limón, San José, Heredia, Alajuela, Puntarenas, Guanacaste. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.

Roads you'll take from Sixaola to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miProvince
local roads0–147147Limón, San José, Heredia
connecting roads147–1481San José
local roads148–18335San José, Alajuela
connecting roads183–1852Alajuela
local roads185–23247Alajuela, Puntarenas, Guanacaste
connecting roads232–2331Guanacaste
local roads233–31582Guanacaste, Puntarenas
  • Mile 122 of this route: Limón → San José (province line)
  • Mile 140 of this route: San José → Heredia (province line)
  • Mile 147 of this route: Heredia → San José (province line)
  • Mile 160 of this route: San José → Alajuela (province line)
  • Mile 193 of this route: Alajuela → Puntarenas (province line)
  • Mile 222 of this route: Puntarenas → Guanacaste (province line)
  • Mile 280 of this route: Guanacaste → Puntarenas (province line)
  • Mile 288 of this route: Puntarenas → Guanacaste (province line)
  • Mile 304 of this route: Guanacaste → Puntarenas (province line)

What to see on the way from Sixaola to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cahuita National Park (mile 24), Braulio Carrillo National Park (mile 127), Museo La Salle (mile 152)
  • Nature and outdoors: Volio Waterfall (mile 15), Cahuita National Park (mile 24), Barbilla National Park (mile 75), Braulio Carrillo National Park (mile 127), Irazú Volcano National Park (mile 139), Barra Honda National Park (mile 259)
  • Museums and history: Pre-Columbian Gold Museum (mile 148), Museo La Salle (mile 152)

Volio Waterfall

Mile 15 · Waterfall · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Near the town of Bribri in Limón Province, Volio Waterfall lies within the Bribri Indigenous reservation.

Cahuita National Park

Mile 24 · National park · 0.6 mi from the route

On Costa Rica's southern Caribbean coast next to the town of Cahuita, Cahuita National Park protects beaches, lowlands and coral reefs. Visitors can snorkel in the marine area, and sea turtles nest here.

Barbilla National Park

Mile 75 · National park · 9 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

On the eastern slopes of the Cordillera de Talamanca, Barbilla National Park belongs to the Caribbean La Amistad Conservation Area; it became a biological preserve in 1982 and a national park in 1998.

Braulio Carrillo National Park

Mile 127 · National park · 0.4 mi from the route

Braulio Carrillo National Park spreads across parts of Heredia, Cartago, Limón and San José provinces in central Costa Rica and forms part of the Central Conservation Area.

Irazú Volcano National Park

Mile 139 · National park · 10 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Established in 1955 in Cartago Province, Irazú Volcano National Park (Parque Nacional Volcán Irazú) encompasses Irazú Volcano and the Prusia Forest Reserve.

Melico Salazar Theatre

Mile 148 · Theater · 1 mi from the route

Concerts, recitals and plays fill the schedule at the Melico Salazar Theatre, a performance venue in San José, Costa Rica.

Pre-Columbian Gold Museum

Mile 148 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

Set in an underground building beneath the Plaza de la Cultura in San José, the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum is owned and curated by Costa Rica's central bank.

Museo La Salle

Mile 152 · Museum · 0.5 mi from the route

San José's La Salle natural history museum has three main halls with exhibits on insects, fish, reptiles and amphibians, birds, mammals and anthropology.

Barra Honda National Park

Mile 259 · National park · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Created in 1974 to protect its cave systems beneath Barra Honda Peak, Barra Honda National Park sits about 12 km from the Tempisque River in western Costa Rica.

More drives to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

From Sixaola to other places in Costa Rica

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to drive from Sixaola to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica?

About 10 h 13 min of driving without stops, over 315 miles.

How far is Santa Teresa, Costa Rica from Sixaola by car?

About 315 miles (507 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.

Is it safe to drive from Sixaola to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica?

The U.S. State Department rates Costa Rica Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.

Where can you stop on the way from Sixaola to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica?

Closest to the road: Cahuita National Park (national park, mile 24, 0.6 mi from the route); Braulio Carrillo National Park (national park, mile 127, 0.4 mi from the route); Museo La Salle (museum, mile 152, 0.5 mi from the route). All stops are described above.

How we put this guide together

Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.

Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.