San Isidro del General
Traveling to San Isidro del General from the Pacific coast
There are three possible ways to arrive at San Isidro del General in the Perez Zeledon district; over the southwestern ridge of the central mountain range via San Jose and Cartago, via the Pan-American highway from Buenos Aires and San Vito in the south, or the coastal road from Quepos or Dominical in the west. With the first two options, the first familiar sign on arrival for international travelers is MacDonald’s Restaurant, which is prominently located on the Pan-American highway at the perimeter of town center.
This tour takes the third option and begins at the T-intersection at Dominical, where the ‘Costanera’ turns into the inland road, having just crossed the bridge over the Baru River, where the traffic police are stationed.
About a mile out on the right there is a carwash and tire repair shop, which has a reputation for prompt and efficient service. A mile further is Baru Village, with a couple of sodas, mini-supers and a hardware store. On the left a gravel road curves sharply uphill to the Laguna residential community. Up next are the turnoffs to Don Lulu’s Nauyaca Falls horseriding tours and Waterfalls Villas Resort. From here to the mountain village of Platanillo, about 15 minutes away, vehicles huff and puff on the windy ascend. Potential roadside respites include a couple of handicraft shacks, fruit and vegetable stalls and sodas.
Another mountain village known as Tinamaste is a few minutes further along, with a white church by the road as its landmark. This is where drivers like to pull over to give their overheated engines a break. A few miles before entering town, the vista opens and San Isidro gleams in the horizon like a quintessential white town, with the majestic Chirripo mountain rising behind it. A couple of restaurants on the descend offer picture-taking opportunities of the sweeping valley view.
There are two ways to get to the heart of town from the outskirt; at the fork road, the north approach veers left and go up a small hill, from there all town streets are down to the right; the south approach leads to the stadium, then the supermarket Pali. There the road becomes one-way and vehicles have to turn either left or right. The right turn leads to supermarket MegaSuper and the post office next door, the left turn leads to a large commercial complex where restaurant Citrus is located. This area is also home to the central bus station, the central market and supermarket Coopelianza.
The best way to enjoy San Isidro is on foot. The town is compact, neatly laid out and pedestrian-friendly. Make your way to the town square, where the church is, and cover a few streets in each direction; there is an amazing variety of shops and eateries. If you chance to visit on a Thursday or Friday, the farmers market is a block from the stadium and the hospital; ask for direction to the ‘feria.’
At the time of writing, there is only one shopping mall in San Isidro and that is located about three miles out of town on the Pan-American highway, adjacent to the Hotel del Sur. For lodging options in the region visit San Isidro Lodges and B&Bs. For those who are planning to visit Chirripo National Park, Hotel Monte Azul by the Chirripo River will be a delightful discovery - an exquisite eco hotel created by artists for art lovers.
