La Cruz and the border

Set on a plateau north of Parque Nacional Guanacaste, overlooking Bahía Salinas and the Pacific Ocean to the west, the tiny, sleepy town of LA CRUZ is the last settlement of any size before the border, just 20km away, and makes a reasonable stopover if you’re heading up to Nicaragua. The views at sunset are incredible, and there are a couple of good places to stay in town, although if you’re spending any length of time in the area you’d do better at one of the nearby tourist lodges such as Finca Cañas Castilla, a Swiss-run ranch on 150 acres of land alongside the River Sapoa.