Los Chiles

Introducing Los Chiles

Seventy sweltering kilometers north of Muelle on a smooth, paved road through the sugar cane, and just three dusty, red and heavily rutted kilometers south of the Nicaraguan border, lies the sleepy farming and fishing town of Los Chiles. The humid lowland village, arranged with dilapidated grace around a grassy soccer field and along the unmanicured banks of the leisurely Río Frío, is pleasant enough – almost charming by border-town standards. It was originally settled by merchants and fisherman who worked on the nearby Río San Juan, much of which forms the Nicaragua–Costa Rica border. In recent history, Los Chiles served as an important supply route for the Contras in Nicaragua, and was home to a strong US military presence throughout the 1980s.

Gringo traffic is on the rise in Los Chiles as it’s a great base for enjoying the scenic water route to Caño Negro, and an early-morning excursion by small motorized boat is an adventure in itself. The second big draw is the scenic route to Nicaragua, a one- to two-hour boat ride across the border that is becoming increasingly popular among foreign tourists. Assuming your papers are in order, the border crossing is fairly relaxed and often hassle-free.

Although the road continues past Los Chiles to Nicaragua, this border is closed to Ticos, Nicas and tourists alike. The police patrolling this line in the sand are heavily armed and extremely bored, so save your sweet-talking for another day, and don’t give them any excuses to work on their marksmanship.

Last updated: Jul 22, 2009