Upala

Introducing Upala

Just 9km south of the Nicaraguan border in the northwestern corner of the northern lowlands, Upala is a small but thriving town that serves a widespread community of some 15, 000 people. A center for the area’s cattle and rice industries, Upala is linked to the Interamericana by an excellent paved road and regular bus service, and it enjoys some apparent affluence. Most visitors are Costa Rican businesspeople, who arrive in town to negotiate for a few dozen calves or a truckload of grain.

In the past, the only real reason to come to Upala was, for instance, to enjoy Nicaraguan radio. However, more travelers are passing through these days as the town serves as a comfortable base for visiting Caño Negro, and it’s a good jumping off point for the border crossing at Los Chiles.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009