Few tourists make it to LOS CHILES , a border settlement just 3km from the Nicaraguan frontier, and other than soaking up the town's end-of-the-world atmosphere, there's little to do, except perhaps try to rent a boat or horse to go to Caño Negro , 25km downstream on the Río Frío. The only other reason you might come to Los Chiles is to cross the Nicaraguan border, although the majority of travellers still cross at Peñas Blancas, further west on the Interamericana. Two buses per day run from La Coca-Cola in San José to Los Chiles (at least 5hr). The San José bus stops right outside the Mercado Central, while buses arriving from Ciudad Quesada often stop close to the docks.

Although Los Chiles has no official tourist information , the travel agency Servitur offers good advice, and everyone in town knows the current bus schedules and the times of the river-boat to the Nicaraguan border, though you'll need Spanish to ask around. Migración (officially Mon-Fri 8am-5pm; tel 471-1153) can answer more detailed enquiries, but it often closes before 5pm - get there by 3pm to be safe. You can supposedly change dollars and travellers' cheques at the Banco Nacional on the north side of the soccer field (Mon-Fri 8am-3.30pm).