North of Santa Rosa National Park on the west side of the highway is the turnoff to La Cruz, a scruffy, bustling little town. Noteworthy for the stunning views of Bahía Salinas from its bluff, La Cruz is also close to the nearby windswept beaches on the south shore of Bahía Salinas, in the hamlet of Jobo, and in the Golfo de Santa Elena.
The Nicaraguan border lies just north of La Cruz at Peñas Blancas. Travelers may be stopped at two checkpoints south of La Cruz for passport and cursory vehicle inspection. Police vigilance is heightened in the region.
