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Costa Rica is blessed with beautiful
playas (beaches) on every coast. The beaches of the North Pacific
Coast are especially fortunate to have a variety of settings, surf
conditions, sand colors and compositions, and, of course, a
spectacular sunset almost everyday. They were also mostly
undiscovered until recent years when the opening of Costa Rica’s
second international airport at Liberia revealed the North Pacific
Coast to the world. The prior decades of relative inaccessibility to
tourists, have left them with an unspoiled character and few regular
visitors. They are waiting for you to discover them for
yourself. |
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| TAMARINDO
AREA
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The area around Tamarindo (our map)
is one of the fastest growing resort locations in all of Costa Rica.
Its local airport, where cattle still need to be drawn off the
runways at times, has become Costa Rica’s 4th busiest. The beaches
of Tamarindo, Langosta, Avellanas, Grande, and Ventanas await
you. |
| PLAYA
TAMARINDO |
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| Blue Banner Beach |
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Tamarindo is a rapidly growing beach
resort area and in the last three years has eclipsed all others on
Costa Rica’s North Pacific Coast in the level of services,
amenities, tourist attractions, accommodations and nightlife. The
town of Tamarindo sits in the middle of a wide, arcing, beige sand
beach. |
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A construction boom is continuing and
will soon leave Tamarindo with 5 banks, 2 hardware stores, multiple
restaurants, numerous accommodations, bars, discos, souvenir and
surf shops, and small grocery stores. It’s a great destination for
anyone that wants to do anything recreational in the ocean or simply
enjoy the beach and the sun, by day, and then turn to a full evening
of resort activities by night.
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Both surfing and windsurfing
are good, and there is a wildlife refuge and marine national park
nearby. The beach is large enough that non surfers can still find
quiet stretches. Parts of the beach have rip currents or barely
submerged rocks, so make local inquiries before swimming. This beach
has good access to public transportation and is bustling with small
scale development. During the dry months, February’s winds can make
the beach a bit gritty.
Tamarindo became
known as a surf town after its beach was featured in the film,
“Endless Summer II”. There are good waves at the river estuary north
of town and at Playa Grande across the
estuary. |
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There's some surfing right off Playa
Tamarindo, but the rocks make for limited space. Playa Langosta, a
couple of kilometers south of Tamarindo, is a favorite uninhabited
surfing beach. Sea kayaking is also good. About 6 km to 7 km farther
south is Playa Avellanas.
Information for
Surfers:
Tamarindo has two main points: Pico
Pequeno a rocky point in front of the Hotel Tamarindo Diria and the
excellent river mouth break called El Estero.
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Playa Langosta is the most
exclusive residential area of Tamarindo and is located on its
southern edge. It can be reached by vehicle along dirt roads from
the center of Tamarindo, or by walking along the shoreline to the
south from “the Circle”.
The brilliant waves and wind invite
all for surfing and wind-surfing. There is a wildlife refuge and a
marine national park. The beach is large enough that non surfers
will easy find quiet stretches. Parts of the beach
have rip-currents and barely submerged rocks, so make local inquires
before swimming.
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Information for
Surfers:
This beach offers a right and left
point break that curls off the mouth of a small river.
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| PLAYA
AVELLANAS |
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Playa Avellanas is a popular surfing
beach. Avellanas is a long stretch of white sand about 15 km south
of Tamarindo by road , but closer to 10 km if you walk in along the
beaches, about 5 km to the north of Playa Negra, north of Playa
Junquillal. There are few amenities, but there is a popular beach
restaurant. |
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Information for
Surfers:
Here you'll find both left and right
breaks, 8 different surf breaks, reef, sand or beach breaks with
rocky points and a good beach break called 'Guanacasteco' with very
hollow rights and lefts, along a three kilometer long stretch of
beach. Surfing is best at mid or high tides. |
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| PLAYA GRANDE
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Playa Grande lies immediately north and
west of Playa Tamarindo and is really the continuation of the same
arcing beach. It is divided from Playa Tamarindo by the estuary of
the Matapalo River, which can be forded on foot at times of low
tide. Please be careful, as crocodiles do inhabit the river, but
usually not near the ocean.
Even though Playa Grande is a
short walk from Playa Tamarindo, it can be a 30 minute ride in a
vehicle. The lack of any bridges over the river forces people to
drive all the way back to Huacas (see our map) to move from one
beach to the other by road.
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Grande, as a town, has far fewer
amenities that Tamarindo, but its feeling of remoteness is appealing
to many vacationers. Currently, questions about development hang
over Grande, because of the government’s active interest in
preserving the shoreline and turtle nesting
areas.
The Grande beach is where leatherback turtles
come to lay their eggs. The leatherbacks take over the beach from
November to April. They dig their nests one meter deep, lay their
eggs and cover the pit with sand, returning once again to the sea.
After 60 to 90 days, the hatchlings emerge and immediately make
their way back to the water. Along the treacherous path, which
measures only a few meters, they are easy pray for crabs, seabirds
and various mammals, which means only a few of them are able to
survive. Sometimes Pacific Ridley turtles also arrive to nest as
they do at Santa Ana and Corcovado National
Park.
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This sea turtle can measure up to
2.5 meters and weigh around 700 kilos. Unlike other turtles, this
species has no hard shell, but rather a black, leathery skin with
ridges running lengthwise. It is the epitome of a nomad and its
favorite food is the poisonous jellyfish. Like all other sea
turtles, the leatherback spends its life in the warm, tropical seas,
coming ashore only when the females nests.
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| PLAYA
VENTANAS |
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Playa Ventanas lies just outside of the
Las Baulas National Marine Park next to Playa Grande from where one
can reach Ventanas beach as well as Playa Carbon. Nearby Cerro El
Mono can be climbed being bordered by platforms and rocky cliffs, in
which in low tide, it is possible to observe colorful small
fishes. |
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The beaches near Conchal were first
recognized as truly special by the developers of the 2500-acre
Reserva Conchal mixed-use residential project. It is a growing
complex that includes the 5-star Hotel Paradisus Melia all-inclusive
vacation resort, condominiums, private homes, golf courses, and much
more. The Reserva Conchal property completely surrounds the beach at
Conchal, but access is afforded to the public (on foot or by a 4
wheel drive) from neighboring Playa Brasilito. |
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| PLAYA CONCHAL |
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At Playa Conchal, so called for the many
conchas (shells) that pile up on the beach, the sand is made up of
millions of crushed shells that constitute a rare environment.
Conchal is also the most common name given to a pretty sweep of bay
beginning about 2 km south of Brasilito. The clear water makes for
nice snorkeling. |
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Many swimmers and sunbathers
believe that Playa Conchal is the most beautiful beach on the entire
Pacific Coast for its sand, water and views to the northern coast.
Playa Brasilito and Conchal make up a unit separated by the rock
headlands of Punta Conchal.
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| PLAYA
BRASILITO |
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The main attraction of the 2 km long
Playa Brasilito Beach is its closeness to Playa Conchal. By
traveling south from Brasilito, you can reach Playa Conchal by
walking or driving over a rocky path at the end of Playa Brasilito.
It is important to be mindful of tidal schedules as high tides can
block the way.
Playa Brasilito is a wide grey sand
beach that draws few regular
visitors, because Playa Conchal is
so close. The town of Brasilito has many “beach goer”
amenities for those passing through. There
is a program of building demolitions underway in Brasilito, as the
national government is enforcing development restrictions near the
shoreline. Brasilito will undoubtedly evolve past this period of
change as economic pressures increase it future attractiveness to
investors.
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Brasilito’s future seems assured with
the recent announcement of a coming Hyatt Regency Resort, scheduled
for completion in 2008.
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The Flamingo area was actually popular
years before Tamarindo made its recent rise to prominence. As
Tamarindo made gains, people started to look past Flamingo and it
declined. The time has come again for Flamingo and many of the
reasons it was attractive in years past are now apparent to
travelers and investors. The beaches of Flamingo, Surfside, Potrero,
Penca, Prieta, and Pan de Azucar are again ready to receive
you. |
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Sport-fishermen know that Flamingo is
only minutes away from the Catalinas rock formations that are home
to Wahoo, yellow fin tuna, Dorado, roosterfish, snapper, grouper and
more. This long stretch of beaches is ideal for relaxing and
sunbathing. |
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| PLAYA FLAMINGO |
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This beautiful white sandy beach is
nestled between two peninsulas embracing Flamingo Bay. The beach is
a corridor of white sand flanked by low altitude hills. From the
shore one can see the small island called Plata.
The cliffs
of Punta Salinas and the rocky headlands are the littoral areas
where the fauna and flora lives. There are few other areas in the
world where can you lie on a beautiful white sand beach, swim safely
in the surf on the mighty Pacific Ocean, catch world class game
fish, go on a sunset cruise, walk to restaurants and bars feeling
safe, and have an 18 hole championship golf course designed by
Robert Trent Jones, Jr. within a five minute drive.
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| PLAYA POTRERO and
SURFSIDE |
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Potrero Bay is immediately north of
Flamingo and looks back at it. Playa Potrero and Surfside are the
first grey fine sand beaches on the bay. The calm waters are perfect
for swimming, boating, and fishing. Potrero is a small fisher
village located in the center of the beach. It is also becoming the
community that lies at the gateway of new resort territories to the
north.
After Potrero follow the existing beaches Penca,
Prieta, and Pan de Azucar (Sugar) to the north. The road after Sugar
Beach becomes a little rough, but intrepid beach goers (with 4 wheel
drive) can find special spots with total privacy most days of the
week. |
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Please be sure to drive on safe terrain
and be mindful of tidal schedules. The Potrero Bay beaches are
bordered to the west by the hills and cliffs of Punta Salinas, to
the south by Flamingo, and to the north by the cliffs of Punta
Ostional. Beyond there are three estuaries: Cacao, Plantanar, and
Salinas, the latter covered with saltwater
forests. |
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This secluded, beautiful beach is less
than 1 km long has clear sands, relatively rough waves and features
a mangrove swamp. It is a blue-flag beach located between Playa
Potrero and Sugar Beach at a distance of about 4 km from Playa
Flamingo. You can access it by turning left at the first road after
the Potrero soccer field as you head in the direction of Sugar
Beach. New development has begun in this area, but Playa Penca’s
unique sense of intimacy will never change. |
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This white fine sand beach and its calm
waters are perfect for swimming and fishing. Playa Prieta is further
along the road to Sugar Beach after Playa Penca. The beach is
encompassed to the west by the hills and cliffs of Punta Salinas, to
the south by Playa Penca, and to the north by the cliffs of Punta
Ostional. Beyond there are three estuaries: Cacao, Plantanar, and
Salinas, the latter covered with saltwater forests.
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| PLAYA PAN
de AZUCAR |
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Playa Pan de Azucar (Sugar Beach) is
located at the end of the graded road as you head north and west out
of Potrero. The Sugar Beach Hotel sits on part of this beach, but
there is a dirt parking area accessible from the road beyond the
hotel. |
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Sugar Beach is a short beach of less then
1 km in length but its grey/white sand is exceptionally beautiful.
There are private spots along the coast here where it is
possible to declare your own “clothing optional zone” as you may not
see another person all day. Nude swimming is not legal, but there is
no one to enforce the rule in the coves along the road past the
Sugar Beach Hotel. Sugar Beach lies at the foot of a
coastal range of volcanic rock that dates from the Tertiary Era
60-80 million years ago.
Here one can walk along the entire
coastline and admire the marine life. The Pitahayas Islets, which
measure 0.75 hectares and lie just off the coast, and the Santa
Catalina Island, which has 19 hectares, lies 4 km to the southwest,
near Salinas Point. |
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| A word of caution
about swimming in the ocean: |
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The beaches of Costa Rica are truly wonderful and
will provide great times and memories for all who experience them – as
long as you are an informed beach goer. There are risks in anything
involving swimming or the ocean, and it is best to be aware before you
begin.
Lifeguards: Costa Rica’s beaches generally lack
the services of lifeguards around the country. Some of the most popular,
like Tamarindo, are staffed in high season, but it is best to not expect
immediate assistance as you plan a beach excursion. |
Rip Tides: Of the 200 people that drown in
Costa Rica every year about 90% are caused by currents also called rip
tides. They pull the swimmer out into the sea and can occur in shallow
water. Most of the deaths are caused because of exhaustion by the swimmer
trying to fight the tide. Remember the tide will only pull you out but not
under! If you are caught, just float with the tide or try to swim parallel
to the coast line and not towards the coast. Suddenly the tide will
disappear and you can swim back at a 45 degree angle to the coast. It will
not carry you out for miles! Some of the most beautiful Beaches of Costa
Rica, like Playa Bonita in the Cahuita National Park are famous for its
Rip Tides, as well as Playa Dominical, Playa Barranca, and Playa Espadilla
near Manuel Antonio.
Low-risk Beaches: Beaches ideal for families with
small children or bad swimmers can be found in bays or Bahias, like the
Golfo de Papagayo, Bahia Potrero or la Isla Tortuga. Some of these beaches
have no waves or currents at all.
Pollution/Cleanliness: Costa Rica has a very
active “Blue Flag” program. If a beach has a Blue Flag, it has passed a
series of reviews for water pollution, litter, and regular oversight. Most
communities near popular tourist beaches work hard to retain their Blue
Flags and have committees for beach management. As you travel, you may
want to stay aware of local news about the beaches and their condition.
See our link to The Beach Times for weekly news about Costa Rica’s North
Pacific Coast and beaches.
“No See Ems” – These tiny insects can be in the
dry sand, especially on remote or primitive beaches with few human
visitors. They exist throughout the Caribbean and Central American Coasts.
They are as small as the sand grains. You will know you were bitten,
because you will have very itchy bumps, usually on your feet and ankles
for a couple of days. Do not scratch them! Just put an anti-itch cream on
them until the discomfort subsides.
To minimize the risk of being bitten, use a
beach blanket, large towel, or mat to sit on while at the beach,
particularly if you find that remote, private spot where clothes and cares
may seem unnecessary. “No See Ems” are not particular about where they
bite you. |
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