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August 2, 2019March 22, 2022

The Perfect 7 Day Costa Rica Vacation Itinerary from LIR

So many amazing experiences await you in Costa Rica that deciding what to see and do during your 7 day vacation can be overwhelming. Luckily you have us, the local Costa Rica experts, to make practical suggestions and give you an idea what to expect.

The first thing to decide, in planning your 7 day vacation, is which airport you’ll be flying into and out of. Costa Rica, although it is a small country, isn’t known for its speedy road travel. Roads are generally small and congested in urban areas, and often unpaved in rural areas. If you want to experience all that Costa Rica has to offer, you’ll either have to stay longer than 7 days or come back!

We’re die-hard fans of Guanacaste, so the perfect 7 day Costa Rica vacation itinerary, in our opinion, begins at the LIR airport in Liberia.

Day 1

Arrival Day

The big excitement today is landing in Costa Rica and getting that beautiful stamp in your passport, so we don’t recommend trying to add more travel to what you’ve already done. You’ll be landing in Liberia in the afternoon or evening, so on a perfect vacation, you wouldn’t spend any more time on the road than you have to.

We recommend taking a taxi, a shuttle or a rental car from LIR to Playa del Coco for your first night. Playa del Coco is a beautiful beach with a lively town that is located about 30 minutes from the airport. Before you know it, you’ll be strolling barefoot on the warm sand, watching the sunset, and exploring the restaurants in search of your first Costa Rican dinner. Enjoy a little Costa Rican nightlife before you turn in, but make sure to get plenty of rest because tomorrow is a busy day of fun in the sun!

*A typical Costa Rican plate. Photo property of travelexperience.com*

Day 2

A Day in Playa del Coco and surrounding areas

You have lots of options of how to spend the day in Playa del Coco. One choice is to do nothing but enjoy the beach: walk, swim, bask, and enjoy some meals in complete relaxation with no schedule and no obligations. Not a bad way to start a vacation!

Another choice is to book a sportfishing excursion or take a surf trip to Witch’s Rock and Ollies Point on Day 2. Both of these things begin in the early morning, so you‘ll want to contact our concierge ahead of time to make sure your boat is booked for you before arrival.

If none of these ideas move you, let’s get you booked in for an adventure day at the nearby Diamante Eco Adventure Park. This amazing adventure center is about 30 minutes from Playa del Coco and has an enormous activity menu for you to choose from. Take zip-line canopy tour, visit the animal sanctuary, go horseback riding, take an ATV trek, try out a stand-up paddleboard or a sea kayak… You’ll have so much fun you won’t want to leave.

At the end of your second day, no matter how you’ve spent it, get out and see the town of Playa del Coco because tomorrow you’re going to hit the road again.

Day 3

Travel to Second Destination: Arenal Volcano

You can’t come to Costa Rica and not visit the Arenal Volcano. Arenal, located near the town of La Fortuna, is Costa Rica’s most active volcano and one of our most-visited spots. It will take you a few hours to get there, so you should plan to leave Playa del Coco either in the morning or in the early afternoon. Take your time, enjoy the scenery, stop for snacks and to take pictures. You’re on vacation, so please don’t stress out about getting there as fast as you can. The journey is part of adventure.

There are lots of hotels and vacation rentals in the Arenal area, and we recommend you choose one that has a view of the volcano. You might pay more, but there is a very good reason for this, and it’s worth it. The volcano’s cone, being as it spouts steam into the cool air xxx feet above sea level, is often surrounded by clouds. Your best chance of seeing Arenal’s stunning cone is in the wee hours of the morning before dawn (hint: set your alarm. seriously.) or soon after sunrise. Get a room with a view and prepare to be amazed.

Because of the neighboring active volcano, natural thermal mineral pools and baths are everywhere in Arenal. Your hotel may have hot springs on the premises, our you may pay an entrance fee at one of the dozens of thermal spas you’ll find. The one thing you don’t want to do is miss them! When you get to Arenal, check into your hotel, explore the area a bit, find some dinner, and slip into a natural thermal pool in the cool mountain air of the tropical night. It rains a lot in Arenal, and the hot springs are even more spectacular in the rain!

Day 4

A Day in Arenal

Costa Rica, although it’s known for its beautiful beaches, is a very mountainous country with diverse microclimates and a strong cattle farming culture. This is your day in the mountains, so take advantage of it in every possible way. The area is packed with Arenal tour and adventure options. You can hike the volcano, take a guided jungle horseback ride through the foothills, visit animal sanctuaries and butterfly gardens, visit orchid farms, hike to waterfalls for a chilly swim (sorry, no thermal waterfalls), take zipline canopy tours…

The day will go by faster than you can imagine and before you know it, the night will be falling over the volcano again.

Try a new spot for dinner and try a different thermal spa, because no two are the same, and after one night in the deliciously warm waters, the only thing you’re going to want to do is to go back.

Day 5

Travel to the Third Destination: Tamarindo

Time flies when you’re having fun. It’s already Day 5 of your 7 day vacation, and today the best part starts: you’re coming to Tamarindo! Get up, have some coffee, and get on the road early because the beach is calling and your Tamarindo vacation rental is waiting.

You’ll be in Tamarindo by lunchtime, so you have the whole afternoon to check out the town, walk the beach, go for a swim, catch some afternoon waves if you’re a surfer, maybe grab a Tamarindo surf lesson if you aren’t, and be ready to chill by the time you see the sun sinking close to the horizon. Sunset in Tamarindo is a daily event that no one misses. Join the locals on the beach or enjoy it from the privacy of your vacation rental if you’ve got a view like the one at our home Villa Atardecer.

Every night is Saturday night in Tamarindo, so whether you like late nights or early nights, walk around town after dark and check out the fire dancers, catch some live music, and listen to the mix of languages in one of Costa Rica’s most vibrant melting pots.

Day 6

A day in Tamarindo

Hope you didn’t stay up too late last night because Day 6 is your day in Tamarindo! What do you want to do? Surf? Ride a zip line? Take an ATV tour of the beautiful backcountry? Go sportfishing? Be lazy all morning and then take an afternoon sailing cruise with snorkeling, food and drinks included? Try stand up paddleboarding? Kayak to the Captain Island in Tamarindo Bay and explore its desolate marine beauty?

We know, we know–it’s hard to decide! Our concierge is the expert at vacation planning and can help you determine the best picks for your group, family, or personal interests.

The important thing is, as always, not to miss the sunset. Because Costa Rica is so close to the equator, the sunset happens quickly. When you see the sun near the horizon, this is not the time to grab a quick shower or make a cocktail if you don’t want to miss the moment the orb sinks below the horizon. The most beautiful sunsets happen during the rainy season when the sky is full of clouds that act as screens, prisms, and reflectors, creating a kaleidoscope show that can go on for almost an hour after the sun itself is gone.

Day 7

Hasta Luego, Costa Rica!

Day 7 is departure day. Depending on what time your flight leaves Liberia and what time the tide is high, you might be able to squeeze in an early surf or an early boat tour of the Las Baulas Estuary National Marine Park that creates Tamarindo’s north border. You could also go for a morning swim in the ocean, a beach walk, or a hike up one of Tamarindo’s hills to a lookout point.

tamarindo surf lesson — *Photo by Leonardo Pinero*

As you’ve done some traveling this week, you now understand why you want to make sure to leave for the airport in plenty of time. Make sure you’ve gotten everything out of the safe in your Tamarindo hotel or vacation rental before you hit the road, and remember not to pack that bottle of Guaro in your carry-on.

We hate to see you go, but now that you know where we are and how much of Costa Rica you still would like to see and experience, we’re pretty sure we’ll see you again.

Won’t we?

July 25, 2019March 22, 2022

Guanacaste Day – July 25th

La Anexión de Guanacaste!

Guanacaste is one of seven provinces in Costa Rica that offers gorgeous beaches, national parks, volcanoes, & more. This year marks the 195^th anniversary of the annexation from Nicaragua.

On July 25, Costa Rica celebrates one of our favorite holidays: Guanacaste Day! This holiday’s Spanish name, La Anexión de Guanacaste, explains what the day commemorates–the day the province of Guanacaste officially became part of Costa Rica.

What was is part of before? Well, nothing. During Central America’s colonial period, it was not divided into the countries that we know today, but into territories, all governed by different officials in Spain. When independence from the Spanish crown was granted to Central America in 1821, territories began forming partnerships and countries took shape. To the north of Guanacaste, this small peninsula that we know and love today as the home of Costa Rica’s best beaches, had 3 main municipalities at the time: Nicoya, Santa Cruz and Liberia (which was called Guanacaste and which eventually gave the province its name). To the north of the peninsula, territories united to form Nicaragua. To the east of the peninsula, territories united to form Costa Rica. In 1824, Guanacaste’s municipality voted and the majority voted to become part of Costa Rica.

Guanacaste and Costa Rica are lucky to have each other! It’s been a match made in heaven. Costa Rica has been good for Guanacaste because of the peace and political stability it has enjoyed. Guanacaste, although it didn’t have much impact in the early years of this happy marriage, has exploded in importance to Costa Rica in the last 40 years as tourism has shifted into the spot of Costa Rica’s # 1 breadwinner. Guanacaste’s beaches, the waterfalls, the volcanos, the national parks that have been created, and the vibrant nature everywhere you look bring thousands of visitors to Costa Rica every year.

The province is also a producer of rice, sugar, livestock & more. The Ticos from this province are called Guanacestcos which are countrymen and woman that are known for their local dishes cooked in large clay ovens such as; rosquillas, pozole, cajetas, tamal asado, arroz de mais and more. They work on their fields herding cattle, growing crops and more. The folk music is a key part of their culture with famous songs such as “Punto Guanacasteco” which is played at festivals, topes, bullfights and more.

Guanacaste Day

All of Costa Rica celebrates Guanacaste Day, but of course, it’s a favorite in Guanacaste! Schools, banks, and government offices are all closed on Guanacaste Day, and almost every town in Guanacaste–from the largest to the smallest–holds some type of celebration. Traditional foods like tamales are prepared in giant cauldrons over open fires, cheerful marimba music is played on street corners, and bull riding entertains the crowds. Traditional dance troupes of all ages in white outfits with multicolored scarves perform the traditional dances of Guanacates, with wide skirts swooshing and cowboy hats tossed in the air.

As Guanacaste Day fades into night, plenty of beer, guaro, and rum are flowing. Every town that holds a festival hooks up the speakers and the dancing starts! What’s not to love about a celebration day like this?

Speaking of Guanacaste, have you noticed that the word doesn’t sound very Spanish like “Costa Rica”, “Tamarindo”, and “Pura Vida”? That’s because it’s not Spanish. The word “Guanacaste” is a Nahuatl word (think Aztec)that refers to a type of tree. Guanacaste trees grow throughout Costa Rica’s dry forest regions–especially in…Guanacaste!

Guanacaste trees are everyone’s favorite shade tree as they can grow to a tremendous size. They’re the ones you see notice dotting the pastures on your ride from the Liberia airport to Tamarindo.

“Guanacaste” means “tree with ears.” So what’s that all about? The seed pods of the Guanacaste tree resemble ears. These pods emerge in the dry season while most of the tree’s leaves are down, giving these giant trees the appearance of being hung full of ears as if they were ornaments. Indigenous cultures used Guanacaste seeds for food and also to make soap, but that’s ancient history. Today in Tamarindo you can find earrings, necklaces, and other jewelry or decorations made of the beautiful variegated seeds.

So enjoy today & celebrate the beauty Guanacaste has to offer. We are lucky to have this gorgeous province part of Costa Rica! Contact us for more information on local celebrations and more!

July 18, 2019March 22, 2022

9 Healthy Food & Activity Picks in Tamarindo

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to come back from your Tamarindo vacation refreshed, invigorated, and healthier than you were when you left home? It isn’t difficult, and in Tamarindo it’s fun, delicious, and can be inexpensive.

Four Healthy Things to Do

1. Go to the beach!

Newsflash: the beach is healthy! Measured amounts of direct sunlight are fabulous for you, flooding your body with vitamin D, making you feel happy and giving your immune system a kick in the pants. And don’t just lie in the sun–walk. Tamarindo Beach, from end to end is about two miles long, so put on your hat, get out the door of your Tamarindo vacation rental, and go for a walk or a jog. The beach is the world’s best free gym! Tamarindo Beach, specifically the south end of the bay, is safe for swimming. You can rent a stand-up paddle board or kayak and visit the Captain Island or just go exploring the bay.

Surfing, of course, is a fabulous exercise. Take a Tamarindo surf lesson if it will be your first time on a board, or rent a surfboard from one of our local shops and catch some waves. Where and when it’s best to surf in Tamarindo depends on the swell direction and how the sand bars are formed on at any given time, but it’s generally a mid to high tide break. Surf at high tide, walk at low tide, and you’re sure to leave Costa Rica happier and healthier than when you got here.

2. Hit the gym

There are several gyms and fitness centers in and around Tamarindo. Being a transient community of visitors, of course you don’t need to buy a monthly membership–just show up and pay for the day. Tamarindo fitness centers are not expensive, offer quality equipment, are air-conditioned, and feature a variety of classes like yoga, spinning, Zumba, and more. Trainers are on duty in Tamarindo’s gyms to provide you the guidance you need.

Depending on where you come from, Tamarindo’s climate can be too warm for you to be able to enjoy fitness activities, but the gyms are comfortably cool. Visiting in the rainy season? Get your workout in no matter what the weather. If you train hard at home and don’t want to lose your rhythm on vacation, Tamarindo is a great choice of destination for you.

3. Do yoga or Pilates

Tamarindo is a favorite destination of practitioners of all types of yoga. There are traditional indoor studios with classes throughout the day and evening, and there is yoga on the beach in the mornings and late afternoons. Tamarindo yoga and Pilates instructors offer open group classes and private sessions. If your vacation in the tropics a destination travel occasion like a Tamarindo wedding or other special group celebration, have the yoga or Pilates instructor come lead private classes for you and your friends/family at your Tamarindo vacation rental.

4. Get a massage

Just like your options for yoga and Pilates, you can enjoy a Tamarindo massage and other spa services either in a five-star spa, on the beach, or in your vacation rental. Experience the health benefits of relaxing massage, melting away any worries that came with you on vacation, or book an appointment for a deep tissue therapeutic massage. Massage therapists in Tamarindo come from all over the globe, speak a plethora of languages, and are trained in a wide variety of styles.

In addition to a massage, have a body wrap or scrub that will refresh your skin, or a Costa Rican all-natural facial with cacao or avocado. Read over the spa menus of Tamarindo spas before you even leave home to get an idea of what kinds of health-enhancing spa treatments are available for you here in paradise.

Three (among dozens of) Health Tamarindo Restaurants

1. Pura Vegan

If your way of being healthy is to eat vegetarian or vegan, you’re going to love Pura Vegan. This delightful little spot inside of the open-air food court called El Mercadito is a favorite of Tamarindo locals–vegan and omnivores alike. Their giant salad bowl is to die for, the spicy curry you can’t have just once, and their french fries with vegan cheese sauce made from cashews is nothing short of unbelievable. Everything on the menu is under 10$, and the portions are more than generous.

Photo property of Pura Vegan, Tamarindo

2. Pangas Beach Club

Pangas Beach Club’s menu is an especially healthy menu because all of Pangas’ plates are crafted with fresh locally-sourced ingredients. Pangas serves lunch and dinner all week, and brunch on Sunday mornings. Fresh fish and salads, custom crafted cocktails, and seared grass-fed beef are some of Pangas Beach Club’s signature offerings.

Great food in Tamarindo is easy to find, but at Pangas Beach Club your options are nothing short of excellent.

Pangas Beach Club will amaze you with exquisite, healthy options

3 .Green Papaya

Green Papaya, just off the beaten path but close to everything, is another healthy eating option that deserves a mention. Green Papaya calls itself a taco bar, but it’s really much more. Their salads, tacos and burritos made with home-made tortillas, ceviche, and other menu options are fresh, generously served, and very reasonably priced.

One of the most unique things about Green Papaya is that in the outdoor dining area, some of the seating is on swings suspended from the roof beams. Kids love this, and–we have to confess–grown-ups think it’s pretty awesome too. Fun is healthy, so don’t miss out on any of it.

Two Healthy Places to Buy Groceries

1. The Saturday Farmer’s and Craft Market

If you’re in Tamarindo on a Saturday morning, by all means do not miss the Saturday Market! The Saturday market is a great place to stock up your fridge with organic produce, fresh organic meats, fresh fish, homemade bread and pastries, kombucha, and organic wines.

tamarindo market — photo by hotchicksing

You can also get in on artisan chocolates and spices, family farm coffee, local honey and much more. Need gifts? You can support Tamarindo artisans by purchasing handmade clothing, paintings, sculptures, organic personal products like skin cream and sunscreen, and jewelry. When you support local farmers and artisans you not only create health for yourself, you create health for the community around you. Tamarindo says Thank you!

2. El Almacen/La Bodega

El Almacen is a small organic market in Tamarindo, and La Bodega is the adjoining cafe that prepares and serves organic breakfasts and lunches. You can pick up organic ingredients for the meals that you or your Tamarindo chef will prepare in your Tamarindo vacation rental, or enjoy the treats they prepare right there in La Bodega. El Almacen is also a great place to grab unique and healthy gifts to take home for the family and friends that you want to share a piece of Costa Rica with!

July 6, 2019March 22, 2022

Featured Property of the Month: Puesta del Sol

Our featured property this month at Vacation Rentals of Tamarindo is Puesta del Sol. This brand new Tamarindo vacation rental property combines elements of a home and a hotel into a unique hybrid of common and private spaces. Six private cabins sleep up to 16 guests at Puesta del Sol, making this property a favorite for special event occasions like weddings, retreats, and reunions.

Puesta del Sol sets on the top of a Tamarindo Bay hillside overlooking the town, the bay, and the magnificent Pacific sunsets from which the property derives its name. The property affords a breathtaking 300-degree view of Playa Grande to the north, Tamarindo to the west, Langosta to the south, and the endless rolling green hills of Guanacaste disappearing into the east. As the day progresses at Puesta del Sol, the panorama changes according to the angle of the light, ending with a sunset show you will never forget as you watch it from the infinity pool, the breezy patio, or your room’s private terrace.

The common areas at Puesta del Sol

The heart of Puesta del Sol is its common area, with six private sleeping cabins set in a semicircle around it. A spacious living/dining room with sliding glass doors on three sides and a full bar and kitchen at the other end is far above and beyond what you’ll find in most rental homes.

What you really have at Puesta del Sol is your own mini retreat center. The infinity pool that lies along the beach-view side of the common space is surrounded by a sun terrace and comfy cushioned loungers that you can place in the sun or shade according to your preference.

Whether you’re a family group, a corporate retreat group, a wedding party, or a bunch of friends on vacation together, you’ll love the way at Puesta del Sol, you can cook and eat together, leave the sliding doors open so the kids can play in the pool while you mix cocktails at the bar, or stretch out on the couches and watch a movie together.

The Bedrooms

Private cottages house the bedrooms at Puesta del Sol. Four of the six bedrooms have one king-sized bed, and two of them have two queen sized beds. These queen rooms are perfect for families or for roommates who prefer to have their own space.

Each bedroom has its own spacious en-suite bath, and a patio with quaint wooden rocking chairs. You are going to love the time you spend sitting on the patio taking in the breathtaking view. No matter which direction your room faces, the view is amazing. Wake up in the morning, wander over to the kitchen, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and then tiptoe back to your patio to soak in the beauty of the beginning of the new day.

Why Puesta del Sol

Why choose Puesta del Sol for your Tamarindo vacation rental? One great reason is privacy. Puesta del Sol is literally at the top of the hill. You won’t have to worry about traffic because no one but you is climbing up that far. This means, of course, that you will absolutely need rental vehicles to get you back and forth from the town and the beach, but the rather adventurous bumpy ride takes only a few minutes.

Another reason to choose Puesta del Sol is that it’s one of our newest properties. Everything works perfectly, and the property has the crisp modern feel that is hard to attain with older properties that were originally built as single-family homes.

We think, though, that even more than the privacy Puesta del Sol offers or the pristine condition of the property, you’re going to want to stay there because of the view. Seriously. “Breathtaking is a word that gets thrown around a lot and over-used, but wait until you stand on the pool terrace in front of Puesta del Sol where the hillside drops away from your feet and leaves you in the sky. See if the feeling of space around and even under you doesn’t make you catch your breath and reach for something to hold onto.

Why Tamarindo

If you’re coming to Puesta del Sol, that means you’re coming to Tamarindo–so there are two things to be extremely happy about! Tamarindo is Costa Rica’s premier Pacific coast beach vacation destination, and you’re going to love it. The beach is great for swimming and surfing, and it’s a sandy beach with only a few rocky areas, so you can enjoy long low-tide beach walks.

The town of Tamarindo is only about 30 years old, which means that you’ll find an established community with lots of new and vibrant activity. You’ll hear languages from every continent on the planet being spoken on the street and have the chance to choose between Tamarindo restaurants that offer Costa Rican traditional food, Italian restaurants, Indian, middle-eastern, North American, Argentinian, Venezuelan, French, and Asian cuisine. The nightlife begins as the sun sets between 5 and 6 PM depending on the time of year, and continues until the wee hours of the morning. Live music is everywhere at sunset and during dinner time. Fire dancers entertain on the beach and in the streets, and as the hours pass, DJs keep the energy flowing.

What to do during your visit

Tamarindo is Guanacaste’s Activity Central, so don’t forget to plan some down time into your days, or you’ll need a vacation from your vacation when you get home from Puesta del Sol. Our Concierge is an expert in planning group packages, so give us a profile of who’s coming, and we’ll give you some suggestions to consider.

Go surfing, or take Tamarindo surf lessons if surfing isn’t already your thing. Get out on a fishing boat, a catamaran, or a sailboat and experience the ocean. You can go hiking, horseback or mountain bike riding, and visit one of our dozens of national parks. Visit an active volcano, ride a Tamarindo zipline, go whitewater rafting or tubing, and watch sea turtles nesting in Las Baulas National Marine Park. You’ll want to leave time to enjoy the beach, of course, and you’ll want to experience the sunset hour on this villa’s pool terrace watching the colors of the sky and sea change, blend, and fade into starlight.

June 22, 2019March 22, 2022

The Perfect Costa Rica Family Vacation

It’s finally summer–exactly what you’ve waited for all year! Now is the time to enjoy sunny days, long evenings, and pack the kids up and spend some quality family time together. It’s not too late to get in on our last-minute specials and bring the gang to Costa Rica! Once a destination only for adventurous backpackers and surf safaris, Costa Rica has evolved into a top family vacation destination.

Families come in all shapes and sizes, but the great thing about Costa Rica is that although it is a small country, it has something for everyone. We’re the local experts on Costa Rica family vacations and will help you tailor your trip to fulfill everyone’s expectations.

Planning your Costa Rica family vacation is going to require you to make some choices. Costa Rica is full of amazing things to see and do, and you aren’t going to be able to see or do it all in one trip. Decisions can be tough, but fortunately, we’re here to give you some guidance and pertinent recommendations.

Our first recommendation for the best family vacations in Costa Rica is to divide your trip of 5 to 10 days between no more than two places. Too much shuffling around takes the restfulness out of the experience for parents, and can be overwhelming for the kids. If you’re able to get away for 10 or more days, you can up the number of destinations to three, but we really don’t recommend trying to see the whole country in a little time as possible. Delve deeper into fewer places and have a much more profound and delightful experience.

Destination 1 of 2: The beach!

guanacaste beaches — Tamarindo beach. Photo property of crsurf.com

Of course one of the two stops on your trip is going to be a beach! The beaches are what makes Costa Rica famous, and there are more beautiful beaches here than–but if you will allow us to make a recommendation, our top pick is Tamarindo.

Tamarindo beach is gorgeous, it’s family-friendly and safe for swimming, surfing is good, there are lots of grocery stores, restaurants, and pharmacies, and of course, there are our Tamarindo vacation rentals. We are the local experts in family fun because we live here too, are raising our families here, and are confident in our ability to help you make great choices and have a fabulous time!

If you’re set on Costa Rica’s Carribbean coast instead of Guanacaste, visit Tortuguero and watch the sea turtles nesting or swing to the south and take a few days at Cahuita and Puerto Viejo. Cahuita national park is famous for its giant coral reef and the marine life it houses.

Kid-friendly beach activities:

This list varies according to the ages and personalities of the little ones, but we generally recommend surf lessons, half-day fishing trips and/or an estuary boat tour. In Tamarindo, for example, surfing is safe for children. Our surf instructors are trained and experienced, and many of them have taught their own little ones to surf! If your child can swim and is comfortable in the water, Tamarindo’s sandy gentle beach is the perfect place to give surfing a try. Half-day fishing trips are another fun option for kids of all ages.

A whole 7-hour day on a fishing boat can be overwhelming for anyone besides hard-core fisherman, but everyone can enjoy getting on the boat in the early morning and speeding out to sea for a few hours of trolling, watching for dolphins, and reeling in fish. Half-day tours are usually back by lunch time when everyone is ready to be out of the sun for a few hours! The estuary boat tour takes about two hours and is available according to the tide schedule. Birds, monkeys, colorful land crabs, and sleepy crocodiles are the attractions on this beautiful boat ride into the estuary that is Las Baulas National Park.

Destination 2 of 2: The forest!

For the second destination on your family vacation in Costa Rica, pick a cooler, higher place in the shade of Costa Rica’s tropical dry forest, rain forest, or cloud forest. The most frequently-visited picks are the Arenal Volcano and the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Both places are fabulous Costa Rican forest choices–you can’t pick the wrong one.

The Arenal area, due to volcanic activity, has hot springs and warm geothermal pools that your family can enjoy together. Monteverde has a dense rain and cloud forest with swinging bridges suspended over revines and canyons that will take your breath away. Combined with a few days and nights at the beach, a visit to either of these places will make for the best family vacation in Costa Rica.

Option Off-road: La Carolina Lodge

A unique mountain experience in Costa Rica is La Carolina Lodge. La Carolina functions off the grid. Dine by candlelight, eat meals created with foods that are grown on the farm and cooked over a wood fire, and sleep in rustic but luxurious cabins that are built out of locally grown and harvested wood. Hiking to the Rio Celeste waterfalls, swimming in the river, horseback riding, and relaxing in the hot tub are favorite activities at La Carolina. After a great night’s sleep, get up early and your family can help the farm hands milk the cows!

Kid friendly forest/farm activities:

Don’t leave Costa Rica without taking your family on a zip line canopy tour–that’s everybody’s favorite! Hikes are something families of all ages can enjoy, along with visits to animal refuges and butterfly or hummingbird gardens. If your youngsters are old enough to enjoy horses, don’t miss this opportunity to ride with a guide who can help you notice and appreciate the plants and animals along the leafy trails. Adventure centers exist throughout Costa Rica that make family vacation planning easy by offering packages that can be modified to include a day of your family’s favorite activities all in one location.

Costa Rica family vacation Do’s and Dont’s, provided by your vacation experts:

1 Don’t try to do everything.

You can’t do everything fun or see everything amazing in Costa Rica in one vacation. If you try to pack too much into your vacation, you’ll run yourselves ragged trying to have fun.

This vacation rental home’s pool has a built-in water slide!

2 Do plan some down time.

Don’t forget that your vacation rental will have a pool your kids will want to play in, and don’t miss the miss joy of a beach walk together or a lazy afternoon in the hot springs or jacuzzi while you’re in the mountains.

3 Don’t bring the kitchen sink!

Costa Rica has first-world pharmacies and American-style grocery stores, so it’s not necessary to try to bring everything you could possibly need. You may pay more than you’re used to for a tube of after-insect-bite cream or Junior’s favorite breakfast cereal, but so what? You didn’t come on vacation to save money. You came to relax, enjoy each other’s company, and take things as they come.

4 Do pack sunscreen and insect repellent.

Now there are two things that you are for sure going to need, and you can buy them cheaper at home than you can here. Throw some extra in the bag. If you don’t need all of it, sunscreen and insect repellent are excellent gifts for the local friends you make during your vacation.

5 Do limit technology/screen time for yourself and your children.

Just a thought. Parents have different ways of addressing the challenges presented by technology in the hands of youngsters, and you are the expert on your own family. But consider making your family vacation in Costa Rica an experience of limited screen time and unlimited adventure, interaction, and attention to your surroundings. You can all get back on line when you get home.

June 11, 2019March 22, 2022

How to Find the Perfect Vacation Rental in Tamarindo

The idea of booking a vacation rental property, sight unseen, in a foreign country can be intimidating, especially if it’s a country or a destination you’ve never been to. Are you going to be able to find it? How can you be sure the place is going to be what it looks like in the pictures? How do you know which one to pick? If you’re a seasoned traveler, you already know the drill, but there’s a first time for everything including your first vacation rental in Costa Rica.

Here are some ways to break down the decision-making process and of course some practical suggestions of Tamarindo vacation rental property perfect fits.

Vacation rentals in Tamarindo come in all shapes and sizes, and so do travel groups. How many people are you traveling with? Is it you and your significant other? You, your 5 best friends, their spouses, and their kids? Are stairs ok? Do you prefer to be near a golf course? A surf break? Do you like center-of-the-action vacations or restful away-from-it-all vacations? Come up with some answers to these questions before you start shopping to help you narrow it down.

Then the next filter to get through it price. How much do you want to spend? Are you attracted by pocket-friendly options, or is this the trip for which you’re going to pull out all the stops and live like royalty? Vacation rental prices range based on distance from the beach and lots of other factors like how new and chic the place is (or isn’t) and what kinds of amenities it includes. All of the Vacation Rentals of Tamarindo properties have the standard package: a/c, wi-fi, cable tv, linens, towels, equipped kitchens, a washer and dryer, a pool…so don’t think that by “pocket-friendly” we mean you have to bring your own pillows! We’re the industry trendsetters in our area and all of our vacation rentals are top-shelf.

Following, we explore 6 types of luxury vacation rentals in Tamarindo, Costa Rica, and give some examples from our fantastic menu of homes:

1. Small, Simple, Conveniently-Located

These are the condos that are otherwise known as budget-friendly. They’re great for couples, families with small children, travelers on a shoestring budget, or folks who want to spend their vacation dollars out exploring, not sitting around a fancy house.

Sunrise Penthouse

Located literally across the street from the beach in the center of Tamarindo, you won’t find a better spot for a better price. This 2-bedroom condo is located on the 4^th floor of the Sunrise complex which includes the coolest pool in town, the easiest beach access anything within an affordable price range, secure gated parking and oh yeah—the view!

Villa Paloma

This affordable 2-bedroom condo in Langosta sleeps up to 6, is conveniently located, has secure parking, access to the resort pool, and offers a sundeck on the roof of the complex.

2. Small and Modern-chic

So let’s say you don’t want a big place, but you’d like it to be sleek and modern. We have those vacation rentals too! You can get some of the big-ticket modern design elements in a new or newly-redesigned vacation rental without having to spend big bucks. These places are great to get into with your best friend or two or three. Enjoy gourmet meals and cocktails on the patio or rent some boards and go on a surf trek to Avellanas or Playa Negra.

La Perla

Our condo at La Perla offers 3 bedrooms and sleeps up to 8 people. Each unit in this recently-completed elite complex occupies a corner, displaying fantastic ocean and hillside panoramas in every room.

Las Mareas Villas

These 3 and 4 bedroom villas in central Tamarindo sleep from 6 to 12 guests. The ultimate in minimalist modern design, natural textures and materials, and European attention to detail make these villas a vacation rental choice that is a cut above the rest.

3. A Sprawling Villa for Your Destination Wedding or Other Event

We’re suddenly at the other end of the vacation rental type spectrum: huge mansions and villas for 20 or more guests—yes we have them! Costa Rica is a favorite pick for couples planning destination weddings, for yoga and meditation retreats, corporate retreats, family reunions…all of the above. These properties are the places dreams are made. From beach front mansions to luxury hilltop mini-resorts, these are your dream homes and they make your special event unforgettable for everyone in attendance.

Casa de Luz

This property is truly beachfront! Just steps behind the high tide line in Langosta, Casa de Luz is a stunning place for weddings, yoga retreats, surf trips, or whatever it is that brings your group together. It’s one of our most eco-friendly properties, too, and sleeps over 20 people.

Casa Puros Dieces

How about an 8-bedroom Bali-style home for 20? That’s Casa Puros Dieces! This is one of Tamarindo’s top event venue choices because of its laid-back design, amazing ocean view and individual suite bedroom layout.

Casa Costa Blanca

Of course, you want your event destination to be Casa Costa Blanca. This Hacienda Pinilla beachfront home has 7 bedrooms, sleeps up to 24, and includes all of the amenities of Guanacaste’s premier golf/surf resort.

4. Classified by Activity: Golf Resort and Secret Surf Spots

Many people wisely consider the types of activities they most enjoy when they are shopping for vacation rentals. If you’re the outdoorsy type who enjoys golf, surfing, mountain biking, or tennis, if you love peace and quiet but don’t want to be completely isolated from restaurants and night life, you might want to browse the vacation rental options in Hacienda Pinilla. From giant event-venue type homes to condos for single families, Pinilla has got something for everyone. Golfers and experienced surfers have a look at these amazing spots:

Rebecca

This where the fun begins! Casa Rebecca, with 4 bedrooms for up to 12 people, is a sleek new vacation rental home located in Hacienda Pinilla.

Villa Bonita

Hacienda Pinilla offers not only mansions, but also luxury condos like Villa Bonita that are more affordable than larger properties but still include all of Hacienda Pinilla’s amenities.

5. The Beach House!

Or let’s say it’s got to be a beach house. Of course. Who wouldn’t want to base their Tamarindo vacation in a beach house?! Some of our biggest and best beach houses are the ones you caught a glimpse of in the “event venues” category, but there are other properties on or very near the beach. Your beachfront vacation rental is the perfect way to enjoy early morning walks, peaceful sunsets, easy access to surf spots and still have all the comforts of home. Families with children love beach houses because being right on or very near the beach simplifies everything! You don’t have to pack everybody and all the trappings into a car every time you want to go out, you just open the door and there you are. You can even hire a chef to do in-home meal prep for you so that everybody in the family gets a break. Imagine how much fun that would be!

Hacienda del Pacifico

Hacienda del Pacifico is a 4-bedroom beach house for 8. Spend lazy afternoons here by the pool and cool tropical evenings listening to the sound of the waves crashing onto the beach on the other side of the trees. Your direct beach access is just outside your door.

Casa Tranquila

Here’s a quintessential beach house that is outfitted with every luxury. Casa Tranquila has 4 bedrooms and sleeps up to 8 guests. No other Tamarindo vacation rental beats this one for beachfront location!

5. The View to Die for + Modern Luxury

Consider this: a totally sleek modern vacation rental property built for the view. Imagine floor to ceiling glass along the coast-facing side of the home, simple lines, comfortable furniture inside, an infinity pool outside, and in every room the unbelievable panorama of Tamarindo’s turquoise horizon where it meets the sea. This is what you get in our modern mountainside homes. These properties are located in Tamarindo just above the hubbub of the busy street, but are still only minutes away from the sand.

Compass house

The photographs of Compass House speak for themselves. Yes, this is a real vacation rental home in Tamarindo and yes it really looks like that. The house has 8 bedrooms and sleeps up to 16.

Lomas del Mar

Lomas del Mar offers an amazing view of the all of Tamarindo, Playa Grande, and the Las Baulas Estuary in between. Chic and modern, there are 4 bedroom suites for up to 8 and a pristine infinity pool.

6. The View to Die for + Old-School Beach House

This is truly unique category of home is something you won’t find just anywhere—it’s a Tamarindo specialty! Once upon a time, instead of stainless steel, pale marble and minimalist aesthetic, there were terracotta tiles, almond wood ceiling beams, and artesian-created ceramic sconces. In homes like these, you can lose yourself the timeless charm of the quintessential tropical beach house and the breathtaking view of the sky, sea, and rolling jungle hills. These hillside beach houses offer every amenity and form part of Tamarindo’s history. Stark modern vacation rental houses are everywhere—in every vacation destination all the world over—but if you love luxury mixed with the local fingerprint and a sense of place, one of our ocean view beach houses is the place for you.

Casa Leo Loco

Casa Leo Loco is perched above Tamarindo and is one of our favorite classic hilltop beach houses. There are 6 bedrooms for up to 12 guests, a multi-level infinity pool, and stunningly landscaped grounds. Imagine the sunsets!

Casa Catalina

Casa Catalina is one of Tamarindo’s original beach houses. It is set so high on the hill and offers such a dizzying view of the bay that on a clear day the Catalina Islands are visible in the distance. Your group of up to 16 is welcome here in the home’s 5 bedrooms.

As you can see, the perfect vacation rental in Tamarindo is here waiting for you. Contact our team of experts and make your reservation today!

June 7, 2019March 22, 2022

Five Most Active Volcanoes In Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a land created by a string of active and dormant volcanoes that runs down its center. This guide will give you an overview of how to get to and what to expect from Costa Rica’s most dynamic volcanoes. Make sure to plan time during your vacation to visit the center of the country and experience the unforgettable presence of these living mountains.

The first three volcanoes on our list–Turrialba, Irazu, and Poas–are the closest to the capital city of San Jose. If you’re flying into San Jose, these are the top choices on your volcano menu. The other two–Arenal and Rincon de La Vieja–are further north and are more often visited by travelers who base their Costa Rica vacations in Guanacaste.

Photo by Gary Saldana

What is the most active volcano in Costa Rica? This is a great question! For thirty years, the easy answer was Arenal. Then in 2016, Turrialba suddenly woke up from a long slumber, and continued to rumble and spew well into 2017. Recently, a new spurt of volcanic activity was registered at the lazy Rincon de la Vieja volcano. So who knows which volcano will be the most active during your visit to Costa Rica? It could be any of them! Here’s a look at the five most fiery peaks.

Most Active Volcanoes In Costa Rica — Photo by Roberto Nickson

Turrialba

2019 just might be a great year for the national park at Turrialba. The park was closed in 2012 due to dangerous volcanic activity and authorities are looking at reopening it to the public this year. Eruptions of ash and gas in 2016 and 2017 powdered the central valley in gray dust and closed down the Juan Santamaria International Airport on several occasions. You’ll be able to drive close enough to Volcan Turrialba that you can admire its powerful slopes and perhaps watch it puff steam into the air.

Whether or not the park is open, the Turrialba volcanic area is a beautiful and safe place to visit. The best way to get there is to hop in a 4×4 rental vehicle and hit the road for an adventure! You can enjoy hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, zip lines, bird watching, go kayaking on the river and tour a cheese factory. The Turrialba region is known throughout Costa Rica for the soft fresh cheese that takes its name. The year-round rains and rich volcanic soil keep Turrialba’s grass green and its cows.

Irazu

Volcan Irazu is the closest volcano to the city of San Jose. It is possible to get to Volcan Irazu by driving, or by taking a public bus from downtown. Pack a picnic lunch, enjoy hiking in the park, and keep an eye out for sightings of colorful birds and wild animals like coatis, foxes, deer, and coyotes.

Volcan Irazu has five craters, two of which provide the main attractions in the Irazu national park. Steam rises from the deepest crater, and in the other lies a mineral-rich lake that can appear green, blue, or red. Irazu is Costa Rica’s tallest volcano, with a cone that towers 11,200 feet above sea level. On a clear day–which is a rare occurrence at the top of an active volcano– it is possible to see both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans.

Poas

Volcan Poas is one of Costa Rica’s most popular and frequently-visited volcanoes. The national park that surrounds the cone and crater is prepared to provide you with a comfortable visit, including a geological museum, a gift shop and cafe, and even paved hiking trails to make the spectacle of the steaming lake in the crater accessible to a wide variety of visitors. In order to keep the environment pristine and visitors safe, only a certain number of people are allowed into the park each day. Make your Poas National Park reservations on-line ahead of time so that you can be sure to avoid being turned away at the entrance. That would be disappointing!

*Image by ©RCDIGITALPHOTOGRAPHY/Getty Images*

You can drive to Volcan Poas, take a bus, or purchase a tour from pretty much any San Jose tour operator. There are lots of other things to do in the area, so we recommend that you make your trip to Poas a day trip, not just a quick peek at the crater. In addition to hiking, visit the sleepy Costa Rican villages nearby, explore the museum, or drive to a bright blue waterfall near the park.

Volcan Poas has one of the largest volcanic craters in the world, so don’t miss your chance to see it with your own eyes.

Arenal

Volcan Arenal is located near the town of La Fortuna about half way between San Jose and the beaches of Guanacaste. For decades, Arenal was famous for being Costa Rica’s most active volcano–until its brothers in the central valley started spewing ash and steam in 2016. Arenal is still one of the most spectacular volcanoes you’ll ever have the opportunity to see and is one of the most fun areas to visit in Costa Rica. Hiking and horseback riding trails wind through the hills, there are waterfalls to explore, and natural thermal spring and rivers provide the perfect way to relax afterward.

Whatever you do, plan to spend a night in the area near Arenal! We recommend this for two reasons. The first is that if the clouds above the volcano lift after dark (could happen but no guarantees), the sight of the stark black cone with a red glow at the top standing against the star studded sky will leave you speechless. That, we do guarantee. The other thing that’s guaranteed is how much you will love relaxing in the bubbling thermal springs after dark, while lights play on the jungle foliage around you and perhaps a light rain falls.

Arenal is much-visited, and it’s easy to drive to. Things are spread out enough there that having your own vehicle is very convenient. Another good option for how to get to Arenal is Interbus, a tour and transfer company that runs private vans to popular tourist destinations.

Rincon de la Vieja

Volcan Rincon de la Vieja is Costa Rica’s northernmost active volcano. Eruptions as recent as January 2019 sent columns of steam and bursts of red-hot rocks shooting into the air and filled the area’s streams with mud. This is the closest active volcano to Guanacaste’s popular coasts, and lots of activity centers have sprung up around it.

You can drive your rental car to Rincon de la Vieja, or purchase a day-trip package which includes transportation, admission to the activities that you’ve chosen for the day, and lunch.

You can hike at Rincon de la Vieja, ride horseback through the forest, and enjoy natural thermal mud spas. There are canopy tours nearby, river tubing excursions, and wildlife sanctuaries to visit.

As you can see, there are many active volcanoes in Costa Rica throughout various regions of the country. Our tour concierge is the local expert in helping you plan your visit to any of these areas, assisting you with arrangements for transportation and activity bookings at Costa Rica’s active volcanoes. Check out partner page for A Guide to Costa Rica’s Active Volcanoes: They’re Dynamite!

June 3, 2019March 22, 2022

Top 5 Tamarindo Vacation Rentals for Weddings & Events

Costa Rica tops the list of favorite destination wedding choices, and Tamarindo has the climate, the infrastructure, and the breathtaking venue homes that are going to convince you to celebrate your special day here. Tamarindo has risen to the top of the luxury vacation rental market, offering homes for large and small wedding parties, having five-star professional event planners, and sitting on years of experience in executing elite events in the tropics.

Have a look at our five featured vacation rental recommendations for Tamarindo weddings and other special events. Each of these Tamarindo vacation rentals can sleep 20 or more guests, and are excellent venue options in and of themselves!

wedding planning in Tamarindo — Photo: Toh Gouttenoire

Casa Costa Blanca

Casa Costa Blanca is a recently-remodeled beachfront mansion for up to 24 guests in Hacienda Pinilla. If you’ve done your Tamarindo research, you already know that Hacienda Pinilla is the area’s premier gated community and an ideal place for a special event. This two-story home is unique in that each floor has a completely separate full kitchen and living/dining area, giving large groups exceptional flexibility while they share a single space.

Casa Costa Blanca

Behind the home, on the beach side, an oversized infinity pool, a barbeque and outdoor dining pavilion with enough seating for a full house, and a luxurious green lawn overlooking the crashing Pacific Ocean.

Casa Costa Blanca is one of our top 5 picks because not only is it big enough to accommodate a large number of guests, and not only is it spectacularly beautiful—it is a dream event venue in and of itself. Hold your small intimate wedding on the patio or hold a larger event on the lawn or in the sand. Casa Blanca offers all kinds of options because of its size and diverse spaces.

Casa Costa Blanca

Have private chefs prepare a meal in the home, or have your special meals catered—Casa Costa Blanca provides a mesmerizingly beautiful setting and the flexibility to let you choose what best suits you and your group.

Villa Tranquila

Villa Tranquila, also located in the gated community of Hacienda Pinilla, offers a level of service to its guests that no other vacation rental can match. Its staff is available to provide all meal preparation, and are accessible 24 hours a day to meet any needs that may arise.

Villa Tranquila

Villa Tranquila is located on Hacienda Pinilla’s golf course and close to the beach. Its delightfully secluded location means that at Villa Tranquila you are free to celebrate until the sun comes up and no neighbors will call to complain. It’s hard to underestimate how important that can be if your lively group loves to celebrate.

This beautiful villa offers the maximum in comfort to its guests, with large private rooms, private baths, and two indoor common areas. Outside, an immense lawn with a patio and infinity pool are a perfect place for your ceremony, event, and/or a special meal.

Villa Tranquila vacation rental Tamarindo — Villa Tranquila

Our wedding and event planners know Villa Tranquila well and are waiting to make your special day the best it can possibly be.

Casa de Luz

Casa de Luz is a beachfront mansion for 23 located in Langosta, just at the end of the road that goes through Tamarindo. This luxury vacation rental, once a single-family home, combines the comforts of home with the convenience of its central location and the breathtaking beauty of the ocean just steps from the back door.

Casa de Luz has the back yard to die for. A stone terrace, a gazebo with a day bed, a wet bar, an infinity pool, a private beachside casita for two or four, and private beach access are all there outside the sliding door from the living room. The home’s staff makes sure that guests at Casa de Luz are comfortable and that events flow seamlessly.

Casa de Luz

This is one of the foremost eco-friendly homes in Guanacaste. Solar panels on the roof provide electricity, an ozone system eliminates the need for 90% of the chlorine in Casa de Luz’s swimming pool and laundry and Casa de Luz uses only Costa Rica’s top biodegradable housekeeping and hygiene products. If leaving a smaller ecological footprint is important to you and your loved ones, place Casa de Luz at the top of your list and reserve it early.

Villa Concha

Villa Concha is an elegant beachfront villa in Playa Langosta a few doors south of Casa de Luz. This property, in its two-story main house and two private casitas, can accommodate up to 20 guests. Originally constructed to house a bed and breakfast and recently remodeled to make it one of Tamarindo’s foremost event-friendly vacation rentals, Villa Concha is a perfect option for your destination wedding.

Villa Concha

Let our event planners take care of the details while you enjoy the beachfront infinity pool, walk the miles of beaches that stretch behind your back door at Villa Concha or paddle out into the pounding surf you can watch from home’s terraces. If your group is larger than what Villa Concha can accommodate, our other Langosta beach vacation rentals are just down the street and can keep your party close enough to enjoy your whole vacation together.

Villa Concha’s private beach access path leads from the impeccable pool terrace through the trees to a sandy lookout point. Consider this our recommendation for your sunset beach wedding, or an unforgettable early-evening cocktail hour where you can enjoy the privacy of your own home-away-from-home and the breathtaking beauty of dusk falling over the Pacific horizon.

Villa Concha’s private look-out point

Casa Puros Dieces

Puros Dieces is a stunning 8-bedroom Pacific Rim style home for up to 20 guests. It is perched on a green hillside just above the busy town of Tamarindo and admires a 180 degree of vista of the Tamarindo Bay. Casa Puros Dieces is the home nobody ever wants to leave, and it is an ideal option for lodging your wedding party and for the event itself.

Casa Puros Dieces

Indoor and outdoor spaces blend in the home’s common areas, with luxury bedrooms and en-suite baths offering complete privacy throughout the home’s maze of spaces. The beach and all that Tamarindo has to offer is just minutes away at the bottom of the hill, allowing guests at Casa Puros Dieces to enjoy the best of both worlds—the privacy of the secluded location and the proximity of the things you’re coming to Tamarindo to see and do!

Many wedding parties choose Casa Puros Dieces for the event venue instead of taking the special day to the beach or anywhere else. A courtyard lawn within the walls of Casa Puros Dieces, a living room that opens fully to the view of the bay, and a deck with an infinity pool provides plenty of space for celebration in the privacy of your own home.

Casa Puros Dieces

Puros Dieces offers sunset panoramas like no other. Sunset at the beach is spectacular, but Puros Deices sunsets, with all of Tamarindo Bay, Playa Grande, the Las Baulas Estuary and the town of Tamarindo at your feet raise the bar to a new level. No one who attends your wedding or other special sunset events at Casa Puros Dieces will ever forget the experience.

When it comes to a destination wedding and other events, we’re the local experts. We personally know the Tamarindo wedding planners, the caterers, the florists, the musicians and the reliable transportation providers that are going to make your experience as seamless as a dream come true. Contact us with your date, your ideas, and the wish list you’ve been making. We’re ready to get started right now!

Costa rica wedding photographer — Photo: Toh Gouttenoire

May 24, 2019March 22, 2022

What to Expect During The 2019 Costa Rica Rainy Season

It’s the end of May and the rainy season is upon us in Tamarindo. Here’s a heads-up on what to expect during your Tamarindo Green Season vacation.

Tamarindo weather — A peaceful green season morning at the beach in Tamarindo.

Predictions:

2019 has been a year of the “El Nino” weather pattern here in the equatorial regions. This means that our dry season began early and was extra hot and dry. According to the El Nino pattern, we were told to expect a not-very-rainy rainy season, and this made everyone who loves Costa Rica’s flora and fauna very sad. These cyclical fluctuations are part of normal weather fluctuations, but extra harsh dry seasons are difficult times for plants and animals. They aren’t great for our taxed aquifers either, but humans are able to truck in water in a way that deer and monkeys aren’t.

Luckily for all of us, those predictions are turning out to be misrepresentative of the way the rainy season is starting out! We’re getting lots of delicious rain, and Guanacaste is green as the garden of Eden. The temperature has dropped back into the “pleasant” range, and life is good.

Expect:

Afternoon showers

It almost never rains all day, especially not in the first half of the rainy season. It’s not impossible, but it’s uncommon. The rainy season mostly consists of sunny days with occasional afternoon showers. They may be thunderstorms that roll through to cool off hot afternoons, or they may be simply cloud systems that bring rain and then dissolver over the ocean. Enjoy them! Tamarindo locals—both native Costa Ricans and implants from other places—love the rainy season. If you thought you wanted to plan your Costa Rica vacation to avoid the Tamarindo rainy season, think again. Don’t miss the best, most relaxing time of year.

tamarindo surfing — Surf the warm waves early in the morning while the wind is offshore.

Humidity

The rainy season is humid—you might as well know it. Some people like humidity in the air; some people don’t. It should probably go without saying that rainy times of the year by the ocean have a higher humidity level than say, Las Vegas. Two days in Tamarindo in the rainy season, and you’re guaranteed to look 10 years younger than you did when you got off the plane. Your skin loves the humidity even if your brain is unaccustomed to it. Enjoy it. Think of it as a free sauna.

The humidity is most noticeable right before the rain starts to fall. Refreshing afternoon or evening showers bring relief. If it gets to be too much for you, enjoy the indoor comfort of your air-conditioned Tamarindo vacation rental, or one of the Tamarindo restaurants that offer indoor seating. Better yet, jump in the pool or the ocean. You’ll forget about it in a second.

Lots of lush vegetation

In the green season, expect green! This is the time of year that trees are covered with new leaves, gardens spring back to life, flowers bloom, birds and monkeys are filling their bellies again with their favorite treats… Nature is absolutely exuberant! Mountains are green, pastures are green, forests are green, gardens are green—you could color the whole countryside with a palate of shades of green from emerald to lime to pine. Canopy tours are fun to take at this time of year, mountain hikes, bike rides, horseback trail rides—anything that puts you out in nature under the millions of leaves. Every breath you take is saturated with pure oxygen they create.

More insects

Pack your favorite insect repellent and use it. Monkeys, hummingbirds, iguanas and the wild deer in the mountains aren’t the only creatures that thrive in the rainy season. Critters that creep and buzz like it too, so be prepared. We make sure to keep them out of your Tamarindo vacation rental as best we can, but if an industrious ant or a sneaky spider outwit us, don’t be surprised. They aren’t dangerous; they’re just pesky and ingenious. A broom, a shoe, or a can of spray can take care of any of your insect visitors if they are unwelcome. Make sure to keep insect repellent on or nearby, especially in the mornings and evenings. Mosquitoes don’t like hot sun, so they shouldn’t be much of a bother while you sunbathe, but they can chew up your toes under the table at dinner if you forget the repellent when you leave the house. Throw some in your back and just keep it nearby.

costa rica insects — Tropical flowers of every imaginable shape and color emerge when the rains begin.

Mud

More and more of Tamarindo’s roads are paved, but when the weather gets rainy, it’s fair to expect a little mud. How much of it you have to drive or step through depends on where your Tamarindo hotel or vacation rental is located. Mud can be slippery, so walk carefully.

A word to the wise: For your Tamarindo rainy season vacation, bring a pair of sandals that can get wet. When we say sandals, we mean something besides your flip-flops—something that straps to the back of your ankle. Why? Because of flip flops in the rain or on a wet road/sidewalk flip water, mud and little stones all up the back of your legs while you walk. We Tamarindo locals might know something about this. We actually prefer to take our shoes off to walk in the rain, but we know you don’t have jungle feet as we do, so we won’t recommend you do that. Bring rain-worthy sandals that strap to your feet so that you won’t slip or have to do a load of wash when you get back to your vacation rental.

Refreshing evenings

Evenings after a tropical rain shower are the best thing you will ever experience. Depending on where you live and what you’re accustomed to, you may find rainy season evenings pleasantly cool. You may, at most, want a light sweater or a light long-sleeved shirt. Don’t bother with coats or jackets—it never actually gets cold in Costa Rica at sea level. In May and June, the sun sets between 6 and 6:30 PM, and by 7:00 PM it is dark. These long tropical evenings under the stars or under raindrops are the perfect relaxing end to days filled with fun in the sun.

pangas costa rica — Enjoy a delicious meal at Pangas Beach Club in the cool evening breeze.

Warm ocean water

Rainy season wind patterns create amazingly warm ocean temperatures in Tamarindo. Breezes generally blow on-shore during the afternoon hours which keeps the sun-warmed surface water close to the beach where we can enjoy it. Surfers aren’t the biggest fans of on-shore winds, but if you get up early enough or you wait until sunset, a few hours of light off-shores are often your reward.

Mornings are the sunniest part of the day

No matter what else happens during the day, mornings are generally the sunniest. This is important to you to know so that you plan your trips and tours accordingly. Take your Tamarindo surf lessons, your canopy tours, your snorkeling trips, your ATV tours, or whatever else our concierge helps you plan during the morning if at all possible. Leave the afternoon for relaxing, listening to the rain, sipping a cocktail, or taking a nap.

Lower prices

Because the first half of the rainy season coincides with summer in the northern hemisphere, more vacationers choose destinations closer to home, and Tamarindo experiences its lower tourist season. Less demand creates, in some cases, lower prices. You won’t find this price fluctuation in stores or restaurants, but you may find it in hotels and vacation rentals, in car rental agencies, and in some tour companies. Boutiques offer sales and restaurants are more likely to offer low-season specials, especially to guests who pay in cash. Don’t be concerned about cash—you don’t need to go to the bank for colones. Tamarindo businesses are all more than happy for dollars and in fact, you will be surprised by how many of them lists prices in American dollars.

Electricity flickers

This can happen at any time of year for a variety of reasons or for no reason at all, but for sure during Tamarindo’s rainy season, don’t panic if the lights go off. Storms are one of the things that can cause power outages. When the electricity goes, the wifi goes with it but don’t worry—when one comes back, the other will follow. Nowadays, power outages of longer than 30 minutes are rare. They aren’t impossible, but they are unlikely. If the lights go off for no apparent reason, just remember this is part of everyday life in the jungle and everything is going to be fine. If you can see that your vacation rental is the only house to have lost power, you might want to contact us or whichever company is responsible for the home. If you can see that other homes near yours have also lost power, the best thing you can do is hang tight and enjoy the ride. Property managers can pull a lot of strings, but power company issues are bigger than we are. Chances are we’re in the dark too, and the lights will be back by the time you find your phone.

Beautiful sunsets

Have you heard that the rainy season has the most beautiful sunsets? It’s true. The clouds act like screens or prisms the reflect or refract the light of the sun as it sinks below them on the horizon. Dry season sunsets are beautiful too, but they’re a simple firey ball sinking into the sea. Rainy season sunsets can be performance pieces that go on and on until night has completely fallen.

tamarindo sunsets — Every evening a unique show is displayed between the sky and sea.

A Word to the Wise: Rinse out your salty stuff

We’re ending this What to Expect post with a tip: rinse out your salty beach stuff with fresh water when you get out of the ocean. Why? Because salt holds moisture, and if you hang your salty bathing suit up to dry in the rainy season…it won’t. You will be putting on a clammy wet bathing suit tomorrow. Guaranteed. The salt in the cloth will pull water from the humid air, and your salty stuff will never dry. If you hang it in the sun and it dries there, it will pull in moisture from the air during the night and feel sticky when you go to put it on. It takes just a moment to rinse the salt out of your bathing suit before you drape it over the shower or a patio chair or to dry, and you’ll have a much more pleasant experience of putting it back on in the morning.

We have all kinds of rainy season tips and advice. Contact us to get in on the best of Tamarindo’s green season, 2019!

May 17, 2019March 22, 2022

The 7 Best Guanacaste Beaches

Along with all the other fun things you’re going to do on your Costa Rica vacation, make sure to leave some time to get out and explore the other beaches that are waiting for you here on what we affectionately call Guanacaste’s “Gold Coast.” These are our top 7 recommendations:

Tamarindo

We know you won’t miss Tamarindo because it’s the home of your Tamarindo vacation rental, but let us tell you why it’s so wonderful so you can get just a little more excited for your trip. Tamarindo is for sure one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful beaches. The wide crescent-shaped bay has picturesque hillsides that drop into the sea on either side, and in the middle Captain Island is crowned by white shells, lava rocks, and low bushes.

Tamarindo is exceptional because it shares its bay with the Las Baulas National Marine Park. All of Playa Grande which encompasses the northern half of Tamarindo Bay and the Las Baula estuary that bisects the beach are national park territory and therefore obey strict preservation codes. In Baula turtle nesting season, you can take a nighttime beach walking tour in Playa Grande and perhaps have the fortune of witnessing a giant sea turtle laying eggs. Boat or kayak tours of the estuary are an amazing way to see mother nature’s marine nursery and are available every day.

Surfing is what made Tamarindo famous back in the early 1990s when Robert August and Wingnut released the movie The Endless Summer II.

Different parts of the beach break better depending on swell direction, but in Tamarindo, there’s always something to ride. If you’re not a surfer, sign up for Tamarindo surf lessons because Tamarindo is the perfect place to get on a board for the first time. At the sandy beach break beside the estuary, you’re guaranteed not to meet up with a rock because there aren’t any, and the waves are gentle enough to be perfect for learning.

Non-surfers love Tamarindo as much as surfers do. It’s a safe beach for swimming, a spectacular place for people-watching, and when the tide is out you can wander endlessly in the sunshine along the water’s edge.

Langosta

Langosta is Tamarindo’s sister beach to the south. At low tide, you can get there from Tamarindo by walking around the rocky point and continuing on until you come to Langosta’s San Francisco estuary. You can’t get back to Tamarindo that way at high tide, so either make sure you don’t linger too long or be prepared to walk back along the road.

Langosta beach is rockier than Tamarindo, and the dropping tide fills hundreds of tide pools that act like mini saltwater swimming pools. Admire the shells, look for sea urchins, watch little crabs hurry and iridescent blue fish dart around. You can sit in the pools and enjoy the relaxing crash of waves on the rocks without having to navigate their strength.

Surfing is the favorite pastime in Langosta. Different spots along the beach are better at different tides, and the Langosta estuary is a favorite as well. On the other side of the estuary in Langosta, the sandy beach stretches all the way to Hacienda Pinilla with plenty of peaks to give you a ride. Because Langosta is more open to deep water and not in a shallow bay like Tamarindo, the waves are much bigger and stronger in Langosta. Langosta is much rockier, too, so no beginners, please. In Langosta, it’s best to paddle out only where you see other people surfing to avoid nasty reef rash and board repair.

Avellanas

If you’ve been researching the beaches in the Tamarindo area, you’ve already heard of Playa Avellanas. Avellanas is about 30 minutes south of Tamarindo over a road that is partially paved and partially not. You can get to Avellanas all year long, but how adventurous the ride will depend on the amount of rain that’s fallen recently.

Avellanas has got something for everyone. It’s a surfing beach for sure, with beach breaks, an estuary with a sand bar that holds a swell, and a popular reef break just in front of the beach club at Hacienda Pinilla. Avellanas is also an excellent place to go to just chill out. From the main parking lot, you can walk north for miles along the beach. Miles. If you decide to do that, take water, because Avellanas is not like Tamarindo–there are a few places to stop for refreshment but mostly there are mangroves and ocean.

Lola’s is a popular restaurant there in Avellanas by the parking area. It’s named after a famous beach pig who loved the salt water and lived a long happy life there on the property. Lola’s has food, drinks, shady seating and a few hammocks for customers who make it there on time to get one.

Playa Negra

Down the coast, past Avellanas you’ll come to Playa Negra. Playa Negra is named after the darker colored sand and is a favorite surf break for intermediate and advanced surfers. Playa Negra’s point break holds a big swell and the rocks you have to navigate on the way in and out of the water make it a place that beginners should leave to the more experienced.

A fun little town has grown up around the break, with bars and restaurants, coffee shops, art galleries, craft and souvenir stores and of course hotels and surf shops. If you’re not a surfer, you can still enjoy a swim in the water at one of Playa Negra’s less rocky spots. You can have a delicious meal at a beachfront restaurant and then take a leisurely beach walk and soak in the sun and the sounds of the pounding surf.

Playa Conchal

Playa Conchal is about a half hour north of Tamarindo. There are two ways to get to Playa Conchal–one of them is through the Reserva Conchal Resort, and the other is by continuing down the road to Playa Brasilito and then walking or driving along the sand to Conchal. Walking is always a safe bet. Driving can work, or you can get your rental car stuck in soft sand. The voice of experience, here, has done both and recommends the hike, but you decide. Obviously, the resort entrance is the favorite choice, but only guests of the resort are allowed through the gate, so if you’re just exploring, you’ll need to take the scenic route. But hey. Isn’t that the idea of exploring?

Playa Conchal is literally made of small shells. Historically it was made of shells of all sizes, but the growth of tourism brought about a quick end to variety. It’s still a beautiful beach, and wonderful for snorkeling, but if you can find it within your heart to leave the pretty shells where they are and take home only pictures, Playa Conchal will thank you for it. Who knows what factors are at play to make this spot the spot where so many millions of shells were deposited by ocean currents as to form the entire beach without actual sand? All beaches need their shells, but Playa Conchal especially needs them because, with no shells, it has nothing to be made of.

Bahia de Los Piratas

Bahia de Los Piratas, or Pirate’s Bay, is off the beaten path. Unpaved country roads through Guanacaste’s back country will take you to this beautiful little cove where swimming, snorkeling, and fishing are the favorite activities. Colorful fish, rays, turtles, starfish, and sea urchins are some of the things you may discover under the surface at Bahia Los Piratas.

Pack a picnic lunch to eat in the sand under the trees at Bahia Los Piratas, or enjoy a simple meal at one of the little restaurants that you’ll find along the way. This is a great beach for a relaxing day or afternoon at a less commercial spot that locals love to visit.

Sugar Beach

Sugar Beach is a beautiful sandy beach located just a bit further north where the terrain becomes steeper and the hillsides drop almost directly into the water. The best way to enjoy Sugar Beach is to drive to the Sugar Beach Hotel, park in the hotel parking lot, and be sure to compensate for this service by purchasing something to eat or drink in the hotel’s beautiful ocean view restaurant.

Sugar beach is not a surfing beach, but it’s a wonderful place to relax, swim, wander along the water’s edge in the sun, doze off in the shade, and enjoy a fantastic meal at another off-the-beaten-path spot you probably wouldn’t find if we hadn’t told you about it. You’ll pass lots of other interesting beaches and small towns on the way to and from Sugar Beach, so take your time to explore whatever you see that sparks your curiosity. Guanacaste is full of surprises to discover!

Email us or call us now with your questions so that we can help you get your Tamarindo vacation rental booked and give more information about the fantastic beaches you might want to visit during your Guanacaste vacation.