Playa Tamarindo
is a holiday destination for
North Americans and Europeans. This beach resort offers great resorts, shopping,
diving, golfing, mountain biking, sailing,
sport fishing and surfing. There are
medium-sized breaks for surfing and this
is a popular travel destination to learn.
A variety of hotels and restaurants from budget to high end are available.
There is even a nice quality hostel for surfers looking for comfort and
like-minded companionship.
This town has an active nightlife and the music pumps loudly from the bars.
Tamarindo is two hours from Liberia by bus and six hours from San Jose.
Popular surfing beaches,
Playa Avellana & Negra are famous because of the surf classic Endless Summer
II. These beaches are 15-km (9 mi) south of Tamarindo and are uncrowded.
There are powerful riptides at these beaches and inexperienced swimmers need
to be aware that these riptides can carry a swimmer to sea at a about 10kmh
(6mph). It's impossible to swim back directly to shore.
These two beaches have several budget lodging options. There are good
restaurants and surf schools, as well.
Playa Junquillal
Junquillal is a 2-km (1.25 mi) wide grey-sand wilderness beach that is
stunning and deserted. The surf is high and the riptide is fierce.
From July to November, the Olive Ridley
turtle nests at this beach.
There are some accommodation and eating options spread out along the beach.
Santa Cruz
A town that doesn't have much interest for travelers, visitors can buy
supplies and change buses here. There are several good accommodation and eating
options in this town.
Buses depart
Liberia: 1-1/2 hour trip, departs every 30 minutes, 5:30am to 7:30pm.
Nicoya: one hour trip, departs every 30 minutes, 6am to 7:30pm.
San Jose: 4-1/2 hour trip, departs from 3am to 5pm. There are two buses —
Empresas Alfaro and Tralapa.
Local buses in Nicoya
Bahia Potrero: 1-1/4 hours trip, departs every to three hours.
Playa Brasilito: one hour trip, departs in the morning and afternoon.
Playa Flamingo: one hour trip, departs in the afternoon.
Playa Junquillal: 1-1/2 hour trip, departs in the afternoon.
Playa Tamarindo: 1-1/2 hour trip, departs every two to three hours.
Guaitil is a small village just 12-km (7.5 mi) east of Santa Cruz and
specializes in an age-old craft of pottery making. The people who live here are
descendants of Chorotegas, which was a native people who made a unique pottery
of red or black or ocher.
Travelers can find displays of these ceramics along the roadsides around this
village. There are several artists' cooperatives that use the process of their
ancestors, including polishing the pottery with grinding stones. Ask a local for
a tour of their kiln. There's also a children's cooperative where visitors can
purchase crafts of the local youth.
Nicoya
Nicoya is one of the most pleasant cities in the region and the bright
building and bustling streets make it a great place to travel to. However, it's used
mostly as a travel hub to get to the coast.
Travelers can make this a base to visit
Barra Honda National Park.
There are banking services and several pleasant sights, including a small
cultural exhibit at La Casa de la Cultura.
Past the village of Guaitil on the way to
Palo Verde National Park, this facility is hidden about 1-km (0.6 mi) beyond
Rosario. There's a crocodile lagoon here that's the
real thing. This working cattle ranch rescues animals and is also a breeding
center. Some of the animals here include:
It's remote location makes it untouristy and interesting. Three hour tours
are offered and cost around US$50. Visitors can look forward to a cart pulled by
water buffalo as transport for this tour.
Barra Honda National Park contains 2,295-hectares (5,600-acres) and protects
and an underground system of more than 40 caves. Nineteen of these caves have
been explored. Pre-Columbian remains have been found in several of the caves.
The caves reach as deep as 200m (660 ft). This cave is intact and not very
commercial. As a result the
speleothems — stalagmites and stalactites — are not broken and are stunning.
There is a cave with regular access to the public and is 62m (205 ft) deep.
To explore other caves, visitors are required to hire a guide. Guides are
members of an association and their services can be obtained through the
national park offices in Nicoya. Visitors descend via ropes and ladders.
The caves are only open during dry season.
Some of the underground wildlife includes:
- bats
- fish
- albino salamanders
- a variety of invertebrates
Wildlife found on the surface includes:
Hiking in Barra Honda National Park
The hills of Barra Honda National Park have several trails for hiking. Maps
are available at the ranger station.
There are a few hundred foreigners living in the area and that's probably
because the area is beautiful. There are attractive beaches near this small
village that is surrounded by vegetation. Travelers will find plenty of wildlife
and birds and little logging.
There are three distinct beaches: Playa Nosara, Playa Pelada and Playa
Guiones. The village is located 5-km (3 mi) inland from the beaches. Nosara does
not have a bank.
Nosara & area travel activities
- Surfing on Playa Guioines is terrific and
this beach has the best break in the central peninsula.
- Turtle watching is a must for wildlife lovers.
The Olive Ridley sea turtle nests from
July to November at the Refugio National De Fauna Silvestre Ostional.
- Yoga in the hills near Playa Guiones at the Nosara Yoga Institute.
There are a considerable number of lodging and restaurant options in this
area making Nosara a great vacation and travel destination.
This is a relaxed village that is undergoing some face-lifts to give it more
appeal. There are a number of good quality accommodations and food options which
makes this a great place to vacation.
The village has a bank, church, laundry facilities and email services.
Travel activities in Samara
- Biking: rent bikes from Ciclo Samara or Cabinas Arenas.
- Flying: Ultralight flying offered by Flying Crocodile.
- Zip lining: canopy tours on the eastern outskirts of town.
- Swimming: beach is safe for swimming
- Snorkeling & diving: the coral reef in the center of the bay is good for
diving and snorkeling.
- Surfing: good for beginner surfing but may be boring for experienced
surfers.
- Learning Spanish: Centro de Idiomas Intercultura has a campus on the beach.
- Adventure touring: two companies offer excursions including horseback
riding, kayaking, turtle-watching, snorkeling, and dolphin-watching.
This beach lies about 35-km (21 mi) southwest of Nicoya on a well-paved road.
Buses to San Jose depart from the main road at 4:30am and 8:30am.
Traroc buses to Nicoya take two hours and depart from the pulperia by the
soccer field at 5:30am, 7am, 8:45am, 11:30am, 1:30pm and 4:30pm.
This wildlife refuge extends from Punta India in the north to Playa Guiones
in the south and includes Playa Nosara and Playa Ostional. It was created in
1992 and contains 248-hectares (600-acres) of land.
The refuge was created to protect the
Olive Ridley sea turtle, which comes to nest from July to November. The
nesting season peaks in August to October. This is one of the main nesting
grounds in Costa Rica.
A small species of sea turtle, the Olive Ridley weighs up to 45kg (115 lbs).
Although endangered, there are a few beaches in the world where the Olive Ridley
nests en mass up to 1,000 at a time. Scientists believe that this behavior
is meant to overwhelm predators which may help the species survive.
The conservation plan allows the locals to harvest the first laying of eggs.
Because the first laying of eggs is often trampled by waves or subsequent
turtles coming to nest, the locals harvest these first batches. The livelihood
of the community is maintained by this harvesting. The local villagers are
vigilant about poaching eggs to prevent infringing on their enterprise.
Near the southeastern edge, there is a small mangrove swamp where visitors
can find good bird watching.
Nearly an hour south of Nosara, Playa Samara offers a beautiful
nearly-perfect beach and a good reef for snorkeling. The crescent-shaped strip
of sand is one of the most beloved beaches in Costa Rica. The reef protects the
beach from strong waves and makes it safe for swimming, snorkeling and kayaking.
The waters are shallow and crystal clear.
On the south side of town, travelers will find the best location on the beach.
Playa Samara is reasonably developed and offers services and accommodations,
including a bank and Internet.
Travel activities
The local hotels can arrange the following:
- Canopy tours with Wignuts at 506.656.0153
- Kayaking trips with Tao Tigre at 506.2656.1060
- Snorkeling & diving with Pura Vida Dive at 506.398.8655
- Renting a bike in town at Ciclo Samara.
- Horseback riding with
Carrillo Tours.
- Flying an ultralight plane with
Flying Crocodile.
- Learning Spanish with Centro
de Idiomas Intercultura
- Sea life viewing with Tio Tigre at 506.2656.1060.
Four kilometers (2.5 mi) southeast of Samara, this smaller, quieter and
less-developed spot is clean and has a perfect tropical beach. It is nearly
perfect with white sand and is also protected by an offshore reef. The town is
on a hillside above the beach.
Travel activities in Playa Carrillo
- Surfing at Playa Carrillo isn't brilliant
but is possible during high tide.
- Sport fishing outfitters offer full-day
offshore excursions. There are two outfitters in Playa Carrillo.
There are accommodations and restaurants about 10-minutes by foot from the
beach.
Playas San Miguel & Coyote
Playas San Miguel & Coyote are wilderness beaches that are rarely visited and
beautiful. The beaches lack reliable public transport and have few visitors,
however, about 4-km (2.5 mi) inland there is a village with modest services.
Playa Naranjo
This tiny village, next to the ferry terminal, consists of a few small stores
and hotels to cater to travelers. There is no reason to hang around this village
unless you get stuck here for some reason. It's a hub for ferry crossings to
Puntarenas.
Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Curi
A small refuge (84-hectares/207-acres) that is privately owned belongs to a
larger are of reserves. Located 6-km (3.75 mi) south of Pacquera, it has
following landscapes:
- Dry tropical forest
- Semi-deciduous forest
- Five types of mangrove swamp
Coastline is home to secluded coves and white-sand beaches that are perfect
for snorkeling, swimming, kayaking and whale sightings. Camping is not allowed
but there are six cabins for rent.
This reserve has an entry fee which allows visitors to hike the trails. Other
activities inside the reserve include snorkeling or kayaking. Visitors can also
hire a guide and increase the chances of spotting wildlife.
Located 3-km (1.8 mi) offshore from Curi, this 320-hectare (800-acre) island
is incredibly beautiful; it's forested and has lovely white-sand beaches. The
trip to the island is scenic. A boat cruise to the island provides visitors the
opportunity to spot manta rays and/or whales along the way. And, near the island
whale sharks are frequently spotted.
There are numerous boat tour suppliers to this island and these operators
offer lunch plus options for sea kayaking, snorkeling and hiking while on the
island.
The area surrounding these two grey-sand beaches is slowly being developed
for a resort destination. However, it has been a slow process and the area still
offers good eco-tourism options and good choices for accommodations. The beach
is 14-km (9 mi) south of Pacquera and is 8-km (5 mi) long.
Travel activities in Playa Tambor
- Swimming: safe beaches for swimming.
- Whale sightings: occasional whale
sightings in the area.
- Kayaking: the gentle water are conducive to kayaking.
- Golfing: Playa Tambor is home to one of
Costa Rica's top golf resorts, Los Delfines Golf Club.
Air & hotel packages are available to this area and most of these include
transfers from the international airport in Liberia.
Montezuma used to be a laid-back hippie destination that required an effort
to reach. The atmosphere was very laid-back. It's still a charming village but
it is no longer a hippie-only travel destination.
There are a variety of tourists who visit Montezuma and, as a result there
are new services including expensive hotels and trendy bars.
Montezuma has bank, laundry services, and Internet access.
Travel activities in Montezuma
- Swimming with caution as there are strong rip tides in the area.
- Beach-combing northeast of town, the beaches are isolated and pristine.
- Snorkeling during low tide. There are boat with snorkeling tours to Isla
Tortuga.
- Yoga classes are offered at an open-air studio.
- Hiking at a private conservation area.
- Horseback riding to the same conservation area.
- Biking trips can be arrange through tour operators.
- ATVing is also available.
Montezuma offers a good variety of budget and moderately priced
accommodation. There are also a number of good affordable restaurants. There are
a few spots offering nightlife.
Famous for its consistent waves, this area has beaches and villages that
appear to becoming one big city. There is widespread development of the
beachfront and this area is changing rapidly. This is a surf area and offers a
surf culture and lifestyle.
Travel activities
- Surfing is the big attraction at
the three local beaches.
Sleeping & eating in Santa Teresa
A number of budget and moderately priced accommodations are found throughout
the area. Food is reasonably priced.
There are buses and taxis that service this area.
The oldest protected wilderness area, Reserva Natural Cabo Blanco is located
about 11-km (7 mi) south of Montezuma. It is comprised of 1,272-hectares
(3,100-acres) and is surrounded by 1,700-hectares of ocean on the southern tip
of the Peninsula de Nicoya.
This reserve was established by Karen Mogensen and Olof Wessberg in 1963;
they were the first conservationists in Costa Rica. During the 1950s, this
couple was instrumental in convincing the Costa Rican government to conserve
land and helped to get the government to establish a
national park system.
In 1975, Olof was tragically murdered and Karen continued to work for the
conservation of Costa Rica's ecology until her death in 1994.
Cabo Blanco is called an absolute nature reserve because prior to the 1980s,
visitors were not allowed to enter the reserve. Since the 1980s, the reserve is
open to visitors on a limited number of trails.
Travel activities in Cabo Blanco
- Wildlife watching is a
good bet.
- Bird watching is very good and there
are brown boobies nesting in this reserve.
- Hiking on the Swedish trail and Danish trail leads to a wilderness beach.
There's a park ranger station where visitors can check on trail conditions
and get maps.
