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A Short Beach Guide
The northern Guanacaste beaches are some of the most visited in the country, by tourists and Costa Ricans alike. Each beach has its own distinct character and varies in level of development and available facilities. Click on the link above to the left for a rough guide working from north to south, to help you find the beach that suits you. We start with the best known (until recently they were the only beaches to provide good accommodation, now you can find even better accommodation at other beaches
Flamingo The two km-wide expanse of white sand is one of the most magnificent beaches in Costa Rica. There are no flamingoes, however. The area has long been favored by the wealthy and expensive villas sit atop the headlands and line the beach. Flamingo is home to Costa Rica’s largest sport-fishing fleet.
Tamarindo One of the most popular destinations for foreign travelers, the gray sand beach is very deep when the tide goes out, and somewhat pebbly. It’s backed by tamarind trees, which give the beach its name. Tiny sand flies that pack a jumbo-sized bite are a problem around dusk. The estuary which separates Tamarindo from Playa Grande to the north is a nirvana for birders. The beach has three surf breaks: a rocky right-point shore break named Henry’s Point in front of the Restaurante Zully Mar, a left shore break named Pico Pequeno 100 meters north, and a superb river-mouth break
Conchal One of the most beautiful beaches in the country, Conchal is named for the fact it is formed almost entirely of shell fragments, giving it a glistening white appearance. Playa Conchal is the site of the beach and golf resort hotel, Meliá Conchal.
Grande Living up to its name, this massive stretch of smooth sand beach is popular with both turtles and surfers (though not necessarily at the same time). During the season, (October through March), Playa Grande is the biggest nesting area in Costa Rica, and one of the biggest in Central America, for the endangered giant leatherback turtles.
Samara Being added on continuously it still has one of the best closed bays on the coast and great fishing even from off-shore. It is a sleepy area well suited for those wanting to relax without and yet have everything nearby
Tambor. Tambor is a small and funky fishing village in Bahia Ballena (”Whale Bay”), 18 km southwest of Paquera. There’s a narrow and unappealing gray-sand beach taken over partially by the Playa Tambor Hotel (looking more like a concentration camp than a hotel and a project that had raised the ire of environmentalists by violating protective laws), and a tiny church. Whales are sometimes sighted — hence the name. 8 Kms south, at Tango Mar Resort starts one of the country’s more beautiful sections of coast. Monkeys and other critters hang out by the shore.
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