North Pacific Beaches

North Pacific Beaches

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Places To See - Beaches


Tamarindo Beach
(Guanacaste & Nicoya Peninsula)

From the Nicaragua border south to  Puntarenas, the north Pacific beaches are best known as the golden beauties of Costa Rica.  Many remain uncrowded and undisturbed, and the sunsets are to die for.
  



From the Nicaragua border south.....

  • Puerto Soley

  • *Playa Panama

  • *Playa Hermosa

  • Playa del Coco

  • *Playa Ocotal

  • *Playa Pan de Azucar

  • Potrero Bay: Separated from Playa Flamingo by a rocky cape, Potrero encompasses white and black sand beaches strung along a picturesque bay. The unspoiled beaches and town center maintain a local flavor, although vacation rentals and a few hotels have sprung up. The Catalina Islands, a popular diving spot, are about ten kilometers west of Potrero and Flamingo (20 minutes by boat).

  • *Playa Flamingo: Tucked between the beaches of Brasilito and Potrero on Guanacaste’s Gold Coast, Playa Flamingo is famed for its inviting white sand beach and multitude of water sports. Yachts and fishing vessels fill the Flamingo Marina, a large full-service port, where boats can be chartered for some of the best deep-sea fishing on the Pacific. A short jaunt from Tamarindo and less than an hour drive from Liberia’s international airport, Flamingo is popular with ... Read more about  Playa Flamingo


  • Playa Brasilito: Brasilito is another small and quiet beach community. The town’s few shops and funky houses are built around a grassy square where a small group of souvenir vendors set up shop. Brasilito has a long stretch of gray sand beach, and its tranquil waters are perfect for swimming. Local tour operators offer ATV tours, horseback trips and sunset sails in the area. The beach attracts more locals than tourists and has a moderate selection of budget and mid-range hotels.

  • *Playa Conchal: Playas Conchal is 14 kilometers north of Playa Grande. A rocky outcropping divides the two bays, but the contrast between the beaches is amazing. Playa Conchal, named for the thousands of tiny seashells that make up its shore, is a shimmering beauty of pink sand and turquoise sea. Its clear waters are ideal for snorkeling and diving. Conchal is fronted by a large luxury hotel that features a world-class golf course as well as numerous adventure sports for its guests.


  • *Playa Grande: Just a few miles north of Tamarindo lies Playa Grande, another Gold Coast favorite among surfers. Flanked by the Tamarindo Estuary, the beach is a 25-minute roundabout drive from Tamarindo. Playa Grande is renowned for its consistent breaks. Boarders can surf the beach break at high tide or try the Tamarindo rivermouth when it’s low.

    The pristine beach is part of Las Baulas Marine Park and, every year between October and February, hundreds of leatherback sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. Visitors can observe these Jurassic reptiles, the largest of all sea turtles, on an evening turtle tour. Playa Grande caters to the surfing crowd and has a few inexpensive and mid-range hotels. The town has a small supermarket and a few restaurants but has largely escaped development.


  • Playa Tamarindo: Tamarindo’s steady waves and warm waters attract both novice and seasoned surfers. The broad beach curves gently around Tamarindo Bay and is bordered by Langosta beach and the Tamarindo Estuary. Visitors will find its wide shores nearly deserted in the early morning, an ideal time for a leisurely stroll. Swimmers should use caution, as strong riptides are common along certain parts of the beach. Read more about Tamarindo


  • *Playa Langosta: Tamarindo is brimming with surf schools, and its popular beach breaks are often crowded with beginners. Experienced locals often go for the bigger and usually less crowded waves in neighboring Playa Langosta.

  • Playas Negra and Avellanas: Located 15 kilometers south of Tamarindo, these laid-back beaches are favored by surfers for their consistent waves. Avellanas’ prevailing reef break, dubbed “Little Hawaii”, can be a challenge for even seasoned surfers. South of Avellenas’ white sand beach is Playa Negra, a darker beach dominated by a rocky coastline. Negra is famous for its reef point breaks and excellent barrels. Visitors can anticipate steady breezes and ideal surfing conditions between the months of December and April.

  • *Playa Junquillal

  • *Playa Ostional

  • Playa Nosara (includes *Playa Guiones and *Playa Pelada)

  • Playa Samara


  • *Playa Carrillo

  • Playa Bejuco

  • Playa San Miguel

  • Playa Coyote

  • Playa Caletas

  • Playa Manzanillo

  • Playa Santa Teresa: One of the last beaches on the ocean side of the Nicoya Peninsula.  The Cabo Blanco Absolute Reserve protects the very tip of the Peninsula's beaches.

  • *Malpais: a popular destination for beach goers and surfers alike.  Coral reefs of shore

  • Playa Montezuma

  • Playa Tambor: one of the last "named" beaches before the Nicoya Peninsula turns north and into the Gulf of Nicoya.  Several of the Gulf's islands have beaches worth visiting.  On the mainland side of the Gulf, there really are no beaches popularly known for beach goers.  Beaches begin again just south of Puntarenas. See the Central Pacific Beaches.

 
  • *Playa Pochote 

 

(* denotes Ecological Blue Flag Recipient)

 

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