Travels to Playa Conchal
This morning, I was thrilled to dive the Catalina Islands with Aquacenter Diving in Playa Flamingo. The Catalinas compose an archipelago of volcanic and sedimentary islands just a few miles offshore from Flamingo. Due to soft coral and fragile sea fans, these islands are normally, but not exclusively, reserved for intermediate to advanced divers who can navigate deep and drift dives (where divers are transported by tidal currents) without a problem. Today, visibility was decent – between 20 and 30 feet – and our hopes of seeing exceptional marine life were high.
A small speedboat …
Location: Gold Coast, North Pacific, Playa Brasilito, Playa Conchal, Playa Flamingo »
Activities: Horseback Riding, Scuba Diving and Snorkeling »
Looking back at my journey to Guanacaste’s Gold Coast, I realize that there were four recurring themes as I traveled from Playa del Coco through Playas Flamingo, Brasilito, Grande and Tamarindo: scuba diving, surfing, spas and sushi.
The trip began on my birthday and ended two weeks, five dives, three surf lessons, four massages and countless smoked salmon rolls later. Although I was traveling near the peak of the rainy season, the beautiful Guanacaste sunshine miraculously held out for the majority of my journey.
First I visited Playa del Coco, where I managed to complete the next …
Location: Gold Coast, North Pacific, Playa Brasilito, Playa Conchal, Playa Flamingo, Playa Grande, Playa del Coco, Recent Trips, Tamarindo »
Activities: Day Spas, Horseback Riding, Sailing, Scuba Diving and Snorkeling, Surfing »
Having your own set of wheels is the way to go when exploring the beaches of Guanacaste. Although public buses run between the seaside locales, the freedom to go at your own pace and stop when the notion strikes is a key factor to a good road trip.
Today I was continuing north to the beaches of Conchal and Brasilito. Surfing would no longer be the prevailing sport, as the stretch of coastline between Playas Grande and Flamingo is too rocky and shallow for decent swells.
On the way, I stopped at an antique store where I …
Location: Gold Coast, North Pacific, Playa Brasilito, Playa Conchal »
Activities: Pacific Beaches, Scuba Diving and Snorkeling, Sunsets »



