Beaches of Costa Rica

Caribbean Beach Towns of Costa Rica
- Puerto Limon (cruise port of call)
- Puerto Viego de Talamanca (Limon Province?)
- Manzanillo
DINING
- Jungle Love (open air restaurant across from Playa Chiquita)
LODGING
- Shawandha Lodge
- Le Cameleon Luxury Boutique Hotel (South of Puerto Viejo)
- Residencia Las Casas (holiday rental)
ARTICLES: - NY Times: Costa Rica's Untamed Coast

Pacific Beach Towns of Costa Rica
NORTH PACIFIC COAST
(fly into Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia)
- Bahia de los Piratas / Playa Real (S of Playa Conchal, calm surf)
- Playa Samara (laid back beach peddlers)
- Playa Carrillo (fishing village, 5 miles s of Playa Samara)
- Santa Teresa / Playa Carmen / Malpais (isolated surf towns, hippies)
- Playa San Juanillo (fish village N of Nosara, snork reef, hilly peninsula w. views)
- Playa Rajada (Bolanos Bay, near Nic border, sunsets, Nearby: Ecoplaya Resort, La Cruz)
- Playa Avellanas (beautiful surf beach, 18 km S of Tamarindo, remote, Lolas Bch Bar)
- Nosara Beaches: Guiones, Ostional, Nosara and Pelada, dirt reds, surf, yoga, turtles
- Playa Tamarindo (surf, seafood, party, CR's most developed beach town)
- Playa Langosta (south of Playa Tamarindo, tranquil, snorkel large tide pools)
- Secret Beach / aka Playa Cuevas (S of Malpais, hidden cove, snorkel, cliffs, caves)
- Playa Danta (Las Catalinas: 1200 acre car free beach development)
- Playa Danita

Beaches A to Z

B
Bahia Salinas (Guanacaste) far NW near Nicaragua borer (kayak, windsurf)
Ballena
Barrigona Beach / Playa Barrigona (Mel Gibson owns land)
Baru
Bejuco
Brasilito Beach (Guanacaste) grey sand, charming town, fish, snorkel, catamaran tour
Buena Vista Beach / Playa Buena Vista

C
Cabo Matapalo (South Pacific) Osa Pen, Corcovado NP,Golfo Dulce,Isla del Cano bird,hike,surf
Cabuya
Cabuyal
Cahuita (Caribbean) laid back villaghe, creole culture, hike, snorkel, boat tours
Caletas
Camaronal
Carate (South Pacific) Osa Peninsula, birds, hiking, guided tours
Carillo Beach / Playa Carillo
Carrillo Beach (Nicoya Peninsula) 3 KM S of Samara Beach, horses, snorkel
Conchal
Corcovado (South Pacific) Osa Pen, Corcoado Natl Park, birds, hike, guided tours
Costa Ballena Beaches
Coyote
Cuajiniquil
Curua

D
Dominical (South Pacific) S of Quepos, quaint town, surf, marine mammals, nightlife
Dominical Beach / Playa Dominical (Manual Antonio National Park) riptides
Dominical Surfing Beach
Dominicalito
Dona Ana
Drake Bay (South Pacific) N side of Osa Pen, birds watching, hiking, scuba
Drake Oeste

E
Espadilla Beach at Manuel Antonio (riptides)
Espadilla Norte
Esterillos

F
Flamingo

G
Guiones
Golfo de Santa Elena (Guanacaste) NW region of G province, beaches, forest, ocean

H
Hermosa Beach / Playa Hermosa

J
Jabilla
Jaco Beach (Pacific Coast, 2 hours from San Jose, riptides?)
Junquillal Pacifico Norte
Junquillal Parque Nacional

L
Lagarto
Limon Beaches (south of the city of Limon)

M
Mal Pais - Santa Teresa (Nicoya Peninsula) surfing, ATVs, nightlife, small beach town
Malpais Beach (surfing)
Manuel Antonio (Central Pacific) above natl park, zip lines, hiking, guided tours, views
Manuel Antonio Beach (Manual Antonio National Park)
Manzanillo Beach (Nicoya Peninsula) beach town N of Santa Teresa, snorkel
Manzanillo Beach / Playa Manzanillo
Mata de Limon
Matapalo (Central Pacific) off beaten track, horse, fish, rafting
Montezuma (Nicoya Peninsula) youth, surfers, bohemian, laid back (horse, hike, snorkel)
Montezuma Beach (Nicoya Peninsula)

N
Nosara (Nicoya Peninsula) Guiones Town, white sand, nightlife, surf, expensive homes

O
Ocotal
Ojochal (South Pacific) town with beaches, solitude, marine mammals, birds, fish
Organos
Ostional

P
Panama
Papagayo Gulf (Guanacaste) Gulf of Papagayo, luxury resorts, fish, scuba, snorkel
Pavones (South Pacific) small town, Southern Pacific region, 1.5 hr fro golfito, surf
Pelada
Pinuela
Platanares
Prieta
Puerto Jimenez (South Pacific) near Corcovado Nat Park, birds, hike, fish
Puerto Vargas
Puerto Viejo (Caribbean) surfing, laid back, eccentric, bike, snorkel, nightlife
Punta Islita (Nicoya Peninsula) quaint town, beautiful beaches, horses, golf
Punta Uva Beach
Puntarenas (Central Pacific) long narrow peninsula, gulf of Nicoya

S
Samara (Nicoya Peninsula) west shore of Pen, horse riding, snorkel, nightlfie

T
Tamarindo (Guanacaste) developed tourist town, shop, surf, dining, night life, fishing
Tambor (Bahia Ballena?Nicoya Pen?) fishvillage, Curu Nat Wildlife Ref, horse,snorkel,golf
Tarcoles
Tivives
Tortuguero (Caribbean) beatiful town and nat park, turtles, guided tours, boat tours

U
Uvita (South Pacific) less crowded, guided tours, snorkel, marine mammals

V
Ventanas Este

Z
Zancudo
Zapote

SPANISH NAMES (PLAYAS)
Playa Avellana (Guanacaste) high offshore surf golf, catamaran tour
Playa Avellanas
Playa Azul (Guanacaste) mile long dark colored beach, azure sea, horse, surf, fish
Playa Bejuco (Central Pacific) between Manuel Antonio & Jaco, surfing
Playa Blanca
Playa Blanca Punta Leona
Playa Bonita
Playa Cabo Matapalo
Playa Cabuyal (North Guanacaste)
Playa Cahuita
Playa Carate
Playa Carmen
Playa Cocles (Caribbean) small village, S of Puerto Viejo, Carib lowland, surfing
Playa Conchal (Guanacaste) crushed shell sand, fish, snorkel, golf
Playa Coyote (Nicoya Peninsula) remote SW edge of Nicoya Peninsula
Playa Del Coco (Guanacaste) young people, shop, fish, snorkel
Playa Drake
Playa Esterillos (Central Pacific) no crowds, brown beaches, surfing
Playa Flamingo (Guanacaste) mile long crescent, aka Playa Blanca, fish, snrorkel, cat
Playa Garza
Playa Grande (Guanacaste) Matapalo River, Marino Las Baulas Nat park, turtles, surf
Playa Hermosa (Central Pacific) 3 miles S of Jaco, great surfing, scuba, nightlife
Playa Hermosa (Guanacaste) grey sand,between mts fish, snorkel, catamaran tour
Playa Herradura (Central Pacific) small beach, fishing, Golf
Playa Huevos (boat access only, from Playa del Cocos)
Playa Iguanita (Bahia Culebra, North Guanacaste, Pacific)
Playa Jaco (Central Pacific) closest to San Jsoe kayak, zipline, surf
Playa Jicaro (Bahia Culebra, North Guanacaste, Pacific)
Playa Langosta
Playa Mantas Punta Leona
Playa Matapalo
Playa Naranjo
Playa Negra (Guanacaste) dark sand beach surfing right-handed barrel waves
Playa Ocotal (Guanacaste) peaceful, swim, snorkel, fish, scuba
Playa Palma/Bandera
Playa Palo Seco
Playa Panama (Guanacaste) S Clulebra bay, near Playa Hermosa, fish, snorkel., cat tour
Playa Potrero (Guanacaste) tranquil, palms horseback riding, fish snorkel
Playa Real
Playa San Josecito
Playa Sirena
Playa Sueco
Playa Tamarindo
Playa Zancudo (South Pacific) black sand, palms, almond trees, fish,snorkel,mangrove tours

Playas del Coco

Visitor Attractions in Costa Rica

Costa Rica Travel Guide

Central America Travel Guide

Caribbean Travel Guide