Pacific

The Pacific coast has beautiful coconut palm fringed beaches. In many places there is a dangerous undertow. You can swim in one of the many bays.

Ocotal

The idyllic bay of Ocotal is located 4 km south of the busy resort of Playa del Coco. Ocotal is a quiet beach with a backdrop of wooded hills with parrots and howler monkeys. Diving and fishing excursions are organized from Ocotal. The view from the hotel Ocotal is magnificent.

Tamarindo

Tamarindo is one of the largest resorts in Costa Rica. The wide bay of Tamarindo about 30 km west of Santa Cruz is interrupted by a river. The sandy beach has a rocky platform that emerges at low tide. The beach is lined with coconut palms and tamarind trees. You have to watch out for treacherous currents. Touristic Tamarindo has a small but cozy center with bars and restaurants. Excursions to the turtles at Playa Grande are organized from Tamarindo.

Samara

Samara Beach, lined with coconut palms, is 40 km south of Nicoya. The semi-circular bay is surrounded by rocks and thanks to the coral reefs off the coast, it is one of the safest beaches in Costa Rica. Because the beach is easy to reach, it is a busy seaside resort. Just north of Samara is the quieter Nosara with an often deserted beach, where the monkeys often disturb the peace.

Carrillo

7 kilometers south of Samara you will find the beautiful deserted beach Carrillo, a kilometer long sandy beach in a bay, so safe for swimming. It is only busy here during the holidays. There are no beachfront amenities here. The village of Carrillo is located 500 meters south of the beach.

Montezuma of Malpais

This former hippies' haunt is taking a more luxurious approach these days, boasting good accommodations, restaurants and clean beaches. The location at the very tip of the Peninsula de Nicoya, at the bottom of a steep hill is fantastic, but remote and the roads here are difficult to navigate. Buses to Montezuma stop at the Paquera ferry. In the center are shops, cafes, hotels and restaurants. On the south side is a small fishing beach. A five minute walk north, past a pretty wooden church, is a breathtaking expanse of white sand beach. You can enjoy white water rafting, fishing, diving or an organized horseback ride.

For a nice walk, follow the main road south of the junction and around the point and you will come to a series of small hotels overlooking even more beaches, and a river with a path that leads to La Catarata (waterfall). It is quite a climb to the waterfall and you have to wade through the river a number of times. With it is worth it. For even more tranquility, drive about 10 km south past a series of sandy beaches on an unpaved road (during the rainy season only accessible by 4x4) to Cabuya, a town on the edge of the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve. Some small hotels can be found here. Past the Cabo Blanco park you will reach the west coast of the peninsula at Mal Pais, the new Montezuma, very busy, especially with surfers.

Jacó

This lively coastal town is easily accessible from the capital via the new highway 27 and is therefore frequently visited by the Ticos. Initially, cheap cabinas were built here especially for surfers, but later Jaco also started to focus on less active holidaymakers and a series of shops, restaurants and hotels arose along the wide bay. The village has further developed into a seaside resort for many young people from San José who have a weekend apartment here. Water sports such as surfing and fishing are popular here, but swimmers should be careful because of the dangerous currents. South of Jaco, Playa Hermosa also offers a challenging surf, especially loved by surfers,

Manuel Antonio National Park 

The park owes its fame mainly to its spectacular coastline with beautiful beaches and the fantastic sheltered water. Because the many visitors have caused considerable damage, a limit has been set to the number of visitors. A large part of the park is still in private hands and clandestine loggers have wreaked havoc here. An even bigger problem is the pollution caused by the many hotels in the area. Things are much better with the beautiful stretch of coast that starts at the beautiful Playa Espadilla Sur and continues past the densely wooded headland of Punta Catedral to Playa Blanca, also called Playa Manuel Antonio. From here, trails lead up past Playas Gemelas and end at the sheltered but rockier cove of Puerto Escondido, best visited at low tide.

Dominican

South of Quepos is the seaside town of Dominical. A relaxed atmosphere, good surf for surfers, a beautiful river and fantastic waterfalls give the atmosphere. With miles of beaches and the rainforest just around the corner, it is a piece of paradise in Costa Rica. Diving and snorkeling excursions are offered from Dominical. But you can also make an excursion from here to the Corcovado National Park or the island of Caño.  

Playa Tortuga

Playa Tortuga is located 34 kilometers south of Dominical. Locally it is called Ojochal here. Quiet beaches and a friendly atmosphere are the hallmarks of this piece of paradise. Day trips can be made from Ojochal to Corcovado National Park or Caño Island. Not far from Ojochal is also the nature park Marina Ballena. From the end of July to October and from the end of December to April you can spot whales here. There are several waterfalls in the area and you can take boat trips through mangrove forests. You can also go on horseback to the waterfall or to remote beaches, such as playa Ventana or playa Hermosa.