Travel information for Guanacaste and Flamingo Beach
At a glance: Some beautiful beaches of the northern Pacific Ocean
Some of the best beaches of the northern Pacific coast of Costa Rica are very suitable especially for snorkeling and diving. The vegetation here is tropical dry forest, so the greenery is not as lush as the beaches of the Caribbean, especially in the dry season.
Golfo Papagayo has been developed for tourism only in recent years. Here, attempts are being made to bring high-class hotels in harmony with nature. The beaches include Playa Ocotal, Playas del Coco, Playa Hermosa and Playa Panamá.
Here you can enjoy swimming, snorkeling, diving and surfing. The Papagayo Peninsula is the most developed area of the Gulf region. From here you can also visit the Santa Rosa National Park.
The beaches of Playa Potrero and Playa Flamingo, located at Bahía de Portrero, are surrounded by shady vegetation, unlike the other beaches in the area. Since the hotels are not located directly on the beach, they still seem quite untouched. Playa Flamingo is therefore one of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica.
Playa Tamarindo is located on a long bay and is ideal for swimming and long walks on the beach. The place is very well developed for tourism. Boat tours to the river delta, sailing tours and snorkeling excursions are offered. At Playa Tamarindo you can also surf well. In the village there are many restaurants and possibilities to spend the evening.
Another loved place in the Nicoya Peninsula is Playa Sámara. The beautiful, 3 km long sandy beach, in an elongated bay protected by a coral reef, is well suited for swimming and surfing. If you want to snorkel at the coral reef, a boat will take you to the island of Chora (about 1.5 km from the beach). There you can watch iguanas and snorkel. The place itself is quite pristine and quiet. Nevertheless, there are enough restaurants and cafes. Most of the hotels are not located directly on the beach, which is why the beach seems to be mostly natural.
On the southeastern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula is Playa Tambor, Mal Pais, Santa Teresa and Montezuma. Tambor is ideal for family beach vacations because of the lack of waves. This light sandy beach is very suitable for swimming. Excursions to Isla Tortuga and the hinterland are offered here.
The best surf spots in Costa Rica
– Tamarindo is known for its beaches with strong surf like Playa Tamarindo and Playa Langosta.
– Santa Teresa is a resort town located in the west of the Central American nation of Costa Rica. The town is located directly on the Pacific Ocean at the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula.
– Jacó is known for its surf beaches and nightlife. It also serves as a gateway to the national parks.
– Nosara is located on the coast of Costa Rica with the famous surf beach Playa Guiones and the turtle nesting site Ostinal.
– Dominical is a small town in the province of Puntarenas in Costa Rica.
– Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is located on the Caribbean coast and offers perfect surfing and diving spots as well as the Manzanillo Sanctuary.
– Paya Grande is off the beaten path but has a gorgeous beach, and is great for surfing. Turtles can be observed.
– Samara has a great surf beach, language schools, and lots of bird and wildlife watching.
– Montezuma is a village on the coast of the Pacific Ocean and is known for its yoga classes and modern Rastafarian culture.
– Surfing in Manuel Antonio National Park is often combined with a language school. Rainforest reserve with abundant wildlife and several marine species.
– Playa Hermosa offers a great beach for surfers and wave riders
Learn to surf: All beginnings are difficult…
– Find a good surf school or surf camp
– Surf instructors should have a surf instructor license from the ISA (International Surfing Association).
– When surf guiding you will be introduced to the spot under the assumption that you can already surf reasonably well. Only a good surf course will help you learn to surf. Both theory and practical knowledge will be taught. So better surf course instead of surf guiding.
– Less is more – The less students a surf instructor has to take care of, the better he can respond to the individual surf student. Anything over 4-5 students per instructor is too much.
– Watching yourself on video helps with learning to surf. It makes it easier to understand your own mistakes. Because your own performance often feels better than you are….