Posts tagged Playa Tamarindo
The Beaches of Costa Rica
Nov 11th
There are numerous Costa Rica Beaches on the over 1500 kilometers (1000 miles) of coastline in that country. Here is an overview of some of the great Costa Rica Beaches to be enjoyed.
Caribbean Coast
Limon
Puerto Limon is the main tourist center in the central Caribbean area, with the country’s largest seaport for import and export, as well as beautiful beaches and interesting nightlife with an Afro-Caribbean flair. In the vicinity are beautiful Caribbean beaches with the only reef in Costa Rica.
Cahuita
Cahuita is a beach that is situated nearby to Limon. A national park is situated here which protects the coral reef and marine life. Nice sandy beaches in the area.
Puerto Viejo
Puerto Viejo is further south further south from Cahuita and makes a lovely place to visit. There are a number of exclusive hotels and beaches along this area.
Tortuguero
This region is North of Limon. The whole region is comprised of natural canals that lie behind a thin strip of land and the sea. There are extraordinary jungle lodges and canal tours for you to enjoy. Garfish, Caimans, and Manatees are often seen here. You can only get to Tortuguero by airplane or boat. This is also a major turtle nesting region.
Barra del Colorado
Like Tortuguero you this is another of the Costa Rica beaches that must be reached by boat or plane.This is the place to go if you love fishing. Tarpon is the prevailing adversary here, but there are many other species as well. There are luxurious fishing lodges here.
North Pacific
Guanacaste
The Guanacaste coastline is known as the Golden Coast. There are many gorgeous Costa Rica beaches, some with full-blown resorts and others with few people on them. This is a very popular destination for tourists, especially now since the opening of the Liberia International Airport. Playa Tamarindo and Playe Grande are among some of the more poplar beaches in the area.
Central Pacific
Montezuma (Nicoya Peninsula)
Montezuma is on the inner rim of the Gulf of Nicoya, crossing by ferry from Puntarenas. It is a popular destination for the youthful foreign crowd. There are small hotels here but not all have telephones. The Cabo Blanco National Park is within reach.
Naranjo to Cabo Blanco (Nicoya Peninsula)
There are many lovely hotels along this area and plentiful fascinating places to visit. Situated in the Inner rim of Golfo de Nicoya. Considered difficult to get too by some but it’s not really the case.
Puntarenas
This is a good point to start expeditions into Guanacaste and down the Pacific coast. From here you can take ferries across the Gulf of Nicoya to the Nicoya Peninsula. This is the main city on the Pacific coast, with a boardwalk, plentiful hotels and restaurants. It is located on a small peninsula with the gulf on one side and an sluice on the other side. where there are numerousness marinas and numerous commercial fishing operations. This use to be the primary seaport of the Pacific coast.
Jaco
Jaco beach is about an one hour drive south of Puntarenas. Many Costa Rica beaches are great for surfing and Jaco is a excellent center for surfers. There is nice beach break in town and extraordinary great surf spots in the vicinity like Hermosa, Escondido, and further away are the long rides of Bocca Barranca. There are many hotels, and plenty of tours to take. San Jose is about a two hour drive away.
Manuel Antonio
Manual Antonio, although the most small of the national parks, is one of the most popular ones. Nice white sand beaches, rocky headlands, and a tropical forest for the backdrop. There are lovely accommodations along this Costa Rica beach.
Quepos
Adjacent Manuel Antonio is the town of Quepos, the sport-fishing hub of the region. Marlin and Sailfish are the big catch.
South Pacific
Osa Peninsula
A very natural region which contains the country’s largest national park, Corcovado. This is the southernmost peninsula on the Pacific.
Corcovado
Stupendous rain forest tours, sea kayaking and scuba diving are common in Corcovado. Isla del Caño is close, with its Indian burial grounds and awesome diving. Whale sightings are common among these Costa Rica beaches.
Golfito
There are cloistered hotels and lodges sequestered among the rain forest here. Golfito is the prevailing town and is the harbor in this region.
Tamarindo, Costa Rica – Ultimate Beach Vacation Destination
Nov 11th
You’re going on vacation to Costa Rica. You want to go to a place with a fun, laid-back vibe with plenty of amenities and plenty more things to do. Where do you go?
Whenever I’m asked this question I always answer the same way: Tamarindo.
Tamarindo Orientation
Tamarindo, Costa Rica is located at the start of the Nicoya Peninsula in the province of Guanacaste. It faces the Pacific and offers a long expanse of beach for sun worshipers and a consistent swell for surfers. The sand is golden and sprinkled with gorgeous little spiraling shells.
Directly to the north of Tamarindo beach is the Palo Seco river mouth and then Playa Grande, a long scimitar of beach that is also a protected park. This park, Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas, is a breeding ground of the enormous and endangered leatherback turtle, which on average weighs 1000lbs (455kg) and measures over six feet in length (2m). Leatherbacks’ nesting season is from October to March and most eggs are laid at night. This miracle of nature can be seen nightly, but you’ll need to hire a guide in order to legally access the park past dusk. During the day the river-mouth between Playa Grande and Playa Tamarindo can be crossed at low tide, or you can hop on a small boat and be ferried across for a nominal fee.
Many Options for Lodging and Food
Being one of the most developed beach resort towns in Costa Rica, Tamarindo offers an array of accommodations from luxury resorts to simple cabins. There are also numerous dining options and international cuisine, including some familiar fast food chains in case you’re in need of comfort food. Despite the town’s growth it is still small and accessible, without of any of the overdeveloped feel of the Mayan Riviera and other parts of coastal Mexico. But don’t worry, there’s still plenty of partying and a vibrant, unpretentious nightlife.
Adventures Galore
Adventure activities abound here, with surfing and fishing being two of the main draws. Tamarindo’s consistent but reasonably sized surf has made it the mecca for surfers and would-be surfers alike. There are numerous surf shops offering lessons in the range of $25-30 for an hour to an hour and a half. Surfboard rentals range from $10 to $25 per day with longboards costing more.
Costa Rica fishing aficionados will be delighted by all the possibilities in Tamarindo. Species are varied and abundant, and the there are numerous sportfishing charter boats for hire. Planning your trip between the months of April and November is your best bet to avoid the seasonal high winds off the coast of Guanacaste. Despite this, the waters are teeming with billfish, dorado (mahi mahi/dolphinfish), and tuna year round. For marlin, the best months are June and July — same for tuna. Dorado is best from June to October.
Other activity options include jungle canopy tours on zip lines, atv tours, horseback riding, and mangrove tours in the Tamarindo Wildlife Refuge. A variety of companies in town can arrange tours, including your hotel in most cases.
Getting to Tamarindo, Costa Rica
Tamarindo’s proximity to an international airport makes it very appealing, especially since you don’t have to pass through Costa Rica’s congested capital, San Jose. Daniel Oduber Airport in Liberia (code: LIR), serviced by American Airlines, Delta, and US Airways et al, is about an hour to an hour-and-a-half drive from Tamarindo beach by rental car or taxi.
A Great Destination
In sum, Tamarindo is a great, fun destination for your Costa Rica vacation – the nightlife is great too. Perhaps it’s not as ‘authentic’ as some other towns, but the range of amenities and activities certainly create an appealing locale to relax, sip a cold cocktail, and watch a beautiful sunset while planning out your next adventure.
