North Pacific Coast
Tamarindo, Costa Rica.
The beautiful beach of Tamarindo is located on the west coast of Guanacaste Province in the North Pacific Coast. This area is very famous for its perfect beaches, clear blue water, and wonderful natural environment and almost ideal weather, make Tamarindo is among the most sought vacation destinations in Costa Rica. Tamarindo is the area’s highly developed tourist township with ample of accommodations to suit every budget. The towns’ population of more than 4,000 people depends on tourism activities. During the past few years, Tamarindo has experienced lot of development. Most of the investments have been made by foreigners who have fallen in love with this area.
Samara Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica
This is a small scenic town of Samara is situated thirty five kilometers south of Nicoya and 245 kilometer west of the San Jose in Guanacaste Province. Samara is a beautiful tropical beach and is one of the safest and most pretty beaches in Costa Rica. Samara has the greatest water sports activities in the whole Costa Rica, deep sea fishing, horseback riding, snorkeling, paragliding, scuba diving, waterfalls and canopy tours.
Samara is an old-fashioned little town, it positioned at the foot of a steep hill. The key road leads straight the town and ends at the beautiful Samara Beach. This beach is a great for a quiet holiday or for a beautiful family vacation. There are several reasonably priced hotels and restaurants are available including the beautiful and luxurious Hotel Punta Islita.
Samara and its nearby vicinity present tourists a best place to calm down and have a good and relaxed time. The visitors can find several kinds of exotic flora and fauna all along the 5 kilometer strip of Samara beach, all along the beach a striking coral reef can be seen that lies just offshore. Samara town has everything from good restaurants, bars, nightclubs to a number of gift shops and a supermarket. This is an excellent place to use as a stopover for the close by national parks and reserves; Samara is perfect place for a calm holiday or a night out on the town. A short boat trip away is the beautiful and remote Isla Chora. Remember, this small town also has its own airfield for small planes.
Samara is a flourishing farming and fishing village is different from others in, Costa Rica, as a few of the country’s most important people having homes here, such as president Oscar Arias Sanchez.
You can reach Samara through a four hour drive from San Jose. If you want to reach town quicker, you arrive by plane at the Liberia International Airport and make a two hours drive to Samara, via Nicoya.
Samara is one of the safest beaches for swimming because of its outer coral reef. Come and enjoy this funky beach town where the locals live in harmony with tourists in a natural and colorful place. Samara Beach is the perfect beach destination in combination with a visit to the rainforest or volcano. From Samara Beach you can also visit four other beaches within 20 minutes drive, each one unique in its sand, surf, and surroundings. There are several places to visit around
There are several activities and tours are available in and around Samara Beach, such as:
Barra Honda Caves National Park
Guanacaste Canopy Tour
Ocean Safari Tour
Isla Chora Snorkeling Tour
Diving Samara
Dolphin Tour
Kayak Adventure on the River
Fishing Tour
Sport Fishing
Ostional/Camaronal Refuge
Palo Verde Tour
Kayak Sea adventure Tour
Biking
Biking could be an amazing adventure for the vacationers who wish to find out Samara from a different angle. There are several interesting routs for mountain bike lovers during stay in Samara and Carrillo.
Boat Tours
Boat tours are most famous activities in Samara Carrillo Beach. Boat tours can be personalized and the visitors can select the activities that interest the most: sport fishing, dolphins and turtles watch, snorkeling or diving. You can explore the beach, over the coral reef. You can explore the tropical marine life, play with the dolphins and even sail over to a nearby beach to silently admire the nesting turtles.
Canopy Tours
The Canopy Tour is a distinctive eco-experience that gets you on an unbelievable adventure through the splendid Costa Rican forest.
The canopy tour involves passing through from one platform to another along a steel cable suspended up to 30m above the forest floor. The tour is comprised 12 platforms and 10 cable zip-lines that zigzag down a perfect forested valley. The panorama and birdlife is impressive and expert guides give interesting details about the forest ecology during the tour.
Diving
Discover the wonders of the submarine world into the depth of the Pacific Ocean during your stay in Samara and Carrillo. You will get the knowledge and richness of the bay. You will also be able to see different type of fishes such as Barber fish, Pargos, Reef shark, Mantra Ray, Dolphins and sometime even whales, different kinds of Sharks and Barracudas.
There are many Diving Center in Samara and they provide professional PADI OWS Instructor who has experience in scuba diving.
Scuba Training
Diving is a fun activity; enjoy many great dives to new and exciting places. Once you have completed your basic scuba course you can participate in several exciting types of diving. Turn your diving into an adventure and become an explorer and must try new locations in your own area. Try diving with turtles. Have fun with the dolphins. Your diving will become an endless adventure.
Horseback Riding
Horse riding provides you the chance to experience natural world at its most cherished level. The exotic wildlife comprises monkeys, iguanas and several others attractive things to see. Multicolored flora and fauna can be seen all over the place on the majestic trees while riding through the tropical forest. You will cross rivers, glimpse waterfalls and totally absorb yourself in the nature.
The rides will take you to the forest, down to golden beaches, or a top mountains offering impressive views of the area, the island — Isla Chora — and surrounding hills.
Sport fishing
Sport fishing is a pleasure and is a fun. Costa Rica is the home of the best sport fishing and deep sea fishing in the world, with over 79 world records to its credit.
You will be able to catch Yellow Fin Tuna, Blue Marlin, Black Marlin, Black Fin Tuna, Sailfish, Dolphin, Grouper, Snapper, Roosterfish, Snook, Dorado and more.
Surfing
Have lesson to learn surf in Samara and Carrillo Beach. Or improve your skills and take advantage of excellent breaks for all levels of surfing. There are several surf schools which provide board if you do not carry your own. The beaches here in Samara and Carrillo and nearby beaches are having fabulous surf breaks. The very important thing that you must understand the ocean, it is very important, the more you know about how waves, wind and tides affect conditions in the water, the better able you are to keep yourself safe, or even rescue others, from danger. Recognizing danger signs and awareness of surf conditions is an essential part of lifesaving.
Ask a friend to swim with you, so you can look out for each other’s safety and get help if needed. Children should always be supervised by an adult. Stick your hand up for help – if you get into trouble in the water, stay calm, and raise your arm to signal for help. Float with a current or rip, do not try and swim against it.
You must remember and follow these advices
• Never swim at desert beaches
• Never ever swim at night
• Never swim under the influence of alcohol
• Never run and dive into the water
• Never swim directly after a meal
Samara Beach has wonderful surroundings.
It is 35 minutes from Nicoya, the cultural and business capital of Guanacaste.
It is 45 minutes from Ostional Refuge, famous for the nesting of turtles.
It is 1 hour from Guaitil, an indigenous little town, where you can still witness some of the Indian culture that is left in Guanacaste province. Guaitil is famous for its pottery, and you can buy directly from the artisans.
Also away only with 1 hour from Playa Grande where Baula turtles (1,500 pounds) lay their eggs.
It is 1 hour from Barra Honda National Park with its several caves that you can visit.
It takes 1 hour and 30 minutes from Palo Verde National Park with crocodiles in River Tempisque, and more than 250 species of birds.
It is only 1 hour and 30 minutes from Liberia, the white town rich of history and culture
By Plane – 40 minutes by plane from San Jose, Sansa flies between San Jose’s Juan Santa Maria Airport and Samara / Carrillo every day.
By Bus – A bus leaves daily from San Jose at 12:00 p.m. from the Empresa Alfaro bus station and the trip takes about 5 hours.
By Car –
From San Jose:
Samara is around a Four and half hours drive from San Jose downtown.
From San Jose follow the Inter Americana Highway North, until the turnoff for the Tempisque Bridge – Puente de la Amistad. After crossing the Gulf of Nicoya, drive directly to Nicoya and from there turns south to Samara.
From Liberia:
Samara is about a two hours drive from Liberia International Airport.
From Liberia, drive directly to Nicoya and from there turns south to Samara.
For more on Samara, click here.
Also visit Costaricajourneys.com to read about Samara here: Samara Costa Rica
Manzanillo Beach Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica
Manzanillo Beach is located inside the wonderful Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife and Marine Refuge. The Manzanillo is very small village and it is situated south of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, it borders the Gandoca-Manzanillo reserve. It is the last town due south of the surfing paradise of Puerto Viejo. Lying on Costa Rica’s gorgeous Caribbean coast, Manzanillo is situated south of Puerto Limon in Limon province. A four hour drive from the main city of San Jose, Manzanillo is in the south of the well-known Cahuita National Park. It is one of the most scenic beaches in Costa Rica, with incredible weather throughout the year. The major attraction of this petite village is its wonderful white sand beach narrow piece that is lined with palm trees, and is bathed in the quiet and mild waters of the Caribbean Sea. Travelers that are looking forward to Caribbean nightlife must choose Puerto Viejo de Talamanca as their destination. There they will find many live music and parties.
The Manzanillo Beach is made of bright sand and often one can be almost totally alone here. It is likely that the village got is name from the tree same name that grows in the sand on the beach. The tree can also be seen in other parts of Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio for example. The yellow fruits of the tree are poisonous.
This beach is named after an ancient Manzanillo tree that stood in the town’s center from the year 1940; it has some colorful local markets and abundance of sodas or restaurants that serve the best seafood in the entire Costa Rica. They provide a wide variety of fish, shrimps crabs, and lobsters found here, this town is well known for its excellent food. There are several beautiful hotels and accommodations in Manzanillo.
This is a tropical paradise with an amazing coral reef offshore. This is a prefect place for snorkeling and swimming, this beach also has some great scuba diving spots as well. If you like, you can take a dolphin tour of the coast, and catch a glimpse of the three species of dolphins that live in the waters around Manzanillo.
A major fishing location, Manzanillo also has some lovely nature tour prospects outside of town as well. If you like to hike, you can go up to Monkey Point or Punta Mona and watch some of Costa Rica’s local monkey species in their natural surroundings. It is also believed that Christopher Columbus named this area himself after seeing the many monkeys that exist here. Since Manzanillo is located at the end of the coastal road, after town, you will found just a few dirt road tracks that directs straight into the topical tropical forest available around this region.
Manzanillo is a comparatively quiet area with only a few tourists here and there, this fishing village has a unique atmosphere and culture that is all its own. Basically influenced by Afro-Caribbean traditions and customs, this town is a calm and tranquil place with friendly locals and a number of the delicious local cuisines.
Manzanillo Beach hotel
Manzanillo Beach hotel is located just steps from Manzanillo Beach and only 10 kilometer from Puerto Viejo de Limon. The Manzanillo Beach Hotel is a perfect choice for your visit to the southernmost tip of Costa Rica’s Caribbean Sea. If you are looking for wildlife, jungle or rain forest adventure, or just want to relax under the coconut tree.
This hotel provides travelers a enjoyable, comfortable stay. They also arrange fishing trips, diving expeditions, dolphin tours, horseback riding, and waterfall tours, hiking in the National Park and much more. The rooms are with bathrooms and optional A/C, and your choice of ocean, garden or jungle view. Several rooms are available with a balcony. Breakfast is included and they have a full bar, restaurant and lounge area where guests can relax. This will be a fine choice to stay during your vacations.
Almonds and Corals Lodge
Almonds and Corals Lodge is situated in the middle of the Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge is a pleasant peaceful place with the wonderful touch of Nature; and a unique idea for an accommodation.
Almonds and Corals Lodge provide you an unusual opportunity to get a feeling of the tropical forest, living in the wild forest while keeping a level of luxury.
Each room is made under giant trees in a forest so dense that the sunrays do not touch the ground. Each room is positioned over a platform lifted up on stilts and orchids hang from the branches and like in a fairy tale, as you walk through the charmed forest, by passages on stilts, and than suddenly you will be in front of the superb Caribbean with your feet on golden sand, coconuts and the bay of Manzanillo where you will be able to hear the rhythm of Calypso.
Villa Toucan
Villa Toucan is a private ocean view and rain forest villa on the edge of the virgin tropical forest where visitors are engrossed in a strong experience of wildlife and energy all with the comforts of tropical accommodations. The 2 bedroom house sleeps 4 people maximum, and is the only other house on a 9 acre private reserve – shared with the owners living there. You will not find any neighbors except plenty of wildlife.
Villa Toucan in situated within the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge in Punta Uva on the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica. This house is 1 km from the turquoise colored waters of the Caribbean Sea where visitors can enjoy beautiful virgin beaches, snorkeling over the coral reefs, kayaking, wildlife, hikes, horseback riding and just plainly relaxing.
Villa Toucan is designed as a vacation house for families and honeymooners; the villa comes fully equipped and can comfortably sleep up to 4 people. There are 2 bedrooms, each with its own private balcony, outdoor bathroom and private garden, a full kitchen, dining area, a wildlife terrace and our new Hammock hut. Guests rent the entire house – whether you are one or four people.
This Caribbean beach possesses pale sands wrinkled with splendid palm trees. Incredible weather conditions with mild waters make for a great surfing and scuba diving destination. In and around Manzanillo the wildlife on the land and underwater will fascinate you, from monkeys to three special dolphin species. Breathtaking coral reefs and charming tropical jungles motivate such activities as snorkeling, swimming, fishing and hiking. The beach breaks are speedy and the waters are alive with colorful creatures. The visitors can enjoy tasty meals, good company and a relaxed atmosphere. There are several activities in and around the area such as Experience the Rainforest in Luxury, Kayaking and snorkeling at Manzanillo or Punta Uva, Crazy Monkey Canopy Ride, Biking tour through a Caribbean Village, Natural Park, private trail through the rainforest, Cachabri Indian Village, Cachabri Indian Village, Cahuita National Park around 25 kilometer away and more
BEACHES and SNORKELING
Visitors can enjoy beautiful beaches of Manzanillo, where snorkeling, surfing and just pure relaxing are a true pleasure.
CANOPY TOURS
The area provides several opportunities for great canopy tours allowing visitors to a thrilling experience flying through the rainforest canopy.
HORSEBACK RIDING
Visitors can enjoy guided tours on the beaches and throughout the forest.
WHITE WATER RAFTING
Several the worlds’ most beautiful rivers are found on the Caribbean Coast offering Class II-V fast-moving water.
CHOCOLATE TOUR
It is not Charlie’s Chocolate Factory, but this tour will reveal the art of chocolate making as a small number of people have ever seen it, and see ecolodges of Costa Rica.
Getting to Manzanillo Beach
Manzanillo Beach is located in the province of Limon, Costa Rica.
Driving times and distances
Distance from San Jose to Manzanillo Beach: 224 kilometers and take around 5 hours to reach here.
Distance from Liberia to Manzanillo Beach: 435.4 kilometers respectively 270 and take around 9 hours to reach Manzanillo Beach.
Playa Negra Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Playa Negra is a famous and popular surfer beach in the northwestern region of Guanacaste in Costa Rica. It has some of the most reliable and constant waves and surf breaks in the area. This beach is located on a small distance of beautiful Playa Avellana and in the south of the town of Tamarindo. It has dark sand ideal for surf for the beginners and expert surfer. It has got fame when a movie “Endless Summer II” is filmed here. The surf break at Playa Negra is incredibly consistent and the right-hand barrels attract the surfers. Surf is best during high tide, as low tide exposes rocks of under water.
When Playa Negra is packed out or too risky to surf you can stamp on over to some low profile breaks like Playa Callejones to the south, or go to an off-shore reef. The perfect beaches of Playa Negra are dark-colored and rocky in most of the parts. For having a bath there is a stretch of sheltered beach some 100 meter south of the celebrated break. Playa Negra will be your perfect base camp for enjoying the tropical weather and exploring Guanacaste. A unique quality of our area is that there are 7+ beaches within walking and driving distance that all have distinctive personalities; some all white sand, others lava reef tidal pools, some with mature trees and shell beaches, others with black sand and palms. Each beach is a new adventure!
The Neighboring Beaches and place are Paraiso, Playa Avellana, Playa Junquillal, Playa Langosta, Santa Cruz, Tamarindo.
Playa Negra offers a number of restaurants, from the famous Peruvian food at Cafe Playa Negra, Mexican food, French cuisine at Villa, and a pizza parlor. It has developed to be an outdoors activity growing town with a yoga center, adventure tours, several small shops, surf shops, surf rentals and various hotels and cabinas.
Accommodations range from low-key surfer cabins to small boutique hotels with gourmet dining. There are a number of good hotels, resorts and accommodations found at the beach, as well as a number of budget lodgings especially for the surfer crowd. If you are hungry grab a quick bite at the renowned Cafe Playa Negra, which serves up some excellent local Tico delicacies. Directly in front of Playa Negra’s surf break this is a great place to chill and drink a couple of Imperial beers. For those not interested in surfing, head a bit further south of the main beach for some peace and quiet.
Hotel Cafe Playa Negra
Hotel Cafe Playa Negra is a small upscale bed and breakfast with personalized attention. Cafe Playa Negra is located on main street Los Pargos Playa Negra and 10 minutes walk from the beach of Playa Negra, a very good surf break known worldwide.
The Hotel and Cafe have a rustic and cozy atmosphere with an artistic flair. Central American Art and fabrics enhance each sunlit room. All six rooms with Wi Fi connection, A/C and large ceiling fans, built in storage shelves, and offer a variety of sleeping arrangements. A large, 2 section patios with padded sofas and ample shade is just outside the rooms, providing a relaxing space for enjoying a book, a refreshing drink or an ice cold beer by our Pool, perfect to cool down after a day at the beach.
Cafe Playa Negra is open from 7 am to 9 pm daily serving Peruvian and international food in a relaxed setting, with a big screen where we project surf and sport videos. The best and biggest breakfast is waiting for you. Specialty desserts are prepared daily in the restaurant. Fridays, in addition to our regular menu, enjoy Japanese selections prepared with freshly caught yellow fin tuna. Wednesdays are Mexican specials and on weekends, we prepare a couple of sublime Peruvian surprises. We also offer catering services for your vacation rental or party. They offer Internet and laundry service, and we have a art shop with souvenirs. Credit cards are accepted.
Hotel Playa Negra
It is a beachfront hotel in the Playa Negra area, located right in front of the world famous surf break of Costa Rica and a few steps away from the beautiful Playa Negra sandy beach. They have two kinds of living facilities, ten Bungalows and Suit- Bungalows. They are located in a tropical garden, a few steps from the beach, they are round and independent (except for the double suite-bungalow) and they are built with a palm leaves’ roof, known locally as “rancho”. Due to the high roofs and the several windows, ocean breeze flow throughout and cooling them naturally day and night.
They a restaurant and bar right on the beach and serve large variety of food including Costa Rican traditional dishes. They also offer several activities and tours to explore the area.
Casa Mango Tango
This vacation rental home is tucked amongst the tree tops, in a tiny beach town Playa Negra De Los Pargos. Los Pargos refers to the beautiful river where the rental villa overlooks and the snapper that flourish in it. If you prefer tropical retreats in tranquility, beach & water activities, hiking and a casual atmosphere then Playa Negra may be the perfect retreat.
The Casa Mango Tango links will take you to detailed information for reserving their vacation rental for your Costa Rica vacation. Their walk-to-beaches riverfront home is nestled in the tree-tops. It is located in a gated ocean-front community, has a private pool and can sleep 2 to 6 guests. The 1200 sq ft, 3 bedroom, 2 bath home is budget priced is managed by directly by owner, and beautifully, lovingly decorated and maintained by themselves.
This are is lined with stunning beaches for sun-bathing, snorkeling, surfing, paddle-boarding, shell-collecting, and feeling and reconnecting with nature. At Low tide you can walk on beaches.
Peaceful Playa Negra offer yoga classes, surfing lessons, horseback riding, Howler monkeys mountain bike tours, a French bakery, Nine restaurants, , custom bikini shops, a day-care, Two surf shops, a gift shop, excellent local massages and Two small art galleries.
Amazingly, the beaches on 15 minutes drive to the North and South of Playa Negra have unique characteristics in spite of the short distance. We suggest driving or hiking to Playa Avellanas to dine at Lola’s, Playa Blanca and Iguanazul for cliff-top drinks at sunset. Playa Junquillal for black sand beach surfing, twenty minutes away is Canopy Adventura Zip Line, mountain horseback riding and ATV tours.
Guanacaste Day adventures tours include the Costa Rica’s Diria National Park, forty meter waterfall, Hacienda Pinilla golf, Guaitil pottery and Day Spa, Playa Potrero & Lola’s II for paddle boarding on the bay, Bahia de los Piratas for snorkeling, shopping in Tamarindo, Guachipelin in Rincon de la Vieja, canopy tour, National Park for river tubing, hot springs and mud baths, and Barra Handa National Park Limestone caverns Tour near Nicoya.
Costa Rica has 2 International Airports, one in San Jose 4.5 hours beautiful mountain drive to Playa Negra, and a second in Liberia Airport 1.2 hours to Playa Negra. We recommend a rental car, 4-wheel drive from June through early November. Flights are available from San Jose to Liberia and Tamarindo on Sansa Air and nature Air. Getting to Playa Negra can be a little difficult on your own as you will not find and public transport to reach here. However, tours can be arranged through various travel agencies in Tamarindo using a four wheel drives as the roads are dicey and there are numbers of rivers crossing thus get quite tough to navigate. Most of the surfers that come here to surf at Playa Negra rent four wheel vehicles to surf the local breaks in the area.
From Santa Cruz drive until the village of “27 de Abril” where you will turn left and then, shortly after, right to drive the 16 km to Paraiso town on a best new road. In Paraiso turn right and drive for another 4 km until you reach to Playa Negra.
From Tamarindo drive via Vila Real, follow the road signs to Hacienda Pinilla, then on to Playa Avellanas from where you drive another 4 km to Playa Negra
Playa Panama Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Playa Panama is located in the scenic Gulf of Papagayo in the Guanacaste Province, on the southern point of Culebra Bay. Panama Beach is situated at a very short distance away from Playa Hermosa. Playa Panama has the Blue Flag certification and is known as one of the most sanitary beaches in Costa Rica. It is one of the most gorgeous beaches in the area. As it very close to Liberia, Panama beach is easy to get throughout year as a new road that has been built and connecting the beach directly with Liberia.
Only a five-minute drive can take you to the marvelous beaches of Playa Hermosa and Playas del Coco, Playa Panama provide visitors dazzling ocean views and beautiful beaches and few of the country’s greatest national parks that are close to this place such as the Marino las Baulas de Guanacaste and as the Refugio Costa Esmeralda. A main advantage to this beach is that it lies very near to the airport; with international flights regularly landing from cities such as Atlanta, Hawaii, Houston, Madrid, Toronto and so on.
A distinctive characteristic of the inner bay beach is that Playa Panama Costa Rica has slate grey sand and beautiful blue waters, making it very attractive. There are no rocks or even stones, this beach are one of the finest places to swim. The water currents are mild and most of the time tide remains quite low. Approximately two kilometers in length, Playa Panama is encircled by a tropical forest of Sarno, Brazil wood, Manchineel mesquite and Panama trees and vegetation. However, you will see only a few Panama trees nowadays.
Playa Panama is a tranquil and peaceful and the friendliest places on the northern Guanacaste coast, the locals here are mix easily with visitors to make an environment that is ideal for those visitors who want some peaceful and quiet place. It is an Ideal place for vacationers who long walk along the coast, enjoy sunbathing, and a tranquil atmosphere. Playa Panama has a series of luxury resorts and condominiums, in addition to affordable accommodations also. In the nearby beach, the grand Four Seasons Hotel having famous Arnold Palmer championship golf course. The presence of this hotel alone makes Playa Panama a regular place of visit for the rich and famous.
The civic amenities here are in abundant; there are several local restaurants, bars and shopping places. It carries prefect weather most of the year; this beach is excellent for all kinds of water sports activities and fishing. Kayaking, Surfing, Snorkeling, and Sailing are also popular at this area. During your stay at Playa Panama, you must make a visit to the Rocha estuary with its lovely mangrove marsh and the closely dry forest; both of the places are within walking distance from the beach. The Neighboring beaches and cities are also can be visited to explore the beauty of the Guanacaste province in Costa Rica. The places are Golfo de Papagayo, Playa Hermosa, Playa del Coco, Playa Ocotal, Liberia, and Liberia Intl Airport.
As Playa Panama is very close to the Liberia Airport a vast variety of different kinds of accommodations are available and many other amenities are very close by, including great restaurants, shopping and tour companies. Playa Panama is the perfect location for a great Costa Rica beach vacation without having to travel far from the airport.
Casa Conde del Mar- Playa Panama
Hotel Casa Conde del Mar is located in Playa Panama and it is only 20 minutes from the Liberia International Airport. This hotel is located on the beach and offers beautiful accommodations in a comfortable and relaxing environment. Hotel Casa Conde del Mar has Two Mini Suites, Four Junior Suites, and Twenty Double Suites. They also has two restaurants and a bar. Enjoy many water sports including fishing, swimming, and windsurfing on this beautiful stretch of beach.
Sol Papagayo – Playa Panama
Sol Papagayo is a Costa Rican Beach Resort and Hotel that has been offering its services for over ten years and provides special Wedding and Honeymoon packages. They ensure and provide everything to guarantee pleasant stay of the guests. The hotel is located at Playa Panama and stretching a mile long in the Gulf of Papagayo. Beautiful gardens, amazing vegetation and large grassy areas are the perfect settings that complement an unforgettable beach experience for all the family to enjoy.
The hotel also has a direct access to Playa Chorotega which has been declared an archaeological site of interest, in this beach you can still see fish traps made out of stone by our natives hundreds of years ago.
Playa Panama is located in an area which carries one of the most tranquil climates and there are several activities takes place in the region.
Spa and Beauty –The travelers can enjoy a full range of luxurious treatments at several places in the comfort.
Boat Hire and Snorkeling Trips – you can hire a boat for the day and make picnic on private and tranquil white sand beaches.
Wave Runners and Jet Skis – There are several places that provide Jet skis on rental basis by the hours or day to drive within a particular area.
Deep Sea Fishing/Fishing – Make an experience with some of the best fishing in the world.
Golf – The area has several International golf courses to enjoy.
Surfing – The best surf Breaks and World-class surfing available with guided tours from Coco Beach.
White Water Rafting – Enjoy with white water rafting as the mountainous area makes this a thrilling excursion.
Canopy (Tree tops) Tours – This is an exciting and a superb way to get knowledge about the wildlife of Costa Rica.
Bird Watching – Tremendous over 893 bird species have been recorded in the Costa Rica, you can watch some these by yourself.
Horseback Riding – This is an ideal way to observe Costa Rica’s magnificent landscape.
National Parks / Volcano – You will have an experience of the rich diversity of flora and fauna in one of the many local parks.
Evening Entertainment – After a day long tour, relax and enjoy superb sunsets on your private terrace or on a beach.
Mix and Match your dining requirements with a visit to the village of Coco, where you can get a variety of local restaurants, which is a 20 minutes drive away. After the sun goes down, Coco comes alive with vibrant bars and discos; you can even try your luck at the casino.
By Plane – The nearest airport with regular flight in Liberia, Costa Rica, From there you can take a taxi to bring you Playa Panama. This journey takes about 25 minutes and should cost you around $40 – $50.
By Car – Follow the directions for getting to Liberia and then head west toward Santa Cruz. The turnoff for the Papagayo Peninsula is prominently marked 8km (5 miles) south of the Liberia airport. At the corner here you will see a massive Do It Center hardware store and lumber yard. If you are going on to Playa Hermosa, continue on a little farther and, just past the village of Comunidad, turn right. In about 11km. you will come to a fork in the road; take the right fork. The drive takes about 4 1/2 hours from San José.
If you are going to Playa Panama, you can either take the paved roads all the way, by heading first to Playa Hermosa, and continuing on to Playa Panama. Or, you can take a dirt road shortcut that leads from a turnoff on the Papagayo Peninsula road, just beyond the Do It Center, directly to the beach here.
By Bus – An express bus leaves San Jose daily at 3pm from Calle 20 and Avenida 3, stopping at Playa Hermosa and Playa Panama.
Playa Potrero Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Potrero Beach is an ideal location for the Costa Rican Beach vacation, plenty to offer in terms of activities and miles of beach to do everything, or just take rest at Playa Potrero, Costa Rica.
Playa Potrero is a located very near to the Playa Flamingo. It is a five minute walk from the wonderful Flamingo Beach. Potrero is a small town of typical Tico with amazing and gorgeous beach stretching two and a half miles along the northern Pacific Coast of Guanacaste province. It is small town and very quite. Playa Potrero is located along Costa Rica’s ‘Gold Coast’; this tropical beach with its warm tranquil waters is an incredible place to enjoy a relaxing, laid back beach holidays. There are several beaches nearby Playa Potrero. About seven kilometer away in the north is Playa Brasilito, just ten minutes away from Playa Penca and Playa Prieta, which carries the marvelous five-star resort and the Melia Conchal is also nearby.
Playa Potrero is easily accessible beach in Costa Rica and has a flourishing fishing community and availability to all sorts of beach activities. The guides are easily available to take visitors to deep sea fishing. The travelers can get all sorts of water sporting equipment, including jet skis, windsurfing equipment and sea kayaks easily; these are rented from a number of local providers. There are several stables that provide horses for riding on the beautiful stretch of playa Potrero. This is a perfect place to start a day trip to Witches Rock or just to go fishing or snorkeling, Playa Potrero offers all sorts of activities. The protected bay of Potrero offers an ideal location for yachtsman and fisherman. At the south end of the beach is the Flamingo Marina where boats of all shapes and sizes are anchored. Or just simply go for a stroll or sunbathe along the shore. The sunsets here are a wonderful sight and should not be missed at any cost.
Just off shore from Playa Potrero is the Santa Catalina that is the best choice for scuba diving operations up and down the coast. These barrier islands provide ideal dive opportunities for both experienced and beginner’s divers.
The visitors come here to relax in peace as the beach is quite and not much crowded as the Playa Flamingo or Playa Brasilito. It is a great place to stay at as there are several economical and affordable hotels are available. There are few upscale hotels also in Playa Potrero.
Playa Potrero has a wide range of accommodation up class International hotels and private beach cabinas.
Bahia Del Sol Beach Front Hotel & Suites – Playa Potrero
Bahia Del Sol Beach Front Resort is located on the beach. It is an attractive hotel with studios and the property has its own section of tropical forest. The rooms of the hotel are next to the beach and just a few steps away an open air restaurant and bar, swimming pool with Jacuzzi that overlooks Bahia Potrero.
This hotel and resort is on a beautiful tropical sandy beach with calm warm water, where you can leisurely walk, sunbathing or just relaxes. The sunsets are really amazing and you would not like to miss this. There are several activities that you can enjoy.
At Bahia Del Sol, all the rooms have air conditioning; cable, TV, telephone and hotel have all type of amenities with fully equipped kitchen.
Bahia Esmeralda Hotel – Playa Potrero
It is located 200 meters from Potrero Beach and 4 kilometers from Flamingo Beach. Bahia Esmeralda surrounds a lush tropical garden, with a refreshing pool in the center. Choose a suite, apartment or villa, each is with a kitchen and terrace, AC, hot water, Cable TV, ceiling fans and decorated with Italian flooring and tiles. Suites are available for 6 people; Villas are for 4 people and Apartments for 2 persons. Tours are also arranged at the hotel.
Villaggio Flor del Pacifico – Playa Potrero
It is a family- friendly hotel, located near the beach in Playa Potrero; this hotel is close to Penca Beach and Flamingo Beach. The other attractions also include Conchal Beach.
Recreational amenities at Villaggio Flor De Pacifico include an outdoor tennis court and an outdoor pool. Other amenities include complimentary parking and complimentary wireless Internet access. All the Guestrooms open to balconies with garden views and feature flat-panel televisions with cable channels.
There are several possibilities of different activities at Playa Potrero. Costa Rica uniquely offers the richness and remoteness of nature with access to modern amenities. You can enjoy the white sand beaches of Flamingo Beach or the beach along Playa Potrero. In Potrero Beach, you will find relaxation, but if you looking adventure. You are in the middle of it. Costa Rica’s wildlife is much more diversified.
Sport Fishing – Deep Sea Fishing
Flamingo Marina in Playa Flamingo offers a lot of water sports. Sport fishing charters leave Flamingo with tourist attractions set on marlin, selfish, tuna, Dorado (also known as dolphin), snapper, Wahoo and roosterfish. In each season you will get different fishes.
Scuba Diving
Flamingo is a best-known scuba diving center. There are several that are providing equipments and guided tours. They also offer daily guided diving trips to the Catalina Islands which is only about fifteen minutes offshore by boat and are the home to Sea Turtle, Stingrays, Giant Manta Rays, Sharks, Barracuda and more. You can have the Experience of the undersea environment of volcanic rock with 20-80 feet visibility in 75-85 degree water at depths of 60-70 feet. Diving at shallow depths, you will see colorful coral and tropical fish such as a variety of species of puffer fish, wrasses, porcupine fish, parrot fish, butterfly fish, damselfish and eel. Costa Rica Diving offers diving at more than 35 dive sites including the Bat Islands, certification programs, and snorkeling tours. 2 tanks ~$75/person. Multiple dive shops in the area.
Championship Golf
The Garra de Leon golf course is regarded as the best in all Costa Rica. The Golf course borders 1.6 miles of white sandy beaches and the Pacific Ocean. The 7,080 yard layout from the back tees is the best to host a professional event. The narrow valley, lakes, and fairways of stunning Costa Rica offer enjoyment for all skill levels. About 20 miles away, surrounded by hundreds of acres of undeveloped Costa Rican purity lies the Playa Hacienda Pinilla golf course. Its 18-holes are spread through 4,500 acres with an “ocean” side and a “ranch” side offering both tactical and natural diversity. Recent tallies have confirmed that thirties colonies of howler monkeys making homes in the royal native trees. Hacienda Pinilla is a must play for all golf lovers.
Canopy Tours
Canopy Tours are a Costa Rica favorite and Guanacaste offers one of the last dry forests. These tours start by taking you into Costa Rica’s dry forest.
ATV Tours
ATV four wheeler tours will take you through the jungle’s terrain of hills, rivers, and beaches. In few minutes you will find yourself engrossed in the dry forest experiencing the natural beauty. Tours are led by bilingual guides who will point out the finer aspects of the tropical dry forest while experiencing the thrill of motorized invasion. Make sure you pack appropriate clothing for this tour.
Arenal Volcano and Tabacon Hot Springs
Arenal Volcano is the most active volcano in Costa Rica. During the day you can observe steam coming from the hollow & perceive sound lava rock fall over the slopes. Most nights you will see Arenal emitting lava into the glittery sky. Around the place, relax in pools naturally heated by the lava surrounded by lush tropical gardens. After this relaxing experience, have a superb dinner.
Arenal and Monteverde – Two Days and 1 Night
Make a Visit to the hot springs with verdant tropical gardens and watch the Volcano at night when eruptions look like natural firework displays. Next day you can continue to Monteverde.
National Parks & Private Preserves
Many National Parks are near this place or reachable via a day trip such as: Marino Las Baulas National Park, Palo Verde National Park and Wildlife Refuge, Las Baulas National Marine Park (turtle nesting), Vida Silvestre Ostional Refuge, the Monteverde Cloud Forest, Tamarindo Mangroves & Estuary, and Rincon de la Vieja National Park.
Off Road Adventures
Drive your own 4 wheeler on guided tours through the backcountry through watercourses and rivers. Observe cattle, horse ranches, local artisans, flora & fauna. Beach drives with break for snorkeling, swimming, sun-bathing, and sea kayaking. During the tour at night, watch different species of animals’ and rare birds.
Catamaran Sailing and Snorkel Tours
Make sailing tours on specially equipped catamarans. Do visits to secluded beaches. You will have opportunities to encounter sea life such as whales, dolphins, manta rays, and sea turtles. Sea kayaks for those travelers that do not want to snorkel.
Colorado River Rafting
A hot-air balloon kayak will take you down the river, while you astonish at the inexpressible canyon and slow torrents. You can have the time of your life paddling on the Colorado River and enjoying a memorable experience.
Wildlife Safari
Drive along the rear roads of Guanacaste area and learn about the authentic life of locals to end up on a barge at the Tempisque River. After all this adventure, relax for a while and taste the genuine flavor of Guanacaste in an old-fashioned local restaurant.
Corobici or Tenorio Nature Float
What a better way to enjoy a beautiful river than running in a rubber raft? This is a fabulous tour of the river for those who do not mind getting a tan and doing a bit of paddling. During the floating, you will see several exotic birds, lizards and talking monkeys hanging upside-down by their tails.
Tenorio River Rafting
Enjoy with white water adventure of fast-moving water. Make a team to conquer the river and maneuver through some fast and powerful torrents. Survey the wildlife in the jungle of Costa Rica.
Buena Vista Hot Springs
Give a treat to the body and soul at Buena Vista Lodge. Take pleasure through treatments with volcanic mud and sulfurous waters of the hot springs, where we go by hours or on a tractor tram.
Selvatura at Monteverde Hanging Bridges
Terrific structures which will take you into the new height. Treetop walkways cross through the cloud forest. Explore a community several species of tropical butterflies. Visualize that over 100 beautiful hummingbirds flying gladly around you. Find out the world’s third largest private insect collection.
Palo Verde National Park
Reach at the Tempisque River and get on their boat, the Palo Verde National Park experience will start along the slow-moving river, which crosses the dry Pacific savannas. Observe the amazing array of wild birds and countless of creatures such as howler monkeys, king fisher and green iguanas. There is a prospect to find out anteaters and crocodiles relaxing in the sunshine.
Colonial Granada Nicaragua
The oldest colonial city of the American. Make a visit to the historic Granada established in 1524. Cross the boarder, you can have the enjoyment of the lake and volcanoes on the way to the city of Granada, bound to the lake, for a boat ride to the Isletas. This will be an unforgettable tour.
Monkey Park Animal Rescue Center
If you have a desire to help endangered species, Monkey Park created an animal rescue center. The animals at Monkey Park are unable to survive in the wild on their own.
KOKOdrilo Creek
A tropical river floats to view alien birds, monkeys and reptile. A horseback ride along sheltered forest trails in the lush rainforest. KOKOdrilo Creek’s zip lines to view the jungle from a different perspective as you glide from tree to tree. The activity center is a 4,000 acre ranch, home to diverse animal species. Guides will help you spot the Howler Monkey, Iguanas, the American Crocodile and several water birds, all surrounded by the scenic beauty of the lush river banks.
Miravalles Volcano
The Miravalles Volcano has a dense primary forest growing on steep slopes, often covered in clouds. After 2 hours of horseback riding, you may walk inside its hollow. Observe steaming pools, bubbling mud and fumaroles. Try a mud bath and take a plunge in the natural hot springs.
Nicaragua – Masaya Volcano, Masaya Market, Granada Colonial Jewel and Nicaragua Lake
The city has several colonial buildings and is near to Lake Nicaragua and the Mombacho volcano. Granada was founded in 1524 and holds the tile of oldest city established on mainland by Spanish invasion. During colonial times, Granada was attacked many times. Later on the city was made capital several times before Managua got chosen to end the fight between Granada and Leon for being the capital city.
Masaya Volcano National Park contains an area of 54 kilometer and includes two volcanoes and 5 craters. Visitors can glance over the edge a the Masaya Volcano and look into the impressive hollow which is continuously emitting smoke and sulfurous gases.
From Flamingo, there is something for everyone. And the list is very long as wave runners, surfing, Scuba Diving, bird watching, horseback riding, hiking, tennis, shelling, Spanish Language school, shopping, Arboreal Canopies, Butterfly Farm, Outrigger Canoes, Rincon de la Vieja Volcano, Palo Verde National Park, Barra Honda National Park, Santa Rosa National Park and more.
There are two primary routs into Potrero, the Monkey Trail from the north and the road to Flamingo. From East to West Potrero begins where it meets Playa Flamingo at Surf Side and continues through Playa la Penca, Playa Prieta and ends where it meets Playa pan de Azucar, Sugar Beach.
A scenic forty five minutes drive from Liberia Airport brings you the paradise of Playa Flamingo and than To Playa Potrero. Taxies, Rental Cars and Buses are also available from San Jose, Liberia, and Tamarindo.
Liberia Airport offers flawless travel to the region, and Flamingo Beach can be access by way of a paved road than to Playa Potrero. Otherwise, the smaller airport in Tamarindo receives domestic flights from around the country, and from this airport visitors can get taxi or bus ride to Playa Potrero via Flamingo Beach. From the capital of San Jose, however, the bus or car travel is about six hours along the Inter-American Highway.