Beautiful Costa Rican Beaches
Pacific Coast
Avellanas -
Brown sandy beach, one mile long with rocky cost in the south. Strong waves,
good for surfing and swimming.
Bejuco - Dark
sandy beach with high vegetation, of mostly coco palms and almond trees. Good
for sun bathing, fishing and water sports. Located about 25 miles south of Jaco.
Brasilito -
Silver grey sandy beach, 1 mile long with medium waves, suitable for swimming.
About 35 miles from Santa Cruz, Guanacaste.
Cabo Blanco -
Located in the Cabo Blanca Nature Reserve with nice beaches.
Cabuya - A 3
mile long area with whites beaches and rocky platforms and strong waves. Good to
take pictures as well as for scuba diving. About 8 miles south of Cobano village
near Puntarenas.
Carillo - 2
miles long silvergrey sandy beach in U-form with a coconut forest in the south.
About 4 miles south of Samara beach in Guanacaste.
Coco - Dark
sandy beach, one mile long with strong waves, suitable for surfing. 20 miles
from Liberia, Guanacaste.
Conchal - Half
a mile long shelly beach, no sand and strong waves. Ideal for snorkeling,
Jet-Ski, boat trips and other water sports. 1 mile south of Brasilito beach.
Coyote - About
3 miles long together with San Miguel beach. Good for walks, bathing, horseback
riding, surfing and nature observation. Located south of Carillo beach in
Guanacaste.
Dominical -
Dark sandy beach with strong waves, making it dangerous to swim. Good for
surfers. About 18 miles from San Isidro del General.
Drake Bay -
Good for fishing and relaxing. Got its name from the pirate Francis Drake, who
is said to have buried treasures in a hidden cave on Violin Island. 1 1/2 hours
by boat from Sierpe.
Espadilla -
Light coloured sandy beach, 2 miles long with strong waves, close to Manuel
Antonio beach. Located 4 miles south of Quepos.
Esterillos -
Silver grey sandy beach, about 4 miles long with strong waves, making it
dangerous to swim. Perfect for observing the nature or for camping. Located
about 13 miles south from Jaco.
Flamingo -
Black sandy beach, half a mile long. A tourist area with shops, hotels and
restaurants. A good place for fishing, snorkeling, kayaking and for other water
sports.
Garza - Only
good to go for walks, not to go swimming. The southern end is known as
"angry mouth" beach. Wide beach with damaged vegetation. Some parts of
the 4 miles long beach suitable for surfing.
Grande - 2 mile
long sandy beach with strong waves. Part of Las Baulas National Park and one of
the most important beaches in the world for the nesting of the turtles. Good for
surfing. Located 28 miles from Santa Cruz, Guanacaste.
Hermosa (Garabita)
- 6 mile long black sandy beach, undeveloped and nesting place for sea turtles.
Strong waves good for surfing.
Hermosa (Guanacaste)
- Bay with a one mile long silver grey sandy beach. Low waves, ideal to go
swimming, fishing, bathing, snorkeling diving and more. Nice coastal area.
Located 6 miles north of Coco beach.
Hermosa (Osa) -
Grey sandy beach about 4 miles long with low waves. 9 miles south of Dominical.
Herradura -
Dark sandy beach, 1,5 miles long with little waves, good for swimming. Nice
surroundings. 4 miles from Jaco.
Jaco - Beach of
4 miles and very wide with strong waves for surfing. Dangerous for swimmers.
Junquillal -
Nice beach with crystal clear water, fine sand and different vegetation. Easy
access the whole year via gravel road. Located 15 miles from Santa Cruz,
Guanacaste.
Langosta -
Brown sandy beach 2 miles long with rocky coast. Good for walks and observing
nature. Visited by surfers. Located 1 mile south of Tamarindo beach in
Guanacaste.
Mal Pais - Has
white sandy beach and rocky coast with platforms. The south belongs to Cabo
Blanco national park. Located 7 miles from Cobano village near Puntarenas. Good
for surfers.
Manuel Antonio
- Long white sandy beach, 4 miles from Quepos, wide public beach as well as some
nice small ones inside the national park. Beach number three in the park is good
for snorkeling and swimming.
Matapalo - Grey
sandy beach 5 miles long with strong waves. Undeveloped and located south of
Quepos.
Nacascolo -
Only 500 yards long, located 15 miles from Liberia at the Gulf of Papagayo.
Nosara - Ideal
camping area with drinking water. Tropical paradise of flowers and plants with
several beaches, separated by rocks. Located 15 miles from Samara beach in
Guanacaste.
Ocotal - White
to grey sandy beach, 600 yards long with less waves. Surrounding area is
attractive. Located 2 miles south of Coco beach.
Panama - Silver
grey sandy beach forming a half moon. About 1,5 miles long. Located 14 miles
from Liberia in the Gulf of Papagayo.
Pan de Azucar -
Small grey sandy beach, not even 500 yards long. Santa Catalina and Plata Island
can be viewed from there. Both the rocky ends are suitable for bathing,
snorkeling and diving. Located 45 miles from Santa Cruz, Guanacaste.
Pavones - Light
brown, one mile long sandy beach for surfers, known world wide for its long
waves. South of Golfito.
Portrero -
White sandy beach, 3 miles long with small waves. Located 35 miles from Santa
Cruz, Guanacaste.
Punta Leona -
An 800 yards long black sand beach, bordering a 500 yards long white sand beach,
separated by rocks. Located 13 miles from Carara Reserve near Jaco.
Puntarenas -
Frequently visited because of the city of Puntarenas, the long white sandy beach
is dirty and not suitable for swimming.
Samara - Silver
grey sandy beach 3 miles long. The beauty and the development make it to a
popular destination for tourists. Located about 22 miles from Nicoya in
Guanacaste.
Tamarindo -
Brown sandy beach, 1 mile long for surfers. The surrounding is very beautiful.
Located half a mile south of Grand beach.
Tambor - Dark
sandy beach located in a bay with very low waves. Rocks at each end and
vegetation such as almond trees and coco palms. About 1 mile long and suitable
for bathing and fishing, horse riding and observing nature. 14 miles from
Paquera.
Tivives -
Silver grey sandy beach of 2 miles, about 10 miles south of Puntarenas.
Tortuga - Grey
sandy beach, about 1.5 miles long and wide is part of Terraba-Delta. Suitable
for surfing and sailing, located about 10 miles from Cortes in the Osa
peninsula.
Uvita - White
sandy beach, 2 miles long. Small waves and clear water. Good for swimming and
for water sports. Located 10 miles south from Dominical in the "Ballena
(Whale) Marine National Park".
Zancudo - About
7 miles long grey sandy beach with crystal clear, blue water. With small waves
and nice vegetation. Located about 3 miles north of Pavones beach near Golfito.
Caribbean Coast
Barra del
Colorado - Located in the Barra del Colorado Nation Reserve with a
3 miles straight of dark sandy beach and strong waves, between river
Colorado and Samay Lagoon. Little vegetation and much driftwood make it
unattractive for swimming.
Bonita - Yellow
sandy beach with strong waves, good for surfing, beware of corals while
swimming.
Cahuita - Light
sandy beach, 2 miles long separated into three areas: one to go swimming,
another with driftwood and algae and a third for bathing and diving, protected
by a coral reef. Located 30 miles from Limon.
Manzanillo - A
2 mile long sandy beach between Punta Uva and Punta Manzanillo with good places
to swim as well as diving between corals. Nice vegetation. The street to Puerto
Viejo and other beaches ends in Manzanillo.
Tortuguero - A
3 mile long dark sandy beach with strong waves. The main attractions are the
turtles. Located about 50 miles north of Limon.
