Potrero: Quiet Beach Community in Guanacaste

Although growing in popularity, the small coastal village of Potrero has retained its very serene and tranquil atmosphere, making it an excellent destination for those looking for a relaxing beach vacation in Costa Rica.

If you are thinking about staying in Potrero, here is what you need to know to plan your visit.

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Location

Potrero is in the Guanacaste province, 38 kilometers (23.3 miles) from Guanacaste Airport and 244 kilometers (151 miles) from San Jose International Airport.

How to Get to Potrero, Costa Rica

Driving

You can easily drive to Potrero from both Liberia and San Jose. From Guanacaste Airport, Potrero is about a 1 hour drive going by Route 21, 155 and 180. This route is on a fully paved, main road.

You can also take Route 911 if you are driving during the day. Please note there are two river crossings on this route but between the hours of 8 AM to 5 PM, you can pay a fee to cross The Congo Trail property to avoid the rivers.

From San Jose, it is about a 4.5-6 hour drive. We recommend to take Route 18 and 21 via the Taiwan Friendship Bridge and Nicoya.

You don’t need a 4×4 for this route, however there is usually a lot of traffic on this route so plan for around 6 hours.

Get our Costa Rica car rental discount here!

Public Bus and Shuttles

There is a public bus from San Jose to Potrero, Playa Flamingo, Conchal and Brasilito at 8 AM, 1030 AM and 3 PM everyday. It leaves from Ave 5, Calle 20/22 with Empresa Tralapa. This bus takes 6 hours.

There is a public bus from Santa Cruz to Potrero at 3:40 AM, 530 AM, 6 AM, 9 AM, 9:50 AM, 11 AM, 12 PM, 230 PM, 5 PM, 640 PM and 730 PM everyday. This bus takes 2 hours.

There are shared shuttles available to Potrero if you coming from another destination in Costa Rica like Monteverde or La Fortuna. Get our Interbus shared shuttle discount here!

From the Guanacaste Airport, the best option is a private shuttle if you are not driving. A private shuttle from Guanacaste Airport to Potrero is around $135 USD one way for 1-5 people. Contact us to book your private shuttle!

Potrero Town and How to Get Around

There isn’t really a downtown or town center in Potrero, mostly everything is off the main road Route 911 parallel the beach.

The backroads of Potrero are the local neighborhoods and some businesses here and there. Potrero is right in between the luxury communities of Flamingo and Las Catalinas.

Renting a car is the best way to get around Potrero since things are spread out. You can walk to places in Potrero itself but if you want to go to Flamingo, Brasilito or Las Catalinas, you should rent a car. There aren’t really many Ubers in this area but there are taxis.

Some people rent a golf cart to get around Potrero.

Playa Potrero (Potrero Beach)

Potrero beach is long with dark sand and waters. The beach lays inside Potrero Bay so the waves don’t get too rough or intense and it is great for swimming, dipping your toes and sunbathing.

Potrero beach is much less crowded and busy than its more popular neighboring beaches of Conchal and Flamingo since those are two white sand beaches.

However, Potrero has beautiful sunsets and picturesque coastal views so it’s a nice beach to wind down the day or for a long, undisturbed walk at sunset.

There are many catamarans and fishing boats in the bay as Potrero beach is a popular launch point for cruises and fishing tours.

Things to Do in Potrero, Costa Rica

Scuba Diving: Potrero is very close to the Flamingo marina which is the main launch point for scuba diving tours. From the Flamingo marina, it is only a 30 minute boat ride to the Catalinas Islands where there are whitetip reef sharks, turtles, manta rays and an abundance of marine life.

You don’t have to be certified to scuba dive in Costa Rica as there are dive shops that offer discovery dives for non certified divers.

Sunset Cruise: Potrero is home to several sailing companies such as Lazy Lizard and Planet Dolphin. Go on a sunset cruise to see the beautiful Guanacaste coastlines and sail back under the dreamy sunset.

Snorkeling tour: Book a private snorkeling tour from Flamingo for the ultimate day out in the water. Your boat captain will take you to the best spots and you’ll have the boat for just your group.

Fishing: If you like fishing, then a fishing charter from Flamingo is a must.

Flamingo market: Enjoy live music, shop and eat at the artisans market on Monday evenings, 530 PM to 830 PM. At the Marie’s Restaurant.

Flamingo marina: This sparkly marina has stores and restaurants.

Potrero Day Trips

• Diamante Eco Adventure Park: This adventure park just 25 minutes from Potrero offers an ocean view zipline, animal sanctuary, butterfly garden, botanical garden, horseback riding, ATV tours, cultural experience and ocean activities. Great place for the family for a full day of fun. Get 10% off with our Diamante discount!)
• Hacienda El Viejo Wetlands: This family owned private reserve and sugar cane plantation offers cultural, wildlife and rum tours. It’s an awesome place to learn more about the Guanacaste culture and traditions. Get our El Viejo discount in this link! 1 hour and 15 minute drive.
• Rincon de la Vieja National Park: This large national park is home to an active volcano and dry tropical forest. You can hike in the park to waterfalls or the boiling mud pots. 1 hour and 45 minute drive.
• Tamarindo: Visit this surf town to take a surf lesson, shop and enjoy a lively happy hour. (~40 min drive).

Neighboring Beaches and Beach Towns

Check our video below for beaches near Potrero you have to visit!

• Conchal beach: Nearby Potrero is one of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica, Playa Conchal. It has sparkly, clear turquoise waters and a white shore made up of shells! Definitely worth spending a whole day at this beach. 15 minute drive to Brasilito, then 15 minute walk to Conchal.
• Playa Grande: If you want to watch some epic surfing, head to Playa Grande (40 minutes). This beach is popular among short boarders and is super fun to watch all the local surfers. You can walk all the way down the beach to Playa Ventanas and get a very good tan!
• Flamingo: Flamingo is literally right next to Potrero and the crescent shaped beach is beautiful with white sand. The town itself is cute too with beachfront restaurants.
• Playa Prieta: A small “unknown” beach that is popular with locals who like to skimboard. 10 minute drive.
• Sugar Beach: A secluded beach near Las Catalinas
• Playa Penca: Another local beach with low key vibes and beautiful sunsets. 5 minute drive.
• Tamarindo: The most popular and developed beach town in the area. It’s a surfing town so great for surfing, boogie boarding, nightlife, bars and sunset.

Potrero, Costa Rica Weather

Being in the Guanacaste province, Potrero has great weather with nearly year round sunshine. Temperatures don’t vary greatly in Costa Rica and same goes for Potrero.

Dry season, which is roughly December through April is around 90°-95° F (34°-35° C) during the day and 80° F (26° C) at night. March and April are the hottest months and it can be 100°-104° F (38-40° C) for weeks. It is extremely dry during these months.

In rainy season, which is roughly May through November, temperatures don’t change much. The days are around 90° F (32° C) and nights are around 74° F (24° C) but it does get considerably more humid.

A typical rainy season day is cloudy but dry in the morning and off and on showers in the afternoon and nights. October is generally the rainiest month.

Something to note is that Potrero can flood in the rainiest months like October or November. Last November 2024, Guanacaste rained hard nearly every single day and had many floods and roads wash out.

Read more about Costa Rica weather here and get our Costa Rica packing list to come prepared.

Potrero Restaurants

There are a lot of good restaurants in Potrero and the surrounding area.

Surf Box: Nice place for breakfast, smoothies, coffee and lunch in the Flamingo marina.
Potrero Brewing Company: Good craft beer, pizza, sliders and other bar food. Fun atmosphere, nice location right off the main road.
The Shack: Good place for typical American food like wings, grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers and milkshakes.
Soda Marcell: One of the best restaurants for traditional Costa Rican food in the area.
Hemingways: Restaurant of the Costa Rica Sailing Center. Burgers, seafood, yummy drinks, barbecue and more. Seaside.
Perlas: Fun place for music, karaoke, they have a barbecue night and have good tacos and chicken wings
La Jama: Costa Rican food, burgers, soups,and ceviche. Roadside place. Friendly service.
Las Brisas: Beach bar with cocktails, smoothies and beer.
El Tiki: Yummy smoothies and breakfast. Also excellent seafood. Kinda like a fusion with tacos, skewers, street food and sandwiches. in Flamingo.
The Beach House: Nice beachside restaurant for sunset happy hour drinks. Seafood and Costa Rican food.
Nita Coffee: Nice coffee shop with cakes and desserts and healthy options. Also dog friendly. Smoothies are yummy
Restaurante Pleamar: Another beachside restaurant with good seafood, Costa Rican food and happy hour.
Mangue: Beachfront, yummy tapas, meat, and drinks

Potrero Hotels

There aren’t a ton of hotels in Potrero. There are more vacation rentals in Potrero than hotels and you can find condos, apartments and houses in town. Check Airbnb, Surfside Property Management and VRBO.

Hotel Bahia del Sol: A nice beachfront hotel with a pool, restaurant and gardens. Good for families and older travelers.

Visiting Potrero, Costa Rica

You can stay in Potrero and use it as your home base for your Costa Rica vacation. Many people choose this option and either rent a car or book tours for day trips.

Likewise, you can also stay in Potrero for a few nights for your time in Guanacaste.

We recommend Potrero for anyone who wants a quieter, more chill beach vacation in Guanacaste, especially families. Seniors and retirees tend to prefer Potrero over the neighboring beach towns.

It’s also ideal for those more on a budget as it’s generally cheaper than Flamingo, Tamarindo and Conchal. We also recommend to check out Brasilito for a similar vibe to Potrero.

Potrero may not be ideal for solo travelers. It is a bit hard to meet other travelers due to lack of hostels, nightlife and a city center, unless the solo traveler is looking for peace and quiet and just wants to do their own thing.

For young backpackers or solo travelers, Tamarindo would be a better option with more nightlife and hostels. Otherwise, for older couples and families, Potrero is an excellent choice.

Potrero has a couple of small supermarkets such as Super Ceymi, Merkdo and Super Massai Grocery.

For a full size supermarket, you can go to the markets in Huacas or Mega Super, Maxi Pali or Auto Mercado on the way to Tamarindo.

Read About Other Beach Towns Below!

Uvita, Costa Rica: Small coastal town in the South Pacific, famous for the Marino Ballena National Park and humpback whale watching

Santa Teresa, Costa Rica: Surf and yoga coastal village in the Nicoya Peninsula.

Samara: Family friendly surf beach town in South Guanacaste

Costa Rica Vacation Checklist

• First time to Costa Rica? Read our First Time in Costa Rica guide.
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