If you’re looking for a super chill, relax and local surfing beach, head to Playa Esterillos Oeste. Esterillos actually consists of three sections: Esterillos Oeste, Centro and Este stretching down the Central Pacific coast with Oeste as the most popular out of the three. Though the entire area of Esterillos is fairly big, Esterillos Oeste town is very small and the beach is not very crowded.
Here is our guide to visiting Playa Esterillos Oeste.
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Playa Esterillos Oeste Location
Esterillos Oeste is 122 kilometers (76 miles) from San Jose, a 2 hour drive. It is 15 miles (24 kilometers) and a 25 minute drive from Jaco.
How to Get to Esterillos Oeste
The best way to get to Playa Esterillos Oeste is to drive. The route from San Jose International Airport is mostly on Route 27 and Route 34, both highways with paved roads.
From Guanacaste Airport, you will want to go on the Interamericana highway 1, then Route 27 and exit at the Jaco/Manuel Antonio exit and continue south from there. There is one toll booth for ~190 CRC (you can pay in USD, credit card or local currency which is the best option).
The entrance to Playa Esterillos Oeste is on the right hand side and you can’t miss it, there is a huge sign of a mermaid. Make sure you turn at Oeste since there is also a Esterillos town and Playa Esterillos Este which is different. You can use your GPS.
4×4 Required?
From both San Jose and Liberia, it is all on a well paved road except for when you turn into the beach town entrance. This road becomes unpaved but you won’t need a 4×4. The pot holes do get bigger in rainy season but a 4×4 is not necessary.
It is highly recommended to rent a car if you are visiting this beach or area as it is hard to get around without one. There aren’t a ton of restaurants or big supermarkets right in town and there aren’t a lot of taxis. We didn’t see any Ubers here either.
If you drive, make sure not to leave belongings in your car and never leave your belongings alone at the beach.
Playa Esterillos Oeste Beach
Playa Esterillos Oeste beach has dark sand and dark blue waters with constant waves. It’s not that nice for swimming but ideal for surfing. Palm trees line the long coast of Esterillos and you will see many local families playing in the sand and tide pools.
Although this beach may not have white sand or crystal clear turquoise waters, it offers an unforgettable experience for visitors with its empty shores, fun waves and beautiful views. It’s definitely somewhere to go for those who want to stay at a non-touristic beach town in Costa Rica! This beach is also very clean and has lovely sunsets.
Do keep in mind that if you go in the water to swim or bathe, be very very careful to not go too far. Don’t swim if you aren’t a strong swimmer or if it looks too strong/choppy. This beach can experience rip tides and strong currents, which are dangerous to anyone, whether they’re a strong swimmer or not. If you’re surfer, this beach is more ideal for intermediate surfers – not first timers or very beginners as Playa Esterillos Oeste is more of a surfing beach.
Esterillos Oeste Mermaid statue
*As of August 2023, the mermaid statue seems to have been swept away and they have found only parts of this iconic statue 🙁 *
Besides surfing, Playa Esterillos Oeste is famous for one other interesting characteristic: a mermaid statue. If you head to the north end of the beach, you’ll see her looking out into the water. During low tide, you can actually walk all the way up to her for a photo.
I asked the locals what her name was and her history but no one knew. They call her vagabunda (homeless woman) because for as long as they can remember, she’s been sitting out in the water all day and night.
Playa Esterillos Oeste Town
Esterillos town is very small, as in the typical small Costa Rican beach town with unpaved roads, one or two small pulperias (convenience stores) and a couple of restaurants.
It’s still rural but it has grown quite a bit the last few years. More and more foreigners know where this little beach town is. Even the city Costa Ricans go to this beach for a weekend getaway since it’s only about a 1.5 hour drive from San Jose.
Tourists that don’t like the commercialism of Jaco are drawn to Esterillos since it still has the feeling of a rustic Costa Rica beach town where chickens crow all day and night, cows and horses roam freely in the pasture next door and police cars are nowhere to be seen.
Though most of the people who live in Esterillos Oeste are all locals, there are some foreigners as well and they have built some big luxury communities and gated neighborhoods in the area.
Playa Esterillos Oeste Hotels
When it comes to lodging, you won’t find any luxury or upscale places. There are a few campsites and rustic or budget – mid range places to stay. As most of the visitors to this area are there to enjoy the beach or surf, the hotels in Esterillos Oeste are basic but comfortable.
We stayed at Hotel La Dolce Vita which is right on the beach with secure parking and small apartments. The rooms had a small kitchen, living space and separate bedroom area.
You can also find vacation rentals on sites like Airbnb. We booked a room through Airbnb at the Teak Boutique Hotels. It was ideal for surfers with a super cozy common area, hammocks, kitchen and spacious rooms.
The only thing about this place is that there isn’t a secured parking lot. We didn’t feel comfortable leaving our Mitsubishi Montero Sport on the street at night so we left it at the La Sirena Hotel which has a large secure parking lot.
You can find some vacation rentals up in the mountains outside of Esterillos. Many of them are luxury homes, owned by foreigners who rent out their house or property.
Playa Esterillos Oeste Restaurants
There aren’t a ton of dining options in Esterillos Oeste. The best place in town is Los Almendros for yummy Caribbean and local food.
For sodas, there are several in town. Soda Margherita and Soda Ana are two excellent ones and cheap. For 2 typical breakfasts with coffee, we paid $11 USD at Soda Margherita.
There are many more dining options in Esterillos Este, Centro and off the Route 34 outside town.
Things to Do in Playa Esterillos Oeste
Though there aren’t a ton of things to do in Playa Esterillos Oeste itself. The best things to do are relaxing at the beach, horseback riding and surfing. However, there are many day trips you can take from there. You can visit Manuel Antonio National Park, Carara National Park, Rainmaker Park, Nauyaca Waterfalls. Make sure to visit other beaches nearby like Playa Bejuco.
Playa Esterillos Oeste’s serene atmosphere, laid back surfing vibe and rural town attracts visitors who aren’t interested in a touristic beach town. If that is what you’re looking for, then this is a great place for you to visit.
Read about other beaches in Costa Rica here!
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Tanya says
Hi there! Currently raining season in Puntareana. For a beach, with kids, to just dilly around in to the calf would you recommend Playa Hermosa, Playa Linda or Playa Esterillos? I seems all beaches are surfing beaches around here.
Sammi says
They’re all great and lots of surfing beaches around there. We really liked Playa Linda for spending a day at the beach. Playa Hermosa is also nice too. Esterillos is a nice long beach for walking. Whichever beach you go to, be very careful if you swim or go into the water.
Michelle says
Hello, Love reading your info on Esterillos Oeste. I have a question about getting to Jaco if we do not have a rental car?
We are staying 4 days in San Jose and doing the Arenal Volcano and hotsprings tour. Then considering a shuttle to our Air BnB in Esterillos Oeste. We are looking forward to some chill time and the owner says the house comes with bikes so we can ride or walk to the beach and local dining.
My question is we if we want to go to Jaco one day to explore and do a catamaran sailing??
So what is the best option for that day. I have read we can take the bus or would it be possible to call and set up taxi to pick us up and drop us back off that evening??? Not sure we want to mess with a rental car at all? We do not travel till Jan so we have time to work out the details.
Sammi says
Hello Michelle we have sent you an email
Barry Brennan says
Sami
We are in the same situation as Michele and in need of the same info. We would prefer not to rent a car but it’s sounding like we may not have a choice.
Sammi says
You can see if your lodging can get you a driver to go to Jaco and then there are Ubers in Jaco and official taxis to get back
Jayce says
La sirena was built by a man that dedícated it to his wife and daughter which may have died. He pasado away years later. He live in a house up on the hill.
Valerie says
Love this! Looking into moving to Costa. Great information. My mom lives in Jaco.
Sammi says
Awesome! Hope it works out for you 🙂
Hempsoft says
Great blog its very informative thanks for sharing.
Lynn says
Hi
We are planning a trip to Esterillo but can’t decide to stay in Oueste or Este??
We have found a house to rent in Este (the furthest end away, towards Bejuco).
Will we be too far away from restaurants, etc?
We like quiet but also prefer to walk to food stores, restaurants, etc.
Thanks for your help.
Sammi says
Either one is fine, you will have to walk/drive a little bit to get to restaurants (there’s only a few in Esterillos) anyways.
Jean-Yves Fillion says
Hi Guys, just returned from Costa Rica and it was AMAZING ! We were in Esterillos Oeste and stayed at the Dolce Vita hotel by the beach. Fell in love with the place.We will be back for sure. Loved the ppl there. Food is amazing,the beaches are incredible. Rented a car from Adobe was great no issues at all.Great service.
Sammi says
Hi Jean-Yves! I’m so glad to hear that! That beach is so nice for quiet getaways and that hotel is perfect for a beach vacay. So glad you had an amazing trip!
Rose says
Thanks for your review about Esterillos!
What type of activities can you do? and where do you go to schedule those?
Sammi says
Hi Rose, the most popular thing to do at ESterillos is surfing since it has good waves for beginners. You can rent a surfboard, there are some surf places and your hotel may have some for rent.
Sammi says
Hi Jean-Yves, I recommend reading this post: Costa Rica weather
🙂
Jean-Yves Fillion says
Hi, I will be there at the Hotel La dolce vita from the 28th of september to the 6th of october.
My question is what type of weather will i have ?
Thanks.
P.S. your website is a great idea !!!
Erika says
Hi!
I am have in been in Monteverde for almost a month and am loving it but I could really use some beach time! I was hoping you could give me some suggestions on easy-ish places to get to from Monteverde that are good swimming beaches for kids. While sticking to a budget 😉
Best,
Erika
yeison says
HI Ericka
From Monteverde Puntarenas is the closest their beaches are not as nicer as teh Guanacaste ones but it is an option.
If you want to go to Guancaste I think one of the best options could be playas del coco there are nice beaches around and the waves are not that big.
April W says
How are the waves for an avid surfer? My husband surfs a lot and I am looking for a low key place for the family where dad can catch good surf. Rights, lefts??? Thanks for the info.
Sammi says
Esterillos is a popular spot for locals and for other foreigners who aren’t looking to surf the big ones at Jaco and Hermosa. They’re not huge waves but not so small that experienced surfers won’t enjoy it. Definitely will keep an avid surfer happy and if he feels the itch to ride bigger waves, Jaco is just 20 minutes away!
Laura says
I just realized I never thanked you for this awesome (and quick!) response!! I really appreciate your help and this info was so helpful as we were trying to decide where to book. Looks like we’ll be staying in EO for just over 2 weeks – we can’t wait!! 🙂
Sammi says
Oh you are very welcome! That is super exciting, I really loved that area. I’m sure you and your family will have a wonderful time 🙂
Laura Rhea says
gorgeous pictures and I just loved your descriptions!! I am thinking of renting a house near there when our family visits CR for the first time later this fall. I’ve gotten concerned, though, that maybe the beach there is unsafe for swimming? We have a 6, 4 and 2 year-old. None of us will go very far out in the water, but what is your opinion? Did you see many families taking kids in the water?
Thanks 🙂 (and thanks for the great write-up!)
Sammi says
Hi Laura! I did see a few families around the water. This beach is great for surfers, especially beginners and the waves aren’t as big as Jaco or Hermosa. I think as long as you don’t go out to where the waves break and your children are with you at all times, they can enjoy the water. It’s a really nice beach with a good mix of locals and tourists. Hope you have a great trip to CR! 🙂
Constance - Foreign Sanctuary says
Love the sunset pictures!! And beautiful lonely beaches is my idea of paradise! I could sit and enjoy the view forever!
Sammi says
Agreed! Love empty beaches!
frankaboutcroatia says
Playa Esterillos Oeste looks like a wonderful place to visit. I am always in search of places with less crowd, and more of a local feel. To have a beach almost only for yourself I consider a true luxury.
Sammi says
Same, I much prefer local beaches with less crowds! A rare gem for sure 🙂
Stacey Veikalas says
This looks like an amazing place to visit ~ I am always looking for local beautiful beaches! Really Great post and adding this place to my wish list!
Sammi says
Thanks Stacey! We loved it, it’s a great beach that isn’t packed with tourists which is nice!
SJ @ Chasing the Donkey says
Ohhh that sunset, how divine. I mean a beach with no crowds is awesome… but ohhh laaa laaa I want that sunset with a cocktail in my hand. Thanks for linking up with us again for #SundayTraveler
Sammi says
it’s pretty spectacular! 🙂
Ashley @ A Southern Gypsy says
Ohhh this places looks gorgeous–especialyl since Tennessee just went through a minor snowstorm–to us it was a huge snowstorm haha
Sammi says
Oh man! You need to hop on a plane to get some sun 🙂 This snow season is lasting forever!
Ashley @ A Southern Gypsy says
Thanks for linking up to the #SundayTraveler 🙂
Angela Travels says
Looks like a wonderful place to visit. Sometimes the typical paradise destinations are a little too overpopulated for me. It is great that Ariel also watches over the beach. It was one of my favorite Disney movies growing up!
yeison says
yes it is a great place to visit, on low tide you can go and take a picture next to Ariel 🙂