With dark sand and stunning sunsets, Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste is an incredible beach in Costa Rica to visit with your family or use as a base for a quiet vacation.
Below is our guide to visiting Playa Hermosa in Guanacaste.
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Location
Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste is 25 kilometers (15 miles) from Guanacaste Airport and 231 kilometers (143 miles) from San Jose International Airport.
It is about a 30 minute drive from Guanacaste Airport and a 4.5 hour drive from San Jose International Airport.
Travel tip: There are MANY beaches named “Playa Hermosa” in Costa Rica. Make sure to check which one you are staying at! There is a Playa Hermosa by Jaco, Playa Hermosa in Uvita and Playa Hermosa in Santa Teresa.
There is even a volcano crater called “Playa Hermosa” in Irazu Volcano National Park! You will see the name of this Playa Hermosa written as Playa Hermosa.
How to Get to Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste
Driving
From Guanacaste Airport to Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste, it is only about a 30 minute drive on a well paved road. You can use Google Maps or Waze for navigation.
Get our Costa Rica car rental discount here!
Shuttle
If you are not renting a car, it is best to book a private shuttle from the airport to your hotel.
A private shuttle costs around $85 USD each way for 1-5 people from Guanacaste Airport.
If you are coming from other destinations in Costa Rica such as La Fortuna or Monteverde, you can book a shared shuttle which is around $70 USD per adult depending on the route. Get our Interbus shared shuttle discount here!
We have seen Ubers in Playas del Coco that you can call to go to Playa Hermosa.
Beach Entrances
There are two entrances to Playa Hermosa which you will see signs for (primera/segunda entrada). Either one is fine to go to.
Remember if you drive to the beach, to lock your doors, roll up your windows and don’t leave any valuables in your car. The parking is only street parking.
In Google Maps, you can select “Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica” as your final destination (and just double check it’s the right beach).
Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste Beach.
Playa Hermosa GTE has been given the prize of “Bandera Azul” for upholding high environmental standards as one of the cleanest beaches in the country.
The beach has amazing sunsets as you can get a full view of the sun going down for the day.
The beach itself is calm, relaxed and immersed in nature because of the few amount of commercial businesses around.
The tide is fairly calm and since it rarely gets crowded, there is plenty of space underneath the trees to grab a spot.
Stretching 2 kilometers (a little over a mile), dark grey sands contrast brilliantly with the blue waters and dark green vegetation.
Hermosa beach’s chill and low key vibe makes it a favorite for visitors looking for a quiet vacation.
Additionally, the cleanliness and friendliness of the locals makes this one a big favorite in Guanacaste.
However, it is not ideal for a young single traveler since there isn’t much here and it can get a little boring.
It’s especially quiet in the off season and low travel months like September and October. Some restaurants and businesses close during these months and the rains get heavy.
But for those looking for tranquility, solitude and a quiet beach, this is the place for you. Playa Hermosa is rightly named for what it means – truly a beautiful beach.
How to Get Around Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste
We highly recommend to rent a car for Playa Hermosa.
Since there isn’t really a town in Playa Hermosa and all of the services, bars and nightlife are in Playas del Coco, it will be much more comfortable and convenient.
Without a dedicated downtown or town center, everything is spread out.
However, it is possible to stay in Playa Hermosa without a car if you’re only there for a night or two.
If you don’t rent a car and want to use Playa Hermosa as a home base, you have to book tours with round trip transportation included or take taxis everywhere.
You can also look into renting a golf cart to get around just Playa Hermosa if your hotel is near the beach and not up in the mountains.
Restaurants in Playa Hermosa
There are some restaurants on the beach and around Playa Hermosa such as Ginger, Roberto’s, Aqua Sport, and Pescado Loco Bar and Restaurant.
Services
All the restaurants and businesses are right off the main road and spread out in the area.
There are a couple nice restaurants and hotels on the beach and off the main road is the mini supermarket, restaurants, a laundry mat, apartment complexes and real estate offices.
For a supermarket, there is a small market which has all the basics and a small produce aisle. If you want a bigger supermarket, then you will need to go into Playas del Coco.
Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste Hotels
Hermosa is well known for having some of the nicest houses and vacation rentals in the area.
You can find many residential communities such as Palo Alto, Monte Paraiso and Hermosa Heights that have giant houses with a spectacular view overlooking all of Hermosa Bay. You can find many on Airbnb and VRBO.
Depending on what you are looking for, there are many hotels in Playa Hermosa that provide comfortable and clean rooms to accommodate to your budget and needs.
Villas Sol Hotel & Beach Resort – Rooms and time shares, popular with locals. They are a resort with a couple of pools and offer an all-inclusive option. Beachfront.
Villa del Sueño Hotel & Restaurant: Nice hotel with beautiful gardens, clean standard rooms and suites for groups/families up to 4 people. Has a pool and is walking distance to the beach (2 minutes).
Hotel Condovac La Costa – This is another very nice resort on Playa Hermosa with a pool, great view and is beach front, right next to Villas Sol.
Bosque del Mar – This is a very beautiful hotel on the beach. It’s a nice option if you don’t want to be in a resort.
La Gaviota Tropical: Beach front, small hotel with rooftop pool.
Hotel El Valero: Boutique hotel on the beach, clean, reasonable prices. Has a restaurant.
Hotel Mangaby – Excellent budget option close to the beach
Congos Hostel – They have a family room, private chalets and camping. Good budget option for basic accommodation on the beach.
Things to do in Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste
Whether you just want to lay in the sun or be out in the water, there are plenty of activities to keep you busy at Playa Hermosa.
The best things to do in Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste are watching the sunset, happy hour on the beach, kayaking and swimming.
Being a more tranquil beach, it is the perfect place to enjoy some relaxation time with loved ones. Sunsets here are spectacular!
You can also book organized excursions such as fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling and beach hopping in the Gulf of Papagayo.
Some popular day trips from Hermosa are Guachipelin combo tour, Diamante Adventure Park, Bijagua Rainforest Tour and surfing at Tamarindo.
There are several national parks that are perfect for day trips such as Rincon de la Vieja, Palo Verde and Rio Celeste in Tenorio Volcano. If you don’t rent a car, you can book tours with transportation from Hermosa included.
For day trips, you can check our post on day trips from Playas del Coco (which works for Playa Hermosa too).
In case you’d like to book a day tour with transportation, please contact us and we’ll be happy to assist.
Shopping
There aren’t any big full service supermarkets in Playa Hermosa proper. There is a small supermarket called Super Luperon that has basics and some produce.
If you want to pick up lots of groceries, it is best to go to the supermarkets in Playas del Coco.
You can also go to the Walmart/supermarket in Santa Rosa Plaza in Liberia after you land at the airport for more variety and slightly cheaper prices.
Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste Nightlife
Aqua Sport is a great place on Hermosa beach for nightlife as they have happy hour, live music, sunset drinks, swings, lounge and a beach volleyball net.
However, for more nightlife fun, head to Playas del Coco for nightlife. Playas del Coco has many more bars, restaurants and places to dance, enjoy live music, good food and happy hour.
Sample Itineraries
Here are some ideas of visiting Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste.
One week in Costa Rica Itinerary: Stay in Playa Hermosa instead of Playas del Coco. Also has a few days in La Fortuna (volcano + rainforest). Get around by renting a car.
Two weeks in Costa Rica itinerary: Same as above. Stay in Playa Hermosa instead of Coco. Itinerary also includes Santa Teresa (beach), La Fortuna and Monteverde (cloud forest) by renting a car.
Most people visit Costa Rica for one week, including travel days. It is possible to use Playa Hermosa as your homebase without renting a car. You will just have to book tours with transportation.
- Day 1: Land in airport, take private shuttle to hotel
- Day 2: Full day or half day fishing/snorkeling/beach hopping in Gulf of Papagayo (pick up from Hermosa beach).
- Day 3: Sleep in, taxi to Playas del Coco in the afternoon to souvenir shop, walk around town, happy hour, sunset drinks. Have dinner at Le Coq or one of the bars.
- Day 4 and 5: Full day tours such as Diamante Eco Adventure Park for ziplining and animals, Hacienda Guachipelin for ziplining, hot springs and horseback riding or Rio Celeste to hike in the rainforest and see a blue colored waterfall. Another option is a rainforest and sloth tour in Bijagua.
- Day 6: Morning boat ride down the Tempisque River in Palo Verde National Park. Back around 1 PM, so enjoy the rest of the day to rest, shop, see the sunset and pack.
- Day 7: Fly out, transportation via private shuttle
Costa Rica Vacation Checklist
- First time to Costa Rica? Read our First Time in Costa Rica guide.
- Not sure how to move around Costa Rica? Read our How to Get Around Costa Rica guide to find the best transportation method for you.
- Click the link to get our detailed Costa Rica Packing List so you know what essential items to bring.
- Check our Costa Rica destinations map and Costa Rica restaurant map
- Do not forget to purchase Travel Insurance for your trip to Costa Rica.
- Stay connected by purchasing a prepaid SIM Card in Costa Rica.
- Save money with Mytanfeet Deals for tours and hotels and our Costa Rica Car Rental Discount.
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Read about other beaches in Guanacaste
Playa Conchal: Beautiful turquoise colored water beach with white shells (one of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica)
Ocotal: Local beach by Playas del Coco
Playa Grande: Big surfing beach near Tamarindo in the Marino Las Baulas National Park
Playa Avellanas: Surfing beach near Tamarindo
Or read our guide to the best beaches in Guanacaste.
Luisa says
Hi, we will be at playa hermosa for 1 week in January. For groceries, should we take a taxi to Liberia or is the local store enough? Thanks
SOPHIE says
Great Website! Very usefull
We will be in Playa Hermosa in late December for the first week of a two weeks trip.
We are a family of five, all adults, and four of us are divers. So, we are planning some diving nearby… if possible.
Do you recommand some dive center there?
Sammi says
Hi! There are several in Playas del COco very close to Hermosa. Rich coast diving is an excellent company as well as Deep Blue.
Luis says
Hi, I am going to be staying at Villas Sol November 25-27. I wanted to know what you would recommend for nice sunset cruise or a place with a niew view if you wanted to propose? Any ideas would be helpful.
Sammi says
Hi Luis, there are some sunset catamaran cruises you can take that are really nice like Marlin del Rey. If you have a car, there is a hill between Hermosa and Coco that has an amazing view of both beaches but if you don’t, the sunset cruise is a great way to go 🙂 If you’d like a private sunset cruise, we can help you arrange that and you can email us on our contact page, but if you don’t mind going with some other people, the Marlin del Rey catamaran cruise is one of the nicest in the area.
Sammi says
If you want clear blue water, then I suggest going to Flamingo or Conchal. You can read our Conchal beach guide here: Playa Conchal and Flamingo beach guide here: Playa Flamingo guide . Those two beaches are known for having white sand and clear waters. Most of the main beaches like Coco, Hermosa, Tamarindo and Brasilito don’t have blue clear water like the Caribbean.
May is around the beginning of rainy season but in Guanacaste, rainy season comes later. You can read about Costa Rica weather here: Costa Rica weather
You will most certainly be able to do beach activities, May doesn’t rain as much since rainy season hasn’t quite begun in Guanacaste and even in the peak of rainy season, it is usually bright and sunny in the mornings and rains in the afternoon. You can read our packing for rainy season post here to be prepared: Rainy season packing list Costa Rica
Monica says
Hi! planning a trip for early May and your website is SUPER helpful!! we are a group of 4 girls mid twenties- not necessarily needing nightlife. was wondering, in your opinion,- which is the best beach relatively close to Liberia airport? important to us would be the quality of the beach- clear, blue water, etc. we plan on hopefully staying at an airbnb by the chosen beach.
also- i know may is beginning of rainy season, correct? is it wishful thinking that we will actually get to enjoy the beach/ activities such as a boat trip?
Thanks!!
Sammi says
Rincon de la Vieja National Park is closest and most accessible. You can read about it here: Rincon de la Vieja National Park. Palo Verde National Park is also nice: Palo Verde National Park and there is also Santa Rosa National Park which is harder to get to but also very nice.
Wade Lewis says
Thanks so much for the information. We will be staying at Hotel Valero without a car. Is there a tour agency you could recommend I contact once I get there to take us to some of these parks?
Sammi says
You’re welcome and absolutely. We recommend Shaman Tours – it is run by a Costa Rican naturalist guide and he can take you for guided hikes to any of the parks (the Palo Verde is a boat ride). He is incredibly knowledgeable about nature and wildlife in Costa Rica, we always go with him with my friends and family. His name is Randall and you can email him here: shamantours@live.com Feel free to let him know we sent you 🙂
Wade Lewis says
Hello, my wife and I are leaving for Playa Hermosa in a few days for the week. We are very excited! I am very much of a naturalist and am dying to go into jungle and just take it all in. What parks or reserves would you recommend? thanks so much.
yeison says
Hello Megan our friend Marcy does the best tours you can check his services here: Playas del Coco boating
Megan says
Hi, your site has been very helpful for planning our trip! My boyfriend and I will be in Playa Hermosa for 1 day/night at the end of our trip in mid-March, and I am wondering if there is a half day sailing/snorkeling/boat tour that you recommend that is in the afternoon but not a sunset tour? We probably won’t arrive there until noon, so we can’t do an early morning trip. If not from Hermosa, maybe there is one from Coco?
Sammi says
For local food, you have to go to a soda (small usually open air, typical restaurants). But that area, Hermosa/Panama/Coco/Ocotal is pretty touristic. We do have one soda in Coco that we love called Los Pelones which is the most typical soda you can find. All of the local workers eat there but since it’s in Coco, there are tourists too. However, Yeison’s COsta RIcan and he loves that soda and that’s as local of an experience as you can get in the area. You can read more about it here: Costa Rica soda local restaurant
But if you want to go somewhere where NO tourists go at all, then you’ll need to go to the local communities like Sardinal or Communidad. But honestly, the food and experience won’t be much different, if at all. The food won’t be any more amazing and it’ll be about the same experience when it comes down to it. But to try local food, look for places called a “SODA” you’ll see signs everywhere like “soda tica” “Soda mono” or something like that.
Lynsey says
Thank you so much for your reply!!
Your website has been a great help for planning our trip away. I will look out for the Soda signs!
Thank you