From a small fishing village to now a booming tourist center, Tamarindo has become one of the most visited surf towns in the country. Well known for great waves, stunning sunsets and some of the best eats in Costa Rica, it’s a destination popular for backpackers and families alike to experience all what Costa Rica has to offer.
Despite the huge increase of development the past few years, the town has still preserved the natural beauty and the surrounding wonders. However, one might argue that it deserves the nickname “Tama-Gringo.” Due to the exponential growth of the town, you’ll see many North Americans living either permanently or for a few months of the year.
Despite being extremely touristic, visitors from all over the world fall in love with Tamarindo and all that it offers.
In this guide you’ll read about the beach, where to stay, where to eat, what to do and more. This guide has been updated March 2018.
Click the section to skip to it.
Map
Playa Tamarindo, Costa Rica on Google Maps.
Playa Tamarindo is located about an hour from Liberia International Airport inside the Tamarindo bay and between the estuary and Marino Las Baulas National Park.
How to Get to Tamarindo, Costa Rica
- By bus: There is a bus from Liberia that leaves from the Mercado Municipal with the Transportes La Pampa company. It departs daily at 7, 8, 10, 11, 1PM, 2PM, 4PM, 5PM and 6 PM, taking 1.5 hours and costing 1,275 colones ($2.50). From San Jose, there is one bus that leaves twice a day from Calle 14, Ave. 5 at 11 and 3:30. This takes around 5.5 to 6 hours and costs 5000 colones ($10)
- By flying: Tamarindo has their own airstrip for domestic flights. From San Jose it costs around $70 one way and takes about 30 minutes.
- By shuttle: Tamarindo Transfers & Tours has shared shuttles for $20 per person one way minimum 2 people from LIR Airport. For a private transfer, it costs around $90 for 1-4 people. If coming from San Jose or another destination, you can take private or shared shuttles.
Driving Directions to Tamarindo from Liberia Airport
Turn right out of the parking lot (only way to go) and you will come to the main road. Turn right onto the main road and you will continue on this road for about 28 kilometers and then turn right into a town called Belen, Route 155. You’ll pass a soccer field and school on your left and after about 5 kilometers, turn left at the small intersection. Continue on this road for another 20 kilometers and then turn left at a town called Huacas. Stay on his road about 15 minutes and turn right at the next main intersection. Keep going 4 kilometers and you will reach town.
Getting Around
The town is not very big so you can easily walk around. You an also rent motorcycles, bikes or golf carts. You can rent electric bikes by Hotel Portofino and there are electric golf carts to rent in the Auto Mercado plaza a bit outside of town. You can read more about getting to Tamarindo in this post.
Playa Tamarindo Beach
The beach stretches 3.5 kilometers with blue waters and tan sand. You will see people surfing every day.
Waves are perfect for beginners with classes going on all day. However, due to its popularity, sometimes there are so many surfers out there that it can get very crowded for swimmers.
It’s also one of the best beaches to catch the sunset as you’ll get a full view of the sun going down for the night. Rainy season months have particularly intense sunsets when there are more clouds.
With amazing weather and clear sunny days majority of the year, Tamarindo is one of the best beaches in Costa Rica for a relaxing tropical escape.
During holiday season and high season, it does get fairly crowded with visitors from all over the world. During the New Year, Christmas and Easter holiday, the beach gets packed and there are live music performances and parties on the beach.
You can beach chairs and umbrellas from Diria ($10 a chair) or free if you buy drinks from ElBe or Walter’s (just chair, no umbrella).
What the Town is Like
The town is actually not that big and the back roads are not paved. The main strip ends at a roundabout and there are many back roads with houses, restaurants, hotels and apartments.
See what the town looks like in our video!
Roads are narrow and parking is tight so keep that in mind when driving. There are parking guards or “watchimen” who will try to charge you a lot of money to park. This is one of the annoying and unfortunate things about this beach town. We usually give them 500 colones or so each time to the parking guard.
Weather
Tamarindo is in the Guanacaste province, one of the hottest areas of Costa Rica. This area experiences the typical tropical dry and rainy season. Dry season is roughly December – end of April and May – November for rainy season. The hottest months are March and April and the rainiest are October and November.
A typical rainy day is sunny in the morning and rainy in the late afternoons and nights. It really doesn’t start raining hard until about August.
Things to Do in Tamarindo, Costa Rica
Here are some of our recommended activities.
Surfing
We highly recommend taking a lesson since this is a great beginner surfing beach. There are many surf shops in town that offers classes and they cost about $50 for 2 hours.
Sunset Sailing
Go on a sunset sailing cruise to get beautiful views of the coastline, snorkel and see the sunset from the water. Marlin del Rey is the most popular one and it costs $85 per adult for a sunset tour. They have an open bar, snacks and lunch. Other excellent companies are Blue Dolphin and Antares.
Fishing
Go in or off shore fishing to catch snappers, jacks, tuna, mahi mahi wahoo and more. Tamarindo is a great place to go fishing in Costa Rica.
Black Stallion Zipline, Horseback riding and BBQ
This small adventure park is has a zipline, horseback riding and offers barbecue dinners. Their BBQ is the best we’ve ever had in Costa Rica and their property is beautiful. It’s only a 10 minute drive by car.
Beach hopping
Visiting beaches is a must since you’re close to some of the nicest beaches in Costa Rica like Langosta, Conchal, Flamingo, Danta, Mina and Brasilito. If you don’t have a car, there is a shuttle called Avellanas Express that goes to Avellanas and Conchal. It costs $6 one way and surf boards are free.
Estuary boat ride
Take a boat ride through the estuary to see monkeys, birds and crocodiles.
Party
From dancing the night away at Crazy Monkey Bar or listening to live music on the beach during the holidays, there is a fun party scene in Tamarindo. On Sundays, you can also join the Beach & Pool crawl for more beach, drinks and pool parties.
Day Trips
You can perfectly stay in Tamarindo as your home base in Costa Rica and do day trips from there.
You can visit national parks like Rincon de la Vieja National Park or Barra Honda National Park. For adventure, you can do the Guachipelin combo tour (ziplining, white water tubing, horseback riding, mud baths and hot springs) or head to the Diamante Eco Adventure Park for an ocean view zipline and animal sanctuary.
Go boating in Playas del Coco for excellent snorkeling and beach hopping. If you want to see another country, you can also take the Nicaragua one day tour.
To see one of the most beautiful places in Costa Rica, hike Rio Celeste, the sky blue river. You can also take day trips to Arenal and Monteverde.
Or if you’re looking for a splurge, take a scenic Costa Rica helicopter tour. Get 10% off the helicopter tour in the link and get views of Costa Rica that nobody else does!
Tamarindo Surf Camps
If you really want to learn and immerse yourself in surfing, we recommend joining a surf camp. We did one a surf vacation with Iguana Surf which was a lot of fun. Witch’s Rock also offers surf camps. They will put together a package for you with lodging, lessons, transportation and activities. Tamarindo Surf Experience is another great one.
Surf camps are usually one week long but you can see if you can customize it or stay longer.
Tamarindo Hotels
You can find all sorts of hotels in town for every budget.
For long term stays, there are apartments and condos and some hotels will rent out for long term for a week to months at a time. Airbnb (get $40 credit) is a good option if you prefer an apartment.
Recommended Hotels in Tamarindo
- Hotel Mar Rey is a nice budget hotel right in the middle of town. They have spacious simple rooms with basic amenities like AC and fridge and a nice pool.
- Hotel Luna Llena – located further back in town, Luna Llena has spacious bungalows, a big pool and serves up a free hearty breakfast each morning.
- Hotel Inn the Shade – only a 5 minute walk to downtown and the beach. It’s in a quieter part of town so you won’t be bothered by the parties but it’s close enough to join the fun.
- Cabinas Marielos – Basic rooms literally right across the street from the beach. Excellent budget choice that’s close to the beach.
- Esplendor – This hilltop hotel has a fantastic view of the beach and an amazing infinity pool. However, the rooms are a bit small since the concept is to have a “city hotel” at the beach with city prices.
For hostels, Coral Reef Surf Hostel and the Selina Hostel is a top choice with a fun party atmosphere in town.
For luxury stays, there is the Diria Beach Resort. It’s beach front with 3 pools, an on-site restaurant and casino. For honeymooners or couples, Jardin del Eden is the top pick as it’s adult only with romantic rooms and in room Jacuzzis.
If you want a resort, check out the JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa or the all inclusive Occidental Langosta.
Restaurants in Tamarindo
This town has some of the widest variety of food in the country. With over 90 restaurants, you’ll be sure to find something good to eat. From Italian to sushi to Argentinian barbecue, your cravings will be plenty satisfied with the delicious eats around town.
Our Recommended Restaurants:
- Noguis: They have happy hour from 430 PM – 530 PM where you can get 2 beers for 1500 colones (~$3). Food not great, but happy hour beer is!
- Longboards BBQ: Delicious barbecue sandwiches and you have to try the tama slaw.
- Seasons: Fine dining, good steak and seafood.
- Pangas: Fine dining, delicious seafood. Nice place for a romantic dinner.
- Green Papaya: Awesome taco bar with handmade tortilla and chips. The mahi mahi tacos are amazing.
- NOI Bistro: Great place for lunch and dinner. Favorites are the veggie burger and both chicken dishes.
- Sharky’s: Sports bar with good bar food like burgers, wings, etc.
- Surf shack: Great burgers and they have a veggie burger option.
- Mercadito: This new food court has burgers, vegan food, arepas, poke bowls, Argentinian grill, Pops ice cream, a bar and sushi.
- Venezia Gelati: My favorite place for gelato and cakes.
- Falafel bar: Great vegetarian/vegan option with hummus, pita wraps and shawarma.
- Dragonfly: Has the best curry I’ve eaten in Costa Rica. They also have seafood and steak.
- La Pachanga: Excellent pizza and pasta place, they make their own pasta.
Living in Tamarindo, Costa Rica
Foreigners choose Tamarindo as their new home due to several factors: diversity, more business and job opportunities, weather and a tightly knit expat community. It is very popular for families as there are some private and international schools nearby.
There aren’t as many retirees compared to other expat beach towns like Coco and Nosara either. Most of the foreigners are young entrepreneurs, digital nomads, families or surfers. And it’s not only US citizens who live here, there are plenty of Canadians, Italians and a strong South American community.
There is always something to do or something going on so it’s never boring. You’re close to plenty of natural attractions and it’s easy to meet people. For the travelers who don’t mind other tourists and a developed beach scene, Tamarindo is a top choice.
We have lived in the area for over 2 years and we love it. We’re close to some gorgeous beaches, we surf almost every day and the local community is wonderful.
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Laura Cleverley says
March 10, 2019 at 1:57 PMHi,
We will be in Tamarindo in Oct. 2019, and are wondering if there are any hiking trails close? Any beach hikes?
Thanks!
Sammi says
March 10, 2019 at 2:44 PMHi Laura, in this area not really for beach hikes. You can walk on Tamarindo beach from estuary to the other end and take the boat ride through the estuary, or from Grande to Playa Ventana or Brasilito to Conchal but those are not really hikes, just a walk on the beach. For good hiking, you would need to travel. The best places would be up in the forest like Rincon de la Vieja National Park Rio Celeste.
Laurie says
February 21, 2019 at 8:56 AMI was just reading Fodor’s Travel Guide which suggested that Tamarindo beach water quality is questionable due to overdevelopment and absence of water treatment. This was in 2016 so wondering if you know if the water quality is any better now and safe for children swimming. thank you.
Sammi says
February 21, 2019 at 11:52 AMHi Laurie, there is definitely a section of Tamarindo beach that I do not recommend to swim in, it is more towards the middle section of the beach and you can see that the street water drains into the ocean from there. We recommend to stay near the north end where the rivermouth is as it connects to the estuary if you want to swim. It’s also the most popular surfing lesson spot.
Laurie Vandervoort says
February 4, 2019 at 8:07 PMTamarindo looks like a great option for the beach part of our family vacation. I am wondering how you would compare it to Playa Flamingo for wildlife viewing opportunities. I feel like since the estuary area is nearby there may be more animals (e.g. seeing monkeys’ around the accommodations). We like viewing wildlife but then would you say that the beach and sand at Playa Flamingo is better for non-surfers and young children? Thank you!
Sammi says
February 5, 2019 at 8:56 AMThe estuary does provide more wildlife watching opportunities, you can take a boat ride or kayak through there which is very nice. Tamarindo is nice for kids even though its a surfing beach because the waves don’t break close to shore and in low tide, the shore is super long compared to Flamingo.
Tim says
January 4, 2019 at 7:13 PMHi guys, love your site. Great layout, navigation and content. Congrats on your business! Can you recommend a Spanish language school in Tamarindo for a family of four? We’ll be visiting for a few weeks this summer. Thanks, Tim (fellow Seattleite)
Sammi says
January 5, 2019 at 9:32 AMHi Tim, there is an EF international language school in Tamarindo that I have heard good things about. I’ve never done any language schools here so I don’t have any personal experience or recommendations but I have a friend who worked in EF in La Fortuna and she really likes it.
Sammi says
November 12, 2018 at 5:54 AMVillarreal is the closest at 5 kilometers. Then there are Huacas, San Francisco. Just note if you do choose the more local towns, you will need to know at the very least, some basic Spanish and that there isn’t much in the local towns and you’ll need to travel at least 5-10 kilometers to get to Tamarindo. I would check first in the Tamarindo Rental and Sales to see if you can find a place in Tamarindo in your price point because to live outside Tamarindo without a car is tough, you will be spending a lot on taxis.
Ali R. Rodriguez says
November 11, 2018 at 2:03 PMForgot to ask…..any other surrounding towns that would be more cost effective? I will not have a car, nor do I plan to rent one. I’d be looking at taxis to move around.
Thanks again Sammi!
Sammi says
November 11, 2018 at 4:02 PMIf you don’t have a car, then it’d be hard if you were to stay in the local towns that are more cost effective like Villarreal (the closest local town) or Huacas when it comes to getting around. For taxis, there unfortunately aren’t any “official” taxis here, they’re all pirate taxis and they will always try to rip off foreigners unfortunately. You can find some apartment rentals a little outside of Tamarindo but Tamarindo is kinda like in a little pocket so you’d still need to travel a bit to get there. If you can get a bike that’d help a lot.
We currently live in Villarreal that is 5 kilometers away but as a local town, you need to know Spanish to get around and have a car or else you’ll be taxing back and forth and you won’t be close to the beach so staying in Tamarindo is the best option for you.
For rentals, the best group is the Facebook group called Tamarindo Rentals and Sales. You can post in there what you’re looking for and hopefully you can find something. There’s a lot of people in that group so there’s a good chance.
Ali R. Rodriguez says
November 12, 2018 at 2:09 PMThank you Sammi, you’re amazing! I’ll look into FB Tamarindo Sales and Rentals.
Also, I speak fluent Spanish.
Ali R. Rodriguez says
November 10, 2018 at 3:05 PMHi Sammi. Love your blog and the resources are amazing.
I’ve been wanting to move to Tamarindo for a while, and also looking for younger crowd and would love to integrate with the locals. I’m born Cuban, grew up in Florida, and I am a US citizen, though probably a bit older than the rest of you, my heart and soul are very young.,,,and no, I don’t know anyone there, but strangers to me are friends that I’m yet to meet.
I’m single female, no pets and looking for a safe place to rent in Tamarindo with a modest budget of about $500 or $600 per month, either for 3 months at first, then long term. My plans are to come either January 7, or April 1 of 2019. And the dates thing is a long story! Which of the two would be a better time to come?
Would love to hear your recommendations. Thank you so much.
Ali
Sammi says
November 11, 2018 at 9:25 AMApril would be better since it’s the end of high season so it’ll be easier to find rentals. And honestly, $500-600 a month in Tamarindo in January will be pretty much impossible for short term as that’s our high season and Tamarindo is super $$$$. If you don’t already have an apartment booked for January, then it’ll be incredibly difficult to find anything in that budget (if not impossible) since high season gets booked up like 6 months or earlier. April would be much better as you can have more time to find a place and it’ll start heading towards our low season so it wont’ be so crowded or expensive.
Ali R. Rodriguez says
November 11, 2018 at 1:58 PMThank you Sammi for your sage advice. If you can recommend online services other than Craigslist and safe areas for single female, I would greatly appreciated. That way I can start doing my due diligence early enough, and arrive around April 1.
Ali R. Rodriguez says
November 11, 2018 at 5:54 PMAlso, what are other small surrounding towns that would be more cost effective? I have no car and don´t intend to rent one. I´´ll go by taxi or other means.
Thank you again Sammi.
Felicia says
October 30, 2018 at 8:15 PMHi,
I will be traveling to Tamarindo alone next week for 5 days.
I was looking at excursions online and some seem to only accommodate 2 or more people.
Any advice on booking excursions for one person? Looking for something along the lines of ATV, zip line, hiking combo.
Also, are there places to book excursions once I get there or should I book in advance ?
Any insight would be super helpful!
Thanks in advance
Felicia
Sammi says
October 31, 2018 at 9:47 AMHi Felicia!
The best way to do tours as a solo traveler is to go around town and ask the tour desks you see if there are any tours already running that you can join. There are a couple of tour desks by Hostel Oveja Negra that you can ask, a tour desk by Walter’s Restaurant, you can also ask Tamarindo Tours and Transfers and Xplore Costa Rica (by Subway). If they already have a tour going, they usually let solo travelers join (unless the group specifically asked for a private tour).
There is also an ATV company across from Oveja Negra, the owner’s name is Casey (bald cool guy) and you can talk to him about his ATV tours.
Felicia says
November 1, 2018 at 9:35 AMThank you so much!
Jeff says
October 5, 2018 at 9:26 AMHi,
We are going to be in Tamarindo Oct. 13 for a week. We are thinking about doing a two day trip to Rincon de La Vieja. There are few hotel options, but wondering if there are any you would recommend? We understand that some are very remote. We want to spend one day in the park and another relaxing, so a property with hotsprings, waterfalls, nature and dining would be a plus.
Sammi says
October 5, 2018 at 5:47 PMHi Jeff! There are a few in that area. Guachipelin is a popular one and is not too far from LIberia compared to the other hotels in that area. Borinquen is our favorite but it’s much further, it’s like 45 minutes more than Guachipelin at the other station. If you want a good option that’s not too far but clean and has the hot springs, waterfalls and all that, Guachipelin is a great choice.
Walter says
September 13, 2018 at 7:29 PMI read it is not safe, health wise, to swim in Tamarindo in rainy season, which stinks as we are here and wanted to try surf school. Any thoughts?
Sammi says
September 14, 2018 at 8:17 AMYou can, a ton of people still surf and swim there but I would recommend the north end where all the surf schools have their lessons and not towards the middle of the beach. You’ll see a ton of people out there.
Mariah Cumings says
August 20, 2018 at 11:40 PMHey guys,
I rented a car through adobe rentals and after 4 days in Tamarindo we will be driving to La Fortuna. Is there a way to hit both Rio Celeste and La Fortuna waterfalls on our way to our airbnb in La Fortuna? We have a 4×4 SUV and will be travelling on August 29.
Also, thank you so much for this blog. You guys are amazing and it has helped me so much with planning 🙂
Sammi says
August 25, 2018 at 5:51 PMYou can stop by Rio Celeste on your way from Tamarindo to La Fortuna, I recommend leaving as early as you can in the morning (the park opens at 8 AM) because you’ll need a few hours at the park to do the whole hike. Also just note that it is raining up there quite a bit and the park sometimes closes if it’s raining very hard so check the Parque Nacional Tenorio Volcano Facebook page to check for updates and current weather conditions so you guys don’t drive all the way there just to find out the park is closed.
If you’re able to do the whole hike, you will get to La FOrtuna in the late afternoon so I recommend visiting the La Fortuna waterfall another day. It also closes at 4 PM everyday so if you guys will have to rush to visit it on the same day.
Egidijus K. says
August 8, 2018 at 8:46 AMHey guys,
We are planning to visit CR in September (7th – 25th) and one of the plans to visit Tamarindo. We are landing in San Jose international airport and staying for a night in San Jose.
Could you recommend how to get to Tamarindo? So far i have found out that i need to get to Gran terminal del caribe bus station but not sure which bus to take and should i buy tickets straight on bus or there is a tickets counter..
Thanks.
Sammi says
August 8, 2018 at 9:06 AMHi, we recommend going early to purchase tickets and there are two: one with Alfaro or Tralapa. The one with Tralapa leaves from Ave 5, Calle 20/22 at 7:15 AM and 4 PM and it’s direct. With Alfaro, it goes at 11:30 AM via Liberia, 3:30 by Tempisque. We recommend getting there early to because you’ll buy tickets at the counter since it’s a long route.
Sammi says
June 2, 2018 at 8:40 AMFlamingo is like a 15 minute drive from Tamarindo and about 1 hour from LIR Airport. I wrote a post about Flamingo here: Flamingo beach Costa Rica and even though this post is for Conchal, it can be for the Flamingo area too since they are so close: Things to do in Conchal.
Jane B Bonner says
June 1, 2018 at 8:27 PMWe have rented at house in Playa Flamingo. How close is that to Tamarindo and the LIR airport? We will be there for 7 days. What are some suggestions to do for fun and cheap that is not too far away. I do not want to drive too far. Thanks
ML says
May 27, 2018 at 7:44 PMThank you so much for the great post! I leave in 6 days for Tamarinado wirh my 2 boys & we are staying in an airb nb, then on to arenal & monteverde. I am a bit apprehensive about about the driving, as I heard many of the roads are unpaved but this will be an easy adventure for this mom & her two teenage sons!
Sammi says
May 28, 2018 at 8:11 PMHi, the roads in Tamarindo are very easy to drive since there isn’t really any traffic and roads are paved. You’ll have a great time!
Christy says
January 9, 2018 at 2:59 PMIs the bus schedule still accurate from Liberia? Do you have a return schedule as well?
thanks!
Sammi says
January 9, 2018 at 5:58 PMHi Christy, it should still be! Last time I updated the post and bus schedules was summer 2017. But as always we recommend showing up half an hour early at least since buses tend to run late/early, that’s very normal in Costa Rica!
Katie says
November 10, 2016 at 12:01 PMHey Sammi,
Thanks for the great article. I’ve done some research and I think you sold me on Tamarindo! I see this was written a few years ago and was wondering if you were still in Costa Rica?
I have been considering CR after living abroad for a few years. I am Peruvian/American and lived in Seoul teaching English for almost 4 years and spent some time in Lima, Peru as well. Both places were fun and I made great memories but I hate the chaos. After all these years would you still say the same about Tamarindo? My main concern about CR in ending up in a place with a bunch of retirees. I am a 30yo single female (with a dog haha) and was looking for a town with other young people. Anyway just wanted to see if you had any updates!
Also, would you recommend any sites for finding an apartment or long-term rental? I’ve been using craigslist but there aren’t many options.
Sammi says
November 11, 2016 at 5:42 PMHi Katie! We are actually living in Tamarindo (well 5 km from Tamarindo) right now and we really like it. It’ll be perfect for you since you don’t want to be somewhere with retirees and Tamarindo attracts younger people and families, that’s actually mainly why we enjoy living there. We used to live in Playas del Coco where it was an oasis for retirees, which is fine but it was extremely hard to make friends our age and everything was centered around retirees there. Tamarindo would be a great place for you since the beach is huge so your dog will love it, there are way more young people there and everyone is very friendly. There are people from all over the world in Tamarindo, including lots of South Americans so there is a good chance you may find some fellow Peruvians.
As for rentals, I would join the Tamarindo Rentals group on Facebook, they post lots of rentals in there for the Tamarindo area.
Yvette says
May 28, 2015 at 11:44 AMI am going to Costa Rica for the first time and a friend recommended Tamarindo. I will be arriving in two weeks! Can you let me know which bus to take from the Liberia airport? I am counting the days. All the posted information is very helpful, thank you.
Sammi says
May 28, 2015 at 11:59 AMHi Yvette! If you walk outside the airport onto the main road (turn right from the airport until you hit the main street), there is a bus stop across the road. I am pretty sure the Tamarindo bus passes by and you can get on from there. I don’t know the times however and that’s the kind of tricky part since I know for sure there aren’t buses going constantly like every half an hour.
Vitaliy Kolos says
April 28, 2015 at 4:09 PMI was in Thailand this year (actually a few months ago). It’s really interesting that beautiful and paradise-like places are similar across the world. I’m saying that because what I can see on your photos from the post are really like mines from Thailand (Koh Phangan).
Happier Than A Billionaire says
January 15, 2015 at 7:21 AMYou would laugh if you saw me surf. You will need an underwater camera because I’m usually at the bottom of the ocean!
Sammi says
January 16, 2015 at 8:58 PMHaha! Don’t worry me too. Most of the time I’m just tumbling around underwater!
Cindy says
June 29, 2014 at 6:18 PMHow does Tamarindo compare with Playas del Coco as far as size and vibe and things to do?
Sammi says
June 29, 2014 at 6:36 PMTamarindo is a bigger town and the beach is also bigger. It’s also more of a younger scene, in Coco most of the foreigners and tourists are retired North Americans and in Tamarindo, there are more backpackers and young adults. If you’re looking for a lively party scene, night life, more hostels and young backpackers, Tamarindo is where you want to go. If you’re looking for something quieter and more family friendly, you want to go to Coco. Don’t get me wrong, Coco has a few really busy and fun bars but most of the people that go there are of the older generations. Tamarindo has a bit more to do than Coco as well like ziplining, surfing, hiking.
Cindy says
June 29, 2014 at 7:08 PMCool, thanks. My husband and I are early 40s with no kids. We went to Tamarindo last year and really liked it. We also tried Playa Samara and didn’t like it as well. Happy hours and restaurants were much more limited! Beach was nice for walking but not as good for swimming. Feel was more European than North American.
We’d like to try something north of Tamarindo this year and I’m thinking Coco could be it for us! What do you think? Any other beach towns we should consider?
Sammi says
June 29, 2014 at 8:08 PMI think you’d really like Coco! It has a much smaller beach town vibe than Tamarindo which I like. I haven’t been to Samara so I can’t say but I think you’d enjoy the small town feel of Coco. There are a lot of N. Americans in Coco so you’ll see English everywhere and it’s easy to meet other N. Americans. The beach is great for swimming but there aren’t as many options in Coco for food as Tamarindo. Hmm as for other beach towns in the north, Coco is really the only beach town in the Papagayo area. Hermosa, Panama and Ocotal don’t have a downtown or central like Coco so everyone comes to Coco when they want to go out to bars and such. You can check out Flamingo, there is more of a town and a large N. American expat community there or Brasilito but Brasilito is very small, it’s a tiny town. Coco is your best bet!
Cindy says
June 30, 2014 at 7:35 PMThanks! We definitely will check out Coco. I just read your post about Coco being one of three of the most expensive places in Costa Rica. What are the other two? How does Tamarindo compare to this?
Sammi says
July 1, 2014 at 9:05 AMTamarindo is about the same but there are way more choices there than Coco. Coco is really small and there isn’t as much competition. There’s not a lot of choices when it comes to hotels and restaurants, there isn’t much variety of food. In Tamarindo, you can find cheap sodas (much cheaper than Coco), Argentinian grill, sushi, Italian, etc. In terms of groceries and things like that, prices are about the same between the two.
Syd says
January 5, 2014 at 8:48 AMomg you should have referral links to some airline in your post because every time I read your blog I find myself seconds away from booking a ticket I can’t afford to costa rica. Ridiculous.
Sammi says
January 6, 2014 at 9:18 AMhaha that’s a good idea 🙂
A Southern Gypsy says
January 5, 2014 at 6:42 AMLove this-Playa Tamarindo looks amazing. I love the sunset shot, but the one taken during the day looks equally gorgeous. I have to go back to TN in 2 days and it’s supposed to be a high of like 15. Can I just come stay with y’all?? 😀
Sammi says
January 6, 2014 at 9:18 AMhaha anytime you want to come, doors open!! 🙂
Jempi & Nina says
January 5, 2014 at 5:30 AMAmazing! We really wanna visit Costa Rica as soon as possible. Don’t you want to trade for a while with Belgium? We can work out a deal… 😉 Cheers, jempi & Nina
Sammi says
January 6, 2014 at 9:19 AMActually we would love to as we both have never been to Europe! 🙂
Constance - Foreign Sanctuary says
January 4, 2014 at 9:08 PMThe aerial view of the place is beautiful! It sounds like this place has something for everyone – an awesome vibe with breathtaking sunsets!
Sammi says
January 6, 2014 at 9:19 AMI know you would love the sunsets there! They’re beautiful
Bob R says
January 4, 2014 at 6:41 PMOff-topic and I apologize for that, but I’m curious how far –as in drive or bus ride time– Santa Rosa National Park is from Tamarindo?
Sammi says
January 4, 2014 at 7:28 PMNo apologies needed. It’s around 2 hours driving – 2.5 to be safe!
Bob R says
January 5, 2014 at 1:37 PMThanks. Noted. 🙂
Jess says
January 4, 2014 at 6:37 PMI think I would go there just for that sunset – though the blue sky during the day also looks fabulous!
. . . meanwhile, I haven’t left the house in 5 days because of snow. I think it’s definitely time to plan my next trip!
Sammi says
January 4, 2014 at 7:27 PMYikes! I keep hearing about places covered in snow and can’t imagine how cold it must be. Perhaps beach during your next winter? 🙂
Mrs. Chasing the Donkey says
January 4, 2014 at 6:24 PMWild all nighters… did I read that correctly? So If I come to visit, will you take my baby donkey so I can PART-AYYYY all night long?
Sammi says
January 4, 2014 at 7:26 PMhahahaha of course !!
Sharon @ Wheres Sharon says
January 4, 2014 at 6:13 PMOh wow, that looks so amazing!! I really wish Costa Rica wasn’t so far from Australia. It looks like such an amazing place!
Sammi says
January 4, 2014 at 7:26 PMI have the exact same thought as well – I’m dying to go to Australia but it’s so far from here! One day we can switch 🙂
A Brit and A Southerner says
January 4, 2014 at 1:11 PMI have to admit that before I read this post I was not familiar with this part of Costa Rica at all (Apologies in advance for my ignorance!). However, this really is a great, appealing post that would encourage me to visit here when we travel to Costa Rica at some point. I enjoyed how you included some amazing pictures and that sunshine is certainly appealing when you are currently watching the rain and wind in England (plus a forecast of snow to look forward to on our return to Memphis, USA tomorrow!).
A really insightful post that I am sure will encourage many to go there and check it out for themselves!
Sammi says
January 4, 2014 at 7:25 PMNot ignorance! Especially for someone fairly far away haha, I never heard of it until I came here either so no worries. It’s a really fun beach and a must for anyone visiting the Guanacaste area!
Globalmouse says
January 4, 2014 at 10:58 AMOh wow, that beach is gorgeous!! I love the idea of going horse-riding along it, that must be a great way to see it. Thank you so much for this post…as I look out on rainy England I am definitely dreaming of some of that Cost Rica sunshine!! 🙂
Sammi says
January 4, 2014 at 7:25 PMhorse back riding on the beach is quite lovely! I’ll be sending you sunny thoughts from here 🙂
Kira Maixner says
December 26, 2013 at 1:51 PMWow, that looks like an amazing place to visit and a lucky place to live! Do you know much about the boating culture and communities there? We have a couple of boats listed in Costa Rica (hoping to grow our inventory too) and you should check them out. It would be a great opportunity to learn more about boating too.
Sammi says
December 26, 2013 at 2:37 PMTamarindo is actually one of my favorite beach towns after we spent more time there, so many things to do! We would love to know more about the boating community, we just went on a catamaran tour but haven’t been more exposed other than that. That sounds awesome!
Renuka says
December 26, 2013 at 12:59 PMAmazing it sounds! Costa Rica is so holiday-like. I love the sunset shot. 🙂
Sammi says
December 26, 2013 at 2:35 PMMe too! Playa Tamarindo has beautiful sunsets !