Well known for great surfing waves, stunning sunsets and a legendary nightlife, Tamarindo is a popular beach destination in the Guanacaste province, perfect for the ultimate fun in the sun vacation. Tamarindo beach is only a 1.5 hour drive from Guanacaste Airport, making it the ideal destination for families, couples and solo travelers looking for gorgeous beaches and fantastic water sports in Costa Rica.
In this guide you’ll learn more about Tamarindo town, Tamarindo beach, how to get to Tamarindo, where to stay, where to eat, what to do and more.
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What to Know Before You Go About Tamarindo
- In the Guanacaste province
- About a 1 hour drive from Guanacaste Airport, 4.5 hours from San Jose International Airport. Find out how to drive from San Jose to Tamarindo.
- Popular surfing beach town for all travelers, particularly families, friend groups and backpackers
- At the parking lot next to Witch’s Rock Surf Camp, there are now bathrooms and showers for $1 USD. There are also beach lockers, credit card only for a daily fee.
- One of the most expensive destinations in Costa Rica
- Has its own local airport, 5 minutes outside town
- 4×4 not required to get to Tamarindo
- Best things to do: surfing, sunsets, walks on the beach, happy hour, partying, shopping, fishing, sunset sailing, stand up paddle boarding
- Lots of hotels, hostels, boutiqe B&B’s, beachfront hotels and vacation rentals
- Day time temperatures range from 80-95 F throughout the year (26 – 35 C). Rainiest month is October. Hottest months are March and April. Driest month is February.
Tamarindo Beach
Tamarindo Beach is a beautiful tan sand beach that stretches about 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometers) from end to end. The northern part of Tamarindo beach connects to the estuary inside the Las Baulas National Park. The southern part of the beach reaches the peninsula separating the two communities of Playa Tamarindo and Playa Langosta.
The most popular part of the beach is near the north in front of Witch’s Rock Surf Camp where the main surf spot of Tamarindo beach break is.
Tamarindo beach is completely sandy, perfect for long beach walks. The shore is long and wide, so it’s perfect for swimming, beach volleyball, running and other activities.
You can rent beach chairs and umbrellas on Tamarindo beach, there are many locals who will offer you one.
With year round sunshine, a relaxed atmosphere and fun surfing waves, Tamarindo offers a beautiful beach town experience in Costa Rica for a relaxing tropical escape.
Unfortunately there are no public facilities at the beach such as showers, changing rooms and bathrooms. They do have an accessible path to the beach from Witch’s Rock.
Things to Do in Tamarindo, Costa Rica
The best things to do in Tamarindo, Costa Rica are watching the beautiful sunsets set over the Pacific Ocean, enjoying happy hour and engaging in water sports like surfing, stand up paddle boarding and swimming. You can also play beach volleyball with the locals. However, there are plenty of day trips and other things to do to enjoy endless days of fun and adventure.
Playa Tamarindo Surfing
Tamarindo’s strong surf culture is well known throughout the country. We highly recommend taking a lesson in Tamarindo since this is a great beginner surfing beach. There are many surf shops in town that offers 2 hour classes for about $55 USD per person. They also offer boogie board, stand up paddle boards and surf board rentals.
There are many surf shops and surf schools in Tamarindo to take a lesson with. Popular shops are Witch’s Rock, Iguana, Banana Surf Club, Wave Rider, and Mato’s Surf shop. Pablo Surf School is another great one.
Furthermore, Playa Tamarindo is only about a 30 minute drive to other fantastic surfing beaches such as Playa Avellanas and Playa Grande, making it an excellent place for beginner surfers, intermediate and experienced surfers. During certain conditions, Playa Langosta is also a great surfing beach.
Generally, the best time to surf at Tamarindo beach is about two hours before the high tide. During rainy season, low tide can have bigger waves but exposes a lot of rocks, so low tide is recommended only for expert surfers.
Scuba Diving
Tamarindo is close to some excellent scuba diving spots such as the Catalinas Islands. You don’t have to be certified either as companies offer a discovery scuba dive for those not certified.
Sunset Sailing
Go on a sunset sailing cruise to get beautiful views of the coastline, snorkel to see tropical fish and sea creatures and see the sunset from the water. Marlin del Rey is the most popular one with an open bar, snacks and lunch.
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 has a fun beginner zipline, horseback riding and offers barbecue dinners. Their BBQ is one of the best we’ve ever had in Costa Rica and their property is beautiful. It’s only a 15 minute drive by car from Tamarindo.
Beach hopping to Playa Grande and Playa Langosta and others
Visiting beaches is a must for beach lovers since you’re close to some of popular beaches in the Guanacaste province like Avellanas, Grande, Langosta, Conchal, Flamingo, Mina and Brasilito. This is one of the reasons why Tamarindo is a popular beach town in Costa Rica since you can spend weeks visiting a different beach every day!
Marino Las Baulas National Park Estuary boat ride
Right at the northern end of Playa Tamarindo is an estuary, separating Tamarindo and Playa Grande. This is part of the Marino Las Baulas National Park where visitors can take a boat ride through the estuary to see two species of monkeys, wading bird species and crocodiles.
The entrance to the national park is on the most northern end of the beach. Costs around $40 USD per person for the boat tour.
Leatherback turtles tour on Playa Grande
Playa Grande is an important beach in Costa Rica due to the leatherback sea turtles that nest from October to May. During leatherback turtles nesting season, you can take a nighttime tour with a guide to see these amazing act of nature.
Party
From dancing the night away at Crazy Monkey Bar or Pacifico to listening to live music on the beach, 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.
Night Market and Farmer’s Market
On Thursday nights, there is a night market in Plaza Palmas from 6-10 PM. On Saturdays, there is a local farmer’s market from 7 AM to 1 PM next to the Green Papaya restaurant. We recommend getting a VIDA bowl (acai and fruit smoothies).
Sunset Happy Hour
With amazing sunsets and lots of beachfront bars, you can’t miss sunset happy hour! Get 2×1 beers and discounts off drinks while watching the sun go down.
Day Trips from Tamarindo
- National parks like Rincon de la Vieja National Park or Barra Honda National Park for good hiking.
- For relaxation, adventure and culture, visit Vandara Explore Costa Rica’s Nature Park and get our Vandara discount here to go ziplining, watersliding, horseback riding and enjoy hot springs.
- Guachipelin combo tour is an awesome day trip to zipline, white water tube and enjoy hot springs.
- Diamante Eco Adventure Park for ziplining, culture, butterfly garden, horseback riding, and adventure.
- Learn about Guanacaste culture and see wildlife on a boat cruise at Hacienda El Viejo.
- Go boating in Playas del Coco (1 hour drive) for excellent snorkeling and beach hopping and to see the Gulf of Papagayo coast. Or scuba diving at Catalinas Islands (30 minutes away).
- To see one of the most beautiful places in Costa Rica, hike Rio Celeste, the sky blue river (2.5 hour drive one way).
- See the rainforest and spot sloths on this one day Bijagua rainforest tour.
- Love turtles? If you’re visiting May – December, head down to Ostional to see turtle nestings!
Check out our dedicated Tamarindo 5 days itinerary if you plan to stay here as a home base for 1 week. Many of the mentioned day trips above are offered on our Costa Rica deals and discount page.
Tamarindo Costa Rica Location
Tamarindo, Costa Rica is 65 kilometers (40 miles) from Guanacaste Airport. This is about a 1 hour drive. Tamarindo is 257 kilometers (160 miles) and about a 4.5 hour drive from San Jose.
How to Get to Tamarindo, Costa Rica
The best airport to fly into for Tamarindo is the Guanacaste Airport (international). Tamarindo also has
- By bus: The bus from Liberia to Tamarindo 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 costs ~1,760 colones (~$3 USD). There is a San Jose bus to Tamarindo that leaves at 8 AM and 4 PM with the company Tralapa. This takes around 5.5 to 6 hours and costs around 5000 colones (~$10 USD)
- By flying: Tamarindo has its own domestic airport. From San Jose it costs around $70 USD one way and takes about 30 minutes with Sansa Air.
- By shuttle: Tamarindo Transfers & Tours has shared shuttles for $20 USD per person one way, minimum 2 people from Liberia International Airport. For a private transfer, it costs around $90 USD for 1-4 people. A private transfer from San Jose to Tamarindo is around $220 USD for 1-4 passengers.
- Taxi: there are official airport taxis at LIR Airport. It costs around $90 USD one way.
You can read more about getting to Tamarindo in this post.
Driving Directions to Tamarindo from Liberia Airport
You can use Google Maps or Waze as your GPS from Liberia Airport. It’s an easy drive on a main road and takes about 1 hour. You do not need a 4×4 for Tamarindo.
Some people ask if they can drive to Tamarindo from Liberia Airport at night. It is possible to drive to Tamarindo from Liberia at night since the whole route is on a well paved road. Just make sure to use a GPS.
How to Get Around Tamarindo
Tamarindo is not very big and from downtown Tamarindo, you’re in walking distance of restaurants, the beach and shops. It is not absolutely necessary to rent a car in Tamarindo.
However, if you want to explore outside of Tamarindo, then the best way is to rent a car. A 4wd or high clearance car is highly recommended if you want to explore down the Pacific Coast or to the inland rainforests. From Tamarindo, you can visit other great destinations in Costa Rica such as Nosara, Rincon de la Vieja National Park, Playas del Coco and Bijagua.
Without a car, you will have to book guided tours with roundtrip transportation as public transportation in this area is sorely lacking. Want to book tours? Get our discount for Tamarindo day tours here!
Uber/Golf Cart Rentals/Scooters
There are a few Ubers in Tamarindo but don’t depend solely on Uber as they may take awhile if there are any available. Electric bikes are for rent by Hotel Portofino and there are golf carts to rent in the Auto Mercado plaza and from Earth Gear Golf Carts right in town. There is also a place that rents scooter and motorcycles by the skate park.
Collectivos (Pirate Taxis)
As there aren’t really “official taxis” in Costa Rica, you may have to take a “collectivo” which is just a local guy who drives people around in his personal car (like a pirate taxi driver). There are a bunch of them all throughout town so they’re easy to find. This may be a good option to get around Tamarindo to nearby places like Langosta Beach but do know that they aren’t licensed drivers or have insurance. Make sure you negotiate a fare beforehand and you will have to pay them in CRC cash (we don’t recommend paying in USD – ask how much it’ll be in colones). Learn more about handling money in Costa Rica here.
The Town
Roads are mostly paved in Tamarindo. There are some back roads and small alleys where they are not though. Also, the intersection to the back of Tamarindo is not paved and during rainy season, the pot holes can turn into mini craters so drive carefully.
The road to Playa Langosta from Tamarindo is paved.
Parking
There are only a handful of “designated parking lots” in Tamarindo. There is one next to Witch’s Rock, the one at Pico Bistro, at Plaza Conchal I and II, one across from Iguana Surf and then by the roundabout near Nogui’s.
Please note these aren’t official parking lots so make sure you roll up windows, lock your doors and do not leave anything valuable in your car. There are “parking guards” who will approach your car (normally wearing a reflective vest) and charge you for parking in “their” lot. You can give them a small tip like 1000 CRC (~$2 USD) when you leave and it’s better to give them colones, local currency. During holiday times however, they may say that is is *mandatory* to pay to park. We have seen them charge “mandatory” rates during Christmas, New Years and Easter weekend .
Tamarindo, Costa Rica Weather
Tamarindo has typical tropical dry and rainy seasons. Dry season is roughly December – end of April and May – November for rainy season. The hottest months are March and April with average day time temperatures around 85-95 F (30-35 C).
The rainiest month is generally October. Average day time temperatures in rainy season do not really vary from dry season. A typical rainy season day in Tamarindo is sunny in the morning and rainy in the late afternoons and nights.
Tamarindo Surf Camps
We did a surf vacation with Iguana Surf which was a lot of fun. Witch’s Rock Surf Camp is very popular.
Tamarindo Hotels
Here are some recommended places to stay. You can find tons of Airbnbs and vacation rentals too.
- Hotel Mar Rey: budget to mid range hotel right in the middle of town.
- Hotel Luna Llena: located further back in town with spacious bungalows and a big pool. Mid range prices.
- Tamarindo Diria: An upscale beachfront resort with 3 pools (one adult only), one beachfront restaurant and beach and garden view rooms. Also has adult only section.
- Wyndham Tamarindo: This hilltop hotel has a fantastic view of the beach and an amazing infinity pool. About a 15 walk to town.
- The Beach Bungalows: Cute bungalows in the back part of town but just a 10 minute walk to downtown and 15 minutes to the beach. Lush gardens and is gated.
- Selina is a good option for backpackers, young solo travelers and digial nomads. In town.
- For honeymooners or couples, Jardin del Eden is adult only with romantic rooms and in room Jacuzzis.
- JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa (25 minutes away) or the all inclusive Occidental Langosta.
- There is a vegan hotel in Tamarindo called Mother Earth Vegan Hotel.
Tamarindo Restaurants
- Noguis: Beachfront with Costa Rican and international dishes. Yummy pie. $$
- Pikatas: Amazing ceviche and big portions. Near the beach by the roundabout.
- Longboards BBQ: Delicious barbecue sandwiches. $$
- Hidden Garden: Fine dining, good mix of vegetarian, seafood and meat $$$
- Pangas: Fine dining, delicious seafood. Nice place for a romantic dinner, beachfront. $$$
- Green Papaya: Awesome taco bar with handmade tortilla and chips. Cash only. $$
- NOI Bistro: Great place for breakfast or lunch. Favorites are the veggie burger. $$
- Masa Madre: Bakery with sandwiches, pastries, paninis, pizza, croissants, coffee, vegan/vegetarian options. $
- Cha Cafe: Smoothies, coffee, toasts, bowls, burritos, all healthy food. They also have delicious cookies, breads, etc. $$
- Santa Rita Coffee shop: Nice place for coffee and breakfast. $
- Pan del Mundo: European style bakery with sweet pastries, breads, baguettes and sandwiches. $
- Surf shack: Great burgers and they have a veggie options. $$
- Mercadito: Food court with burgers, seafood, arepas, poke bowls, waffles, crepes, tacos, Pops ice cream and more $-$$
- Red Door: A more fine dining beachfront spot with food and yummy drinks/cocktails $$$
- El Santuario: Cute outdoor Italian place with pizza, pasta and barbecue
- Venezia Gelati: Yummy gelato. $
- Brisa Mar (formerly Matapalo Beachfront): the public restaurant of Tamarindo diria. Beachfront, mix of Costa Rican. $$
- Cata Agave Bar: Beachfront, second floor bar, perfect if you love tequila. They do awesome cocktails and drinks.
- Falafel bar: Great hummus, pita wraps and shawarma. $$
- Dragonfly: Delicious curry and other dishes. $$
- Agua Salada: Nice place for more fine dining. Very cute decor and atmosphere. Beachfront. $$$
- La Pachanga: Excellent pizza and pasta place. $$
- Soda El Estero: A good local restaurant near the entrance of town. $
- La Bodega: Great place for breakfast. $
Shopping
If you’re looking for some new beach wear, Tamarindo has everything. Here are my favorite places to shop in downtown.
- Suspiro Esmerelda Bikinis: She designs her own bikinis and is great for anyone who likes prints and fun styles. By the roundabout across from Noguis.
- Seaholic: A cute store with beachwear and accessories
- 2 Aves: Right next to Suspiro and they have cute beach towels and accessories.
- De’lohana Bikinis: Second floor of Tamarindo Inn a little outside town. Super cute bikini, super soft, made with biodegradable materials.
- Morena Beachwear: Has a wide collection of bikinis and one pieces, many for surf. In Centro Commercial El Punto in town.
- Bambamboo: Clothing store with everything made from organic cotton, bamboo, banana or hemp. Not a lot of designs but super comfortable.
- Tamarindo night market: The weekly Thursday Moonlight night market is a great place to shop for trinkets like jewelry. In the plaza where Tamarindo Fitness Center is.
- Buena Nena: Cute clothing stores with jewelry, bags, hats and other cute things.
Nightlife
You will always find a place to party and partake in some epic nightlife in Tamarindo. There’s often live music at the restaurants like Mercadito, Chiringuito, Langosta Surf Club, El Be!, Lizard Lounge, Longboards and The Ocean.
Pacifico Bar, Rumours, Sharkys, Crazy Monkey Bar and Lizard Lounge are popular places for drinking, dancing and partying.
Living in Tamarindo, Costa Rica
Foreigners choose Tamarindo as their new home due to several factors: diversity, more business and job opportunities, weather, surfing and a tightly knit expat/immigrant community. It is very popular for families as there are some private and international schools nearby.
As for the demographic, there aren’t as many retirees compared to other beach towns like Playas del Coco and Nosara. Most of the foreigners are young entrepreneurs, digital nomads, families, backpackers or surfers. Although Tamarindo’s nickname is “Tama-gringo”, it’s not only US citizens who live here. There are plenty of people from Canada, Australia, Europe and South America.
However, something to note about Tamarindo is it’s all quite expensive with American prices. Due to displacement, you won’t see any local Guanacastecos living in Tamarindo. Rent and home prices are very high, catering more towards European/American/Canadian immigrants and expats and international tourists. The Guanacastecos live outside in neighboring villages and towns like Villarreal, Huacas, 27 de Abril or Santa Cruz.
For tourists, Tamarindo is not a cheap destination in Costa Rica as it’s one of the most popular beach towns in the country. You can travel on a budget in Tamarindo but do note that it will still be more expensive than other destinations in Costa Rica. In general, Costa Rica is not cheap but Tamarindo is noticeably more expensive than other destinations.
Other than that, Tamarindo is fun. There is always something to do or something going on! You’re close to plenty of natural attractions, the surfing is awesome and it’s easy to meet people!
Safety
Is Tamarindo safe? Tamarindo is both a family friendly and party town. It attracts many young backpackers, solo travelers and surfers looking for a fun and wild night on the beach. Therefore, it is not difficult to find a variety of tools to help one have that type of time in Costa Rica.
However, many families, seniors and couples visit Tamarindo and it is completely safe for them. It advised to avoid the small alleys and the street with all the bars late at night, especially Thursday – Sunday nights if you have children or want to avoid that scene. Specifically avoid the alley next to Rumors/Sharky’s that goes to Surf Shack late at night.
Theft and pickpocketing are the main crimes so always be aware of your surroundings and keep your belongings safe with you. During holidays such as Christmas, New Years and Easter, be especially aware of your belongings.
Another thing to note about Tamarindo Beach is the crocodiles. Due to the nearby estuary, crocodiles sighting haves been reported on Tamarindo Beach. If you are near the estuary, do not cross it by foot and be aware of your surroundings.
Want to read about more beach towns in Costa Rica? Here you go!
Costa Rica Vacation Checklist
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- 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
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Krystal says
Hi, my family of 6 are planning to visit CR this December over Christmas and New Years week. We want to go down to Tamarindo Beach and spend the day there, are there any showers and restrooms nearby? We want to stay the whole day down there and checkout the Thursday night market without having to drive back up to shower at our Airbnb in Potrero.
Sammi says
Tamarindo beach unfortunately doesn’t have public showers or restrooms
Paul G Woodson says
Thanks for all your great advice! My wife & I just returned from CR and spent our last 3 days in Tamarindo. We stayed at the Wyndham, at which we had a great deal at <$100 USD/night (booked in advance to get that rate; later on the same rooms were going for double/triple that)! We usually walked down into town and took the Wyndham shuttle back up the hill in the evening.
A tip for those at the Wyndham: there is only 1 REAL street leading up the hill to it (C. Cerritos). Google Maps shows 3 streets but the other 2 are incredibly rough dirt tracks meant only as fire roads (signs on each end designate them as such). We used one of them to walk downhill but never saw a car on them, nor would I advise it. I reported "Cherry Way" to Google Maps as such but nothing came of it. However, WAZE was more accurate, showing only the 1 "real" street up the hill. Per your advice, we usually relied on Waze far more than Google Maps to get around and it never let us down.
Pura Vida!
Jen B says
Hi! Your information has been so helpful! We will be in Tamarindo in mid March. For a family friendly, wildlife boat tour (out of the blazing sun), would you recommend the estuary or the Hacienda El Viejo tour? (We won’t have a car so will need to figure out transportation). Thanks so much!
Sammi says
The estuary at the Las Baulas from Tamarindo is a good option if you don’t have transportation since you can just walk there from Tamarindo beach
Kathy says
My family of 5 are planning a trip to Costa Rica in later December. Are there a lot of outdoor dining options throughout Costa Rica? With Covid still being of concern, we would prefer to not have to eat every meal indoors.
Thanks!
Sammi says
Yes, outdoor dining is very common in Costa Rica, in fact majority of restaurants are outdoor dining on the coasts.
Michelle Bernuy says
Hi!
I’m planning a trip to Costa Rica for March and I heavily rely on your blog. You provide so much great info. Thank you.
I’m a single mom traveling with my 12 year old daughter. Is tamarindo safe for us? We were also looking at Potrero and Cahuita. Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance,
Michelle
Sammi says
Those are all very nice places, Tamarindo is definitely more lively than the other two but Potrero is close to Brasilito, Flamingo, Conchal so its closer to more beaches.
andrea says
Is Tamarindo dog friendly? We are living in Samara with our 2 dogs and would like to go for a weekend. (2 people and 2 dogs about 50 lbs each) Samara is SUPER dog friendly. They can go on the beach, in restaurants and even some hotels. Most with no leashes if well behaved.
Sammi says
It’s about the same here, I know Selina Tamarindo allows dogs in their property and some restaurants allow dogs (leasehd).
Stacey says
We heard that tamarindo no longer allows beach chairs near the water….some new ordinance. Is this true???
Sammi says
I’m pretty sure you can, we went to the beach yesterday and there were chairs and I’m looking at the Tamarindo beach webcam right now and there are people in beach chairs on the beach. Maybe they meant that they can’t be at a certain distance from the water but there are beach chairs on the beach.
Dawn says
We love your blog and have gotten so much valuable information for our trip scheduled for February 2022. I notice you don’t mention Hotel Tamarindo Diria as a recommended hotel. This is one of our choices, should we steer clear and pick one that you mention. Picking a hotel is the hardest part for me!
Sammi says
Diria is a very popular hotel and one of the first in Tamarindo, they do have a beachfront section and a nice pool, the thing is that it is very expensive and I’ve had good friends stay there and for what they paid, they didn’t think it was worth it. Maybe in the off season when prices aren’t as much but it was quite expensive when they visited in March and they didn’t even get one of the rooms on the beach, they were in the rooms in the back by the parking lot. Unfortunately Tamarindo in general is very expensive though.
Steven Heyden says
My wife and I are going to be in Tamarindo in the second week of July. I see there is a route from LIR to Tamarindo that uses 911 ands goes through Potrero, Playa Flamingo, and Brasilito. Is this a viable route to take or are the roads not that good?
Sammi says
I would take the route going through Route 21 and 155 as it’s all main roads that are well paved. 911 not as easy to drive and not paved all the way (has a river crossing).
Patrick says
Thanks for all the great info:
My wife and I went to Costa Rica in 2000, loved it. Now we are a family of 4 with kids 16, 18 yrs old and looking to move to Costa Rica permanently. When we came in 2000, Tamarindo and Playas Del Coco were too small, I assume they are big enough now. I like Coco because of the proximity to the dive sites, but I’m guessing they can still be reached from Tamarindo. My wife and kids will need a lot more ACTION if they are going to stay permanently. So we are leaning toward Tamarindo. We will be coming in January 2021 on a “research” trip. I have a few questions for you:
1) what is access to Scuba Diving like in T?
2) cost of living guess? $4000/mth?
3) commercial rentals? we want to open a business in T?
4) access to horse-related activities in T?
5) is the strip really noisy during high season?
Sammi says
Hi Patrick, there is a company Tamarindo Diving in town but Flamingo beach Costa Rica has more scuba diving companies.
Cost of living depends on where you’re living in proximity to Tamarindo, type of place, etc. There’s everything from a room in a cabin to a luxury oceanview condo and homes.
Tamarindo is very busy during high season, for us the best place for horses is Black Stallion Estates.
Mary jones says
The quality of the ocean water in Aug/Sept 2021 is awful. The water is dark brown and it is not mud. You can smell it before you even get close to the sand. It is a sad, sad situation. The locals gave up on the surf or scuba classes, just way too much pollution. Due to the rain and only one paved road most streets are impassable for any car, maybe a giant SUV. You can ride horses on the 1.5 mile stretch of beach. Tamarindo is very expensive so the $4000 is pretty accurate. Suerte.
Sammi says
Hi Nisha, we love Playa Real & Bahia de los Piratas, Playa Mina, Puerto Viejo, Playa Prieta, Marbella.
Nisha says
Hi Sammi! Any good “hidden” beaches to drive to near Tamarindo. We loved driving/hiking to Playa Penca, Playa Buena/Bonita near Coco. Thank you and pura vida!
Jessica says
Thanks for all the great information! My sister and I are traveling to Tamarindo this August for 6 nights and are interested in doing one of the sailing/catamaran tours. Not really into the whole booze cruise type of scene or a trip that might be packed to the gills with people. Are there any you might recommend? Any other must-do tours? We love nature and are both pretty active/fit. We’ll be renting a car as well. Thanks in advance!!
Sammi says
Check out Antares! It’s a sailboat and they offer gourmet food and it’s not the boozy cruise type (that would be more like Marlin del Rey). You can check our Things to do in Tamarindo post for more ideas.
Kristi says
Hi Sammi!
We are renting a car for most of our trip in a few weeks and I was wondering if you have good recommendations for hostels in Tamarindo that have their own parking. It’s hard to tell from Hostelworld and Google maps if they have parking or if it’s just street parking available for many of the places. I’m not too keen on the thought of leaving the car on the street the whole time we’re there since we probably won’t use it much in town. Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Kristi, for hostels I believe Selina does but I would contact the hostel to be 100% sure. Most of them don’t as they are on the main street so they require street parking or it’s on a space of their property but not gated.
Laura Cleverley says
Hi,
We will be in Tamarindo in Oct. 2019, and are wondering if there are any hiking trails close? Any beach hikes?
Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi 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
I 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
Hi 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
Tamarindo 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
The 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
Hi 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
Hi 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
Villarreal 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
Forgot 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
If 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
Thank you Sammi, you’re amazing! I’ll look into FB Tamarindo Sales and Rentals.
Also, I speak fluent Spanish.
Ali R. Rodriguez says
Hi 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
April 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
Thank 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
Also, 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
Hi,
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
Hi 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
Thank you so much!
Jeff says
Hi,
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
Hi 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
I 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
You 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
Hey 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
You 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
Hey 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
Hi, 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
Flamingo 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
We 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
Thank 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
Hi, 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
Is the bus schedule still accurate from Liberia? Do you have a return schedule as well?
thanks!
Sammi says
Hi 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
Hey 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
Hi 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
I 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
Hi 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
I 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
You 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
Haha! Don’t worry me too. Most of the time I’m just tumbling around underwater!
Cindy says
How does Tamarindo compare with Playas del Coco as far as size and vibe and things to do?
Sammi says
Tamarindo 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
Cool, 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
I 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
Thanks! 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
Tamarindo 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
omg 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
haha that’s a good idea 🙂
A Southern Gypsy says
Love 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
haha anytime you want to come, doors open!! 🙂
Jempi & Nina says
Amazing! 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
Actually we would love to as we both have never been to Europe! 🙂
Constance - Foreign Sanctuary says
The aerial view of the place is beautiful! It sounds like this place has something for everyone – an awesome vibe with breathtaking sunsets!
Sammi says
I know you would love the sunsets there! They’re beautiful
Bob R says
Off-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
No apologies needed. It’s around 2 hours driving – 2.5 to be safe!
Bob R says
Thanks. Noted. 🙂
Jess says
I 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
Yikes! 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
Wild 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
hahahaha of course !!
Sharon @ Wheres Sharon says
Oh 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
I 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
I 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
Not 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
Oh 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
horse back riding on the beach is quite lovely! I’ll be sending you sunny thoughts from here 🙂
Kira Maixner says
Wow, 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
Tamarindo 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
Amazing it sounds! Costa Rica is so holiday-like. I love the sunset shot. 🙂
Sammi says
Me too! Playa Tamarindo has beautiful sunsets !