Tamarindo, in the Guanacaste Province, on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, is known for its beautiful sandy beaches and strong waves that attract surfers worldwide. The beaches in Tamarindo Costa Rica are also perfect for families.
Travelers in search of Costa Rica’s “pura vida” (simple life) lifestyle will enjoy this charming beach town.
The town’s excellent location makes it a great base to explore the natural wonders nearby. There are many tour operators in Tamarindo offering myriad adventures for outdoor enthusiasts such as zip lining, horseback riding, snorkeling, and volcano hikes.
When to Go
The dry season runs from December until April. While the dry season usually guarantees rain-free weather, it is quite hot. It’s also party season so the town is buzzing with tourists.
The rainy (green) season runs from May to November. At this time of year, it’s more lush but also more humid. The rain doesn’t last all day, so you can still take advantage and do activities if even more limited time.
Shoulder Season is the month of November and June-August. It’s quieter and you may still be able to find some bargains, although in general Tamarindo can be expensive.
How to Get Around
Tamarindo is pretty small so you can walk everywhere. All the restaurants, bars, hotels, and shops are within an easy stroll from the beach.
We do recommend renting a car though. There are so many activities to do within a 2-hour drive that you will not want to miss.
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10 Markets
Tamarindo has one of the most vibrant night market scenes in the entire country. Every Thursday night from 6 pm – 9 pm, the town of Tamarindo comes alive with live music performances from local bands, clowns, fire dancers, and other fun performers.
Visitors can browse stalls with merchandise made by local artists or chow down at one of the food trucks. It’s a fun place to be on a Thursday night and a great way to feel the vibe of the town.
Mercadito De Tamarindo (Tamarindo Market) is a big hit in Tamarindo. The open-concept market is filled with live music and houses trendy-but-inexpensive food stalls.
You can also find traditional souvenir and surf shops, surf shops, boutique clothing stores, and jewelry shops peppered along the downtown/beach street.
9 Surf Lessons
Tamarindo is one of the premiere surfing beaches in Costa Rica, known for drawing surfers from all over the world. The beach has consistent waves all year long so you can catch a wave every day. It is dubbed as the most ideal place for beginner wave riders and the beach is teeming with surf shops.
I’d never surfed before, but naturally, my adventurous spirit was intrigued. I signed on for a lesson along with my two teenagers, and, my-oh-my, what a humbling experience it was! The kiddos caught on immediately, but apparently, there are some recreations women “of a certain age” should just let pass, although I likely would not have listened to such a warning. Even so, Tamarindo was the perfect spot to give it a try, so aside from slightly bruised knees and vastly bruised ego, no regrets.
8 Rincon De La Vieja National Park
user:Flicka, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Rincon de la Vieja is the closest National Park to town and a great destination for hikes and adventure activities. The park is named after a dormant volcano, located inside the park. Although this volcano is not grand as Arenal, the area still offers a nice change of pace from all the beach activities.
Visitors can enjoy hiking trails for all levels. One easy trail goes to the Las Pailas (boiling mud pots.) A more challenging hike is the Catarata La Cangreja trail, leading to a breathtaking waterfall (3 miles each way). There’s also a hike to the Rio Negro Hot Springs.
7 Playa Langosta
Playa Langosta is one of the most beautiful beaches in the area, with white sand beaches and bays surrounded by tropical jungle. It is quieter and more luxurious than Playa Langosta and is a favorite spot for snorkeling. It’s close enough to town that you can do some beach hopping as well as shop or grab a bite to eat.
6 Sunset
Tamarindo sunsets are legendary! You can go out on a boat or just pull up a chair and enjoy from the beach or one of the beach bars. The variety of vivid colors is stunning and will impress even those, like me, who have seen gorgeous sunsets all over the world.
5 Rio Celeste
Hiking and nature enthusiasts will love embarking on a full-day trip to Rio Celeste in Tenorio Volcano National Park.
The turquoise blue waterfall and river in the rainforest are one of the most beautiful places in Costa Rica. It is a natural phenomenon where two rivers meet and cause the water to turn blue due to particles in the two rivers mixing and becoming heavy enough to reflect light.
Hikers may also spot wildlife along the way, including sloths, red-eyed leaf frogs, toucans, and beautiful butterflies.
Rio Celeste is about 3 hours from Tamarinda and the hike to the waterfall is easy to moderate difficulty and takes around 2 hours.
4 Kayak
Kayaking tours are also popular and offer a great way to explore the mangrove forest, and ecosystem of Tamarindo Bay and the estuary as part of the Marino Las Baulas National Park.
From the water, paddlers may see some of Costa Rica’s diverse wildlife such as howler monkeys, exotic birds, iguanas, tropical birds, and even crocodiles.
3 Arenal
If you want to see a lush tropical rainforest and volcano you’ll want to take a day trip to Arenal. Visitors get impressive views of the Arenal Volcano and the chance to soak in the famous hot springs.
2 Playa Avellanas
Just six miles south of the popular tourist beach town of Tamarindo in Costa Rica, is a pristine beach loved by locals…and the tourists who can find it.
Playa Avellanas is an oasis at the end of a long warren of dusty, bumpy dirt roads. There are no souvenir shops here, no high-rise hotels, and not even a village. What you will find is arguably the most beautiful beach in Nicoya, perhaps in all of Costa Rica. The inviting cerulean blue, white-crested ocean is framed by a white sand beach dotted with coconut palms and wild-looking trees sporting intertwining crooked limbs extending in every direction.
At the center of Playa Avellanas is an outstanding beach bar simply called “Lola’s,” named after the owners’ gigantic, mischievous pet pig whose beach-bathing antics and shaded snoozes provided years of entertainment. After paying your respects to Lola’s successor, Lolita, you’ll find a variety of activities – or non-activities – to spend the day.
Take a laid-back approach under the rustling palm fronds on one of the stylish and comfy umbrella-shaded wooden lounge chairs while you partake of any of their legendary treats – fresh fruit smoothies, thin-crusted pizzas, seared tuna, or Belgian fries; read a book gently swaying in one of the hammocks, or gaze at the ocean seated atop a colorful cushion – all steps away from the beach. The aromas, accommodations, and views can captivate you from early morning until the glorious sunset, dispelling all lingering stress or cares.
Lola’s is known for its great service, but be sure to bring cash because they don’t take credit cards.
Playa Avellena was our favorite beach in Tamarindo Costa Rica!
1 Hacienda Guachipelin
Tamarindo is known for its pretty beaches. But you can also find pristine waterfalls, myriad geysers, natural swimming holes, bubbling mud pots, fumaroles, rejuvenating thermal hot springs, hiking, horseback riding, orchids, bird-watching, a canopy zip line, white-water rafting, and a quarter-mile waterslide — a visit to Hacienda Guachipelin in Guanacaste is anything but boring.
The Hacienda is located at the foot of Rincón de la Vieja (“Old Woman’s Place”), an active volcano approximately 6,000 feet high with almost vertical sides, which provides the activity needed for the thermal springs. We decided on a day of both action and relaxation—the perfect balance.
We began the day with an uphill trek through the forest and hanging bridges. When we made it to our destination, we were promptly strapped into harnesses, attached to a cable, and zipped over the lush green tree canopy.
Next up, a quarter-mile-long adrenaline-rush waterslide. It finished with a sudden drop into a pool that I was thoroughly unprepared for. As a result, I ended my slide feet-over-head with a snout full of water—much to the amusement of my kids!
A quick towel-off and we set out on a guided horseback ride where we enjoyed the natural, rugged beauty of the area.
After a belly-busting buffet lunch, we reached our final destination—the mud baths and thermal springs, which were hands-down the highlight of the day. After opening our pores in the sauna, we made a bee-line for the mud vats where we applied generous amounts of the thick, warm, rich, brown volcanic substance to every inch of exposed skin.
In just a few minutes, the dark slime dried to an ash-colored, dry-packed second skin.
After a rinse in the showers, we were off to what I called the “Goldilocks” thermal pools. One was too hot, one not hot enough, but the last was…ahh….just right! The pools cast a kind of social spell on the thoroughly stress-free guests who were quite chatty and friendly.
At the Hacienda Guachipelin in Guanacaste, we stayed in the pools until dusk where we were kindly ushered out by the spa staff and not-so-kindly inbound mosquitoes.
What to Eat in Tamarindo
- Gallo pinto – rice and beans
- Tamal – a masa dough made from corn and steamed in a banana leaf
- Casado – rice, beans, veggies, fresh salad, and meat
- Tres leches – cake made with evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream with vanilla whipped cream icing
- Pozole – a stew made from pork, hominy, cilantro, bell peppers, and achiote
- Empanada – crispy fried corn dough filled with shredded meat, cheese, and beans.
- Chifrijo – salsa mixture of various diced vegetables and pork
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About the Author
Patti Morrow is a freelance travel writer and founder of the award-winning international blog Luggage and Lipstick and the southern travel blog Gone to Carolinas. TripAdvisor called her one of “20 Baby Boomer Travel Bloggers Having More Fun Than Millennials” and she was named one of the “Top 35 Travel Blogs” in the world.
She is also the star of the upcoming TV series “Destination Takeover” which is scheduled to premiere in the new few months.
Patti is the author of the book “Girls Go Solo: Tips for Women Traveling Alone,” and has over 150 bylines in 40 print and online publications, including The Huffington Post, International Living Magazine, Washington Post Sunday Travel, Travel Girl, Travel Play Live Magazine, and Ladies Home Journal. She has traveled extensively through six continents looking for fabulous destinations, exotic beaches, and adventure activities for her Baby Boomer tribe.
1 comment
Comment by Ras Bahadur Rai
Ras Bahadur Rai June 27, 2023 at 3:34 am
Wow, your travel blog is like a breath of fresh air! I love how you capture the essence of every place you visit, from the stunning landscapes to the vibrant cultures. It’s truly inspiring and makes me want to pack my bags and explore the world right away!