Tamarindo (Guanacaste Coast)

A surf town on Guanacaste's hot, dry coast, with Pacific sunsets, turtle beaches, shell-sand beaches and Rincón de la Vieja volcano.

Tamarindo lies on the northern Nicoya Peninsula in Guanacaste province in northwestern Costa Rica, and is the most popular surf and beach resort town on the Pacific coast. Guanacaste is the driest and sunniest region in the country, and its coastline is a string of bays: Tamarindo and, to the south, Langosta, Avellanas and Negra are surf beaches; Playa Grande to the north is part of Las Baulas National Marine Park, where leatherback turtles come ashore to nest at night; farther north, Conchal (shell sand) and Flamingo have calm, clear water and are departure points for diving at the Catalina Islands; and the Papagayo Gulf area holds the fishing port beach of Playa del Coco and high-end resorts. Inland, you can make day trips to the mud pots and hot springs of Rincón de la Vieja volcano, the Llanos de Cortés waterfall, the Palo Verde wetlands and the World Heritage Santa Rosa National Park. Climate: December–April is the dry season, sunny and the high season; May–November is the green season, with frequent afternoon thunderstorms, bigger waves and lower prices, and September–October are the wettest months. Getting there: Liberia International Airport (LIR) is about 1–1.25 hours from Tamarindo, and San José is about 4.5–5 hours by car; sights are spread out, so renting a car is recommended (some dirt roads require 4WD). We suggest 4–6 days. Notes: most beaches have no lifeguards, so watch out for rip currents; river mouths have crocodiles and swimming is prohibited; do not leave valuables in your car; national parks often require tickets bought online in advance.

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