Manuel Antonio National Park in Costa Rica is well known for its beautiful beaches
Costa Rica has low health care costs, a high standard of living, and is ecologically responsible. But don’t forget what really put it on the map in the first place…great beaches.
Let’s take a look at where you’ll find some of the best beaches in Costa Rica (plus video footage of two of them).
The Nicoya Peninsula
Costa Rica’s Pacific coast is two-thirds beach, and starting in the north, the Nicoya Peninsula has been a favorite for decades. This isn’t just one beach… Costa Rica’s Nicoya peninsula has some of the most beautiful stretches of white-sand on earth.
You’ll find great beaches at Tamarindo, Montezuma, Playas Hermos, Samara, Flamingo, Playa Grande, and Conchal. Costa Rica’s other international airport at Limon makes this area easy to get to.
Manuel Antonio
The jungles and waterfalls of Manuel Antonio National Park come right down to the beaches in a series of picture-perfect horseshoe bays that make Manuel Antonio a perfect place to snorkel, hike, dive, and generally get the ultimate beach and jungle experience. A new road project from San Jose down to the coast makes Manuel Antonio an easy drive from the Central Valley.
Jacó
Jacó, also known as Playa de Jacó, has long been a favorite of Costa Ricans and is now attracting a large number of Americans and Europeans too. In March and April, for example, you’ll see hundreds of young Americans on spring vacations—the same kind of tourists who used to spend the spring holiday in Fort Lauderdale. In Jacó, they join people of all ages, lying out on gorgeous beaches or taking advantage of the superb opportunities for surfing, sea kayaking, and fishing. See below for video footage of the beach at Jacó.
Dominical
Surfing is the name of the game at Playa Dominical, a stretch of beach that has been famous ever since surfers started packing boards around the world looking for the perfect wave. The feel is young and relaxed, and the stunning beaches are dotted with surf shops and cafes that cater to the board set. Despite its popularity, Playa Dominical still manages to feel uncrowded and laid back.
Tortuguero
It’s not all Pacific coast when it comes to the best beaches in Costa Rica… the Caribbean side has Tortuguero, a nature-lover’s paradise, where you can take dugout canoes down jungle canals and actually go on safari in search of photo ops with manatees, sea turtles, ocelots and giant tapirs. But for beach bums, the real draw is the sand and sultry water, which are second to none.
Costa Ballena
The Costa Ballena stretches from Dominical to Ojochal. With the recent completion of the new coastal highway, this once difficult to reach stretch of coast is now must see, as it’s just a few hours from the international airport at San Jose. Incredible beaches run the length of the coast, including Playa Uvita, Playa Ballena, Playa Ventanas and Playa Tortuga. The Ballena Marine National Park is the major attraction in the area and is a critical habitat for endangered turtle species.
See the video below for footage of Playa Ballena.
Corcovado
Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula is another area that has recently become easier to reach thanks to the new coastal highway project, and it’s dark sand beaches are at the foot of the jungled mountains of Corcovado National Park.
So…get out there and explore this beautiful country. There’s a place for you on one of the best beaches in Costa Rica.
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