Costa Rica guide

Beaches in Costa Rica

Find some of the best in the world.

Costa Rica offers many beautiful beaches for tourist enjoyment. The coastline has a length of over 1800 km with a never-ending variety of beaches. There are rocky and stony beaches, as well as sandy beaches with white, gray, bluish black, tan, and pink colored sand.

Being at almost the narrowest point of the isthmus of Central America, the Pacific and Caribbean Seas are mere hours apart by car. Both coasts have beautiful, warm beaches, but the Pacific side is much larger, and has a strong dry season. These beaches are ideal for swimming, snorkeling, diving, fishing, surfing and many other water sports.

The Caribbean coast has more cultural diversity than the Pacific coast. Half of this coastal area is protected by national parks and wildlife refuges.

Costa Rica's beaches provide the prefect conditions for doing absolutely nothing, which is an essential part of any vacation. Such natural benefits as soft ocean breezes, beautiful blue skies, palm fronds, warm sand and the rhythmic crashing of the surf combine with amenities like cool beverages, tropical music, fresh fruit and an abundance of seafood.

Playa Tamarindo: Has plenty of lodgings to suit every budget, as well as excellent restaurants. The beach here is long and broad, with sections calm enough for swimmers and others just right for surfers. Located about midway along the beaches of Guanacaste province, and there are plenty of surfers here as well.

Manuel Antonio: The first beach destination to become popular in Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio retains its charms despite burgeoning crowds and mushrooming hotels. The beaches inside the park are idyllic, and the views from the hills approaching the park are enchanting. Rooms with views tend to be a bit expensive, but many a satisfied guest will tell you they're worth it.

Punta Uva & Manzanillo: Below Puerto Viejo the beaches of Costa Rica's eastern coast take on true Caribbean splendor, with turquoise waters, coral reefs, and palm-lined stretches of nearly deserted white-sand beach. Punta Uva and Manzanillo are the two most sparkling gems of this coastline. The water is usually calm and good for swimming.

See:
• Kayaking
• Costa Rica information
• Guanacaste Province
• Liberia, Costa Rica
• San José, Costa Rica
• List of birds of Costa Rica
• Wildlife of Costa Rica
• Adventure Tours are in Costa Rica
• Costa Rica Luxury Real Estate Agents
• Costa Rica Scuba Diving Paradise