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A rather isolated beach with calm and tranquil surroundings, Avellana beach is a short distance south of Tamarindo. You can access this beach from Villareal (next to Tamarindo) or from Santa Cruz. However, do keep in mind that the roads leading to the beach are dirt and are not paved. With around eight different surf breaks (both right and left breaks) found along the sea shore, Playa Avellana is a great place for experienced surfers. The best time to surf this one mile long white sand beach is when the tide is high, and the waves form near perfect tubes. Known as ‘little Hawaii’ by the locals, the offshore swells here can reach as high as 18 feet, making Playa Avellana a dream destination for any surfer.
Avellana beach is perfect for those who want a quiet place to relax and get away from the humdrum of other beaches. If you do not surf, you can always take swim, enjoy an extended horseback ride along the shore, or unwind at the bar on the beach, which plays some good music.
Considered to be one of the most exotic beaches in Guanacaste, Playa Conchal is situated north of Tamarindo on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Together with Playa Brasilito, this beach is separated by a rocky headland known as Punta Conchal, which gets its name from the  sand found here that is composed of hundreds of millions of tiny crushed shells.
Playa Conchal has near perfect weather all year long and is bathed in sunshine most of the time, with over 12 hours of daylight from December to April. The water here always remains at a comfortable temperature and is ideal for swimming or snorkeling.
With some of the clearest waters, snorkeling is a must-indulge activity for anyone who knows how to swim. With a fantastic array of marine life on display, you can swim with the many tropical fish that dwell here, and even catch a glimpse of stingrays that swim in the area.
While Tamarindo may be the most developed beach resort along the Guanacaste coastline, Playa Flamingo is still one of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica. The area is favored by wealthy Ticos and gringos, expensive villas sit atop the headlands north and south of the beach, many with their own little coves as private as one’s innermost thoughts.
With its stunning white sand, unspoiled beaches and clear blue waters, Playa Flamingo is the ideal vacation getaway, offering visitors some of the best deep sea fishing in the world. Marlin, tuna, swordfish and snapper can be found off the coast all year around, making this beach an extremely popular tourist destination.
Costa Rican beaches don’t come more beautiful than Playa Grande, a seemingly endless 3 mile curve of sand with water as blue as the summer sky. Great for swimming, body boarding and shell collecting, Playa Grande is a perfect place to disconnect from a hectic life, and enjoy its pristine shoreline and clear blue sea. With its laidback attitude and several hotels and excellent restaurants, Playa Grande is the perfect place to let go.
Another popular reason for visiting Playa Grande is for the excellent surfing found here on the main beach. Surf pumps ashore at high tide. The breaks and swells are consistent enough to be rated among the best in Costa Rica. In fact, surfing experts rate Playa Grande as “maybe the best overall spot in the country.” Further north on the beach is excellent for swimming if you are not a surf fan.
Playa Ventanta is just around the peak and offers a more secluded day of sunbathing, swimming and checking out the tide pools at the northern end of the beach. Make sure you go at low tide and know when high tide is coming.
Playa Tamarindo is the most developed beach and is especially popular with backpacking surfers. The beach is about one mile wide and very deep when the tide goes out—perfect for strolling and good for tide pooling on its rocky outcrops. Riptides are common, so ask locals in  the know for the safest places to swim.
With its popular beaches, blue waters, natural surroundings, and near perfect weather, it is no wonder that Tamarindo is among the most popular vacation destinations.
A former fishing village, Tamarindo is the most developed tourist town in the area with plenty of accommodations to suit every pocket. With much to enjoy & even more to do, this multi-cultural community is nice place to have some fun in the sun.
The beaches here are nice and the entire town has a relaxed laidback feel to it, making it the ideal place for anyone looking to have a good time. With the surfing conditions here near perfect for the experienced as well as novice surfers, Tamarindo is probably the most accessible beach town on the country’s entire northern Pacific Coast. Besides surfing, swimming, snorkeling, sailing, boogie boarding, and horseback riding, restaurants and bars abound.
Nestled in a small valley between the Miravalles, Rincon de la Vieja, and Santa Maria Volcanoes, La Anita Rainforest Ranch is surrounded by an incredible explosion of biodiversity; hidden amidst the dense rainforest live more species than are found in the United States and  Canada combined. In the heart of this remarkable rainforest, macadamia nuts, cacao (chocolate), heart of palm, taro, cardamom, organic tropical fruits and vegetables, medicinal herbs, and thousands of tropical flowers are grown and harvested.
Whether for a day tour or an overnight stay, take the opportunity to tour the ranch. A guided rainforest trails hike will expose you to exotic flowers and macadamia orchards and learn how to make mouth-watering La Anita’s extraordinary chocolates. Indulge yourself with gourmet Costa Rican cuisine prepared with ingredients picked fresh from the gardens.
La Anita Rainforest ranch is deeply committed to working in harmony with the environment and local communities. Explore the nature and customs of Costa Rica and help us to protect some of the world's last remaining tropical rainforest!
Monteverde, means “Green Mountain,” an appropriate name for one of the most idyllic pastoral settings in Costa Rica. Cows munch contentedly, and horse-drawn wagons loaded with milk cans still make the rounds in this world-famous community atop a secluded 1,400-meter-high plateau.
The spectacular Monteverde Cloud Forest is a very important and popular ecotourism destination. Unlike rainforests, cloud forests usually receive much less rain in comparison. However, because a cloud forest is situated at a higher altitude, it has more humidity and is therefore cloudier than a rainforest. Monteverde sits at an elevation that is  surrounded by a misty cover that supports a fantastic diversity of flora and fauna. Often creating a surreal environment, this area is considered to be among the most exceptional wildlife sanctuaries.
The Monteverde Cloud Forest is home to more than 2,000 species of plants and trees, 100 species of mammals, over 400 species of birds, and roughly 1,200 species of amphibians and reptiles. When exploring the forest you will come across a variety of birds and animals including, bellbirds, guans, toucanets, jaguars, pumas and monkeys, as well as the golden toad, a toad species that is only known to exist here the in Monteverde Cloud Forest.
This unique landscape is also the habitat of more than 300 species of orchids and 200 species of fern. With views of both the Pacific and Caribbean Oceans, this reserve is filled with a huge array of lofty and soaring trees.
A nature lover’s paradise, the Monteverde Cloud Forest is a great place for bird watching, especially during February through May, when plenty of birds nest and migrate here. Home of the beautiful quetzals and a number of hummingbird species, early mornings and late afternoons are the best times to bird watch.
Rincon de la Vieja is known for its profusion of orchid species. More than 300 species of birds include quetzals, Emerald Toucanets, the elegant trogon, eagles, three-wattled bellbirds, and the curassow. Mammals include cougars; howler, spider, and white-faced monkeys; and kinkajous, sloths, tapirs, tayras, and even jaguars. Also found in abundance here amidst the verdant vegetation are, Guaria Morada orchids, the national flowers of Costa Rica as well as a plethora of Laurel and Guanacaste trees.
Boasting fantastic sceneries, beautiful waterfalls, soothing hot springs, boiling mud pits, a fresh water volcanic lagoon, picnic areas and long-winding trails that one can hike or horseback ride, the Parque Nacional Rincon de la Vieja lies northeast of Liberia.
Considered by many to be one of the must-see regions in the country, the Northern Lowlands and Volcan Arenal area are one of the most popular tourist destinations. The Arenal Volcano is one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world and presents a truly majestic sight, as it spews molten rocks and ash from its summit on a daily basis. With regular eruptions, you can hear the rumbling and see steam rising as lava flows down the sides of the volcano.
 For nature lovers, the Arenal region also offers numerous hiking and trekking trails near the volcano where one can see some stunning waterfalls, gushing rivers, and beautiful plant and wildlife. Its lava flows and eruptions are constant, and on virtually any day you can see smoking cinder blocks tumbling down the steep slope from the horseshoe-shaped crater—or at night, watch a fiery cascade of lava spewing from the 140- meter-deep crater. Some days the volcano blows several times in an hour, spewing house-size rocks, sulfur dioxide and chloride gases, and red-hot lava. The volcano’s active vent is on the western side, and the normal easterly wind blows most of the effluvia westward. Explosions and eruptions, however, occur on all sides.
One of the best places to take in the Arenal Volcano’s awe-inspiring fireworks is at La Fortuna, a tiny town located near the foot of the volcano. The perfect place to kick back and enjoy the area’s superb beauty, La Fortuna is a touristy place that retains much of its original Tico charm. There are also many natural hot springs here as well as resorts where one can pamper themselves taking a long relaxing soak amidst beautiful orchid gardens. |
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