Beaches in Costa Rica: Unparalleled Beauty And Reputation

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 ·

By Victor C. Krumm

Central American beaches have a justifiable reputation for being terrific and many folks describe the beaches in Costa Rica as being simply fantastic. In a world with lots of great beaches, Costa Rica has some of the very best. On two oceans. With clean waters. Tropical waters. White sand. Brown sand. Black sand. Coral beaches.

The Caribbean beaches were first discovered and explored by Christopher Columbus, who was so taken that he named his discovery Costa Rica, the rich coast. The Spanish were soon followed by English sea captains like Sir Francis Drake (he is the same fellow who defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588). Indeed, Drake Bay along the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica is named for this captain who docked there on his explorations.

Despite the passage of centuries, there is still a lot for visitors to discover. The Caribbean coast is far less developed and has a very different ambience from the Pacific. Think reggae and Bob Marley. Tortuguero National Park is a remote, world famous nesting site for green sea turtles. Sportsman from around the world come here for some of the best tarpon (and other) fishing on the globe. The Pacific Coast is far more popular with tourists and expats alike and an enormous number of attractions keep people coming year after year.

Costa Rica is developing a great, world-class tourism infrastructure. The country has year-round warm weather and waters, two coasts, and access to virtually limitless nearby attractions. Only in Costa Rica can you drive to the top of a volcano and see the Atlantic---and the Pacific---at the same time. There are, literally, hundreds and hundreds of beaches for you to choose from, all just a few hours from San Jose, the country's largest city.

There are so many beaches to explore that you could spend months, even years, in Costa Rica and still not manage to see them all. Many tourists and expats travel to or live on the magnificent Nicoya Peninsula along the country's north-central coast. It is filled with spectacular beaches and the area is replete with non-beach attractions.

One of the more famous beaches on the Nicoya Peninsula is Playa Grande. It is said to be haunted by the spirits of an ancient people because it is situated on the site of their burial ground. It is a great beach for surfing, and there is camping in the area, though you may find some clothing optional folks.

Because there are so many intriguing and scenic beaches on the Nicoya Peninsula it would be difficult for us to name them all in this short space. If you are interested in great beaches and an active nightlife, I recommend trying Jaco (very popular with the younger set) or Tamarindo (more upscale).

But it does not matter whether you stay at Tamarindo, Mal Pais, Hermosa, Flamingo, Conchal, Bahia Ballena, Tambor, or wherever you happen to land because there is something special everywhere you go. Some places are easily reached by car or the ubiquitous (and inexpensive) buses but others are, well, still pretty remote. However you get there you will find a bit of paradise in that land named by Christopher Columbus, Costa Rica, the rich coast.

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