12 Stunning Costa Rica Pacific Beaches You Can't Miss

By Jennifer LaCharite

From white sand to black volcanic rocky shores, the beaches on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast are as beautiful as they are unique. With 1,016 kilometers (631 miles) of coastline, there are hundreds of stunning, popular, and secluded beaches to discover. It can be hard to choose which beach(es) to visit, so here’s a handy guide to the best Costa Rica Pacific beaches!

sunset at playa hermosa in guanacaste in costa rica

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The Best Costa Rica Pacific Beaches

Planning your trip to Costa Rica’s Pacific coast? Whether you want to relax on the beach, snorkel, dive, or catch some epic waves, these are the best Pacific beaches in Costa Rica.

Playa Hermosa

A beach that is truly befitting its name, Playa Hermosa, or “beautiful beach” in English, is located furthest north amongst this list of Costa Rica Pacific beaches. Dotted with cool beachfront restaurants along its light-colored sand, this is a great beach for spending the day lounging. Recognized for its high environmental standards with a “Bandera Azul” (Blue Flag) rating, this beach is appreciated for its cleanliness and lush surroundings. Thanks to its crystal-clear waters, it’s also a popular beach for snorkeling and scuba diving. You can also rent jet skis, kayaks, or hop on a boat if you want to spend the day out on the water.

At just under a 30-minute drive from the Guanacaste International Airport in Liberia (LIR), this beautiful beach is easily accessible. There are taxis or private shuttles you can take from the airport to reach your accommodations in Hermosa or take public transit, which has a bus stop along the highway in front of the airport.

Playa Flamingo

Set to become an international destination for seagoers, Playa Flamingo is the location for Costa Rica’s newest large vessel marina. This white sand beach is just one mile long, with upscale restaurants, resorts, and condos along the shore. People come to this northern Pacific beach town to relax at the pristine beach and swim in the clear waters. Several sport fishing vessels also operate here, with annual fishing competitions making it a popular destination for anglers.

Located an hour away from the Guanacaste International Airport, the roads to this small beach town are fairly smooth and developed, making it easy to get to by car. Playa Flamingo is set between Potrero to the north, which is a popular landing spot for expats, and Brasilito to the south, which has a more local feel.

Playa Conchal

On the south end of Brasilito is the pristine and secluded Conchal Beach, with the easiest access being through the exclusive accommodations of Westin, W Costa Rica, or Reserva Conchal. There is still access to the beach without staying at one of these luxury accommodations, but it will mean parking your car at Brasilito Beach and walking for 20 minutes. It’s definitely worth it! The water here is very clear and the sand is made up of tiny seashells.

You can bring what you need to spend the day at this unique and beloved Costa Rica Pacific beach or just bring cash – preferably the local colones. There are many vendors here offering drinks, massages, and chair and canopy rentals. You can also rent snorkeling gear to check out the crystal shoreline or even take a jet ski for a cruise.

Playa Grande

Part of Las Baulas National Park, Playa Grande is a protected ecosystem for nesting sea turtles. However, the biggest draw to this beach is surfing. But unlike the well-known surfing town just to its south, Grande is known for its big, fast waves. This beach is for surfers with some experience. The small town is comprised of mainly upscale homes and rentals for those seeking a peaceful beach vacation. There are several dining options to enjoy and Grande is a great spot for long walks on the beach at sunset.

The easiest way to get to Grande is to fly into Liberia where you can catch a bus to nearby Tamarindo and take a taxi to Grande, or rent a private shuttle or car. The drive will take you about an hour and a half from the airport.

Tamarindo Beach

Located on the south side of the estuary from Playa Grande, Playa Tamarindo is the largest beach town in Guanacaste and exudes a surf town vibe. With funky shops, cafes, restaurants, and lively bars lining two or three main roads, there are many things to see and do right in town. A large farmer’s market takes over the area by the skate park every Saturday, drawing in dozens of vendors of local foods, crafts, and herbal concoctions for hundreds of shoppers and people watchers.

But what this town is best known for is beginner surf lessons. Considered one of the top places in the world to learn the sport, Tamarindo is home to several surf shops, camps, and classes. The long beach with a soft, sandy bottom and mellow waves is the perfect place to take your first surf lesson.

The closest airport to Tamarindo is LIR, where you can get on a bus that drives directly to town. There is also a public bus for those who fly into San Jose (SJO), which will take about six hours, and roughly four hours by rental car.

Read More: The Occidental Tamarindo is the perfect place for an all-inclusive getaway with the family!

Playa Guiones

Located along the Nicoya Peninsula, Playa Guiones is a sleepy surf town that tends to draw in the more serious surfers, who came to wake up at dawn and get on their board, as opposed to dance the night away like vacationers in Tamarindo. This beach is also a better option if the glory of nature is higher on your list than, say, vast restaurant options.

Guiones is located just a short distance from the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge – one of the most crucial nesting sites for Olive Ridley Turtles in the world. Visitors here can watch the massive hoards of turtles trek to the shoreline to lay their eggs from July to November.

Playa Guiones is a bit off the beaten path. If you are coming from San Jose, head to Samara via the town of Nicoya, then north on the coastal road just past Garza. If you are coming from Liberia, make your way to Nosara via Santa Cruz and then head south until you reach Playa Guiones.

Playa Samara

Also located along the Nicoya Peninsula, Playa Samara is known for its hippy vibe, with yoga classes, organic markets, and wellness retreats being popular reasons to visit. Being smack dab in the middle of one of the world’s five Blue Zones, where people tend to live longer lives, it’s definitely a great choice for the health-conscious traveler. Snorkeling and hiking are other popular ways people here enjoy nature and healthy outdoor activity.

While this beach is a bit further south than Playa Guiones, it is easier to reach, even from the Liberia Airport in the north. You can reach Samara in about a two-hour drive from LIR and four and a half hours from SJO. It is best to rent a car to see Samara, and depending on the season, a vehicle with a 4×4 is highly recommended.

Santa Teresa

Far from airports and city lights on the southern point of the Nicoya Peninsula is Santa Teresa. And while this beach is remote, it is becoming a trendy spot to visit away from the crowds. The towns of Santa Teresa and Playa Carmen are built up with hip restaurants and bars, but it has a quaint feel, with many people using ATVs and bicycles to get around town.

Rough waves and rip currents can make swimming at Playa Santa Teresa difficult, but the palm-lined beach was made for surfing and sunbathing, not to mention serving as a gathering point for watching that perfect sunset on the ocean. Not too long ago, the dirt roads to Santa Teresa were very rough, but new pavement has made the journey much easier.

Those flying into LIR can plan on a five-hour drive. Those traveling from SJO will need five and a half hours to reach Santa Teresa, which includes a 70-minute ferry ride across the Gulf of Nicoya.

Playa Montezuma

Definitely off the beaten path, Playa Montezuma is located on the eastern and inner side of the peninsula, across from Santa Teresa on the southern tip. While small and remote, the community of Montezuma offers a variety of unique dining options and accommodations. Travelers here are typically backpackers looking for something out of the ordinary and Montezuma does not disappoint!

This beach is great for exploring the hidden coves and secluded beaches nearby. There is even an island you can walk to during low tide that contains an old graveyard with gravestones decorated with seashells. Nearby, many visitors head to the Montezuma Waterfalls, where people go to swim, picnic, and relax.

If you’re coming from Liberia Airport, you will find a mix of paved and gravel roads on your four-hour drive. If you’re traveling from San Jose Airport, which is roughly a five-hour journey, you can speed up the trip by taking a ferry from Puntarenas across the gulf and then continuing by car from Paquera. Either way, it is best to rent a 4×4 vehicle. You can take a public bus from San Jose as well, which will take about six hours.

Manuel Antonio National Park

The beaches in Manuel Antonio National Park are considered among the top 10 most beautiful beaches in the world. This huge refuge protects 12 islands, a lagoon, a mangrove, and four beaches: Manuel Antonio, Espadilla Sur, Punta Catedral, and Puerto Escondido.

Of these Manuel Antonio Beach is the most visited and popular destination for snorkeling, sunbathing, and parasailing. The park itself is known for its abundance of flora and fauna, including spider monkeys, which are endemic to the area. Both daytime and nighttime tours are the highlights of many who come to this natural reserve.

The town of Quepos has many shops and unique restaurants, some integrating old cargo planes into the decor. The popular tourist destination also has a vibrant nightlife.

Being a popular destination, you will find public transportation or shared shuttles to Quepos from either of the international airports. From Liberia, the drive takes about four to five hours and about three hours from San Jose. As always, traveling by bus will take longer.

Playa Espadilla

Surrounded by the lush jungle of Manuel Antonio Park, Playa Espadilla is a white sand beach with turquoise waters. Playa Espadilla is actually two beaches. Playa Espadilla Norte is on the north side and accessible to the public, while Playa Espadilla Sur is on the south side and only accessible through Manuel Antonio National Park, which will cost foreigners $18 USD to enter. Due to this, the south beach tends to be less crowded.

Also, the protected cove of Espadilla Sur has very calm waters and the area itself is very tranquil, except for the visiting monkeys! Activities on this beach are similar to Manual Antonio Beach, save sunset. Playa Espadilla is the only beach in the park to face west and sunsets here are considered to be among the best in Costa Rica. This beach is close to the park’s entrance and can be reached in the same way as Manuel Antonio Park.

Dominical

Heading even further south along the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica is Dominical. This hidden gem is one of the top surf destinations in Costa Rica and is known for big, consistent waves along its dark sand, and four-kilometer beach. This beach is for serious surfers and you can see them lining the beach road with hammocks and camper vans, all hoping to catch the wave of their dreams.

The climate here is very tropical, which means the humidity is high and the mosquitoes are plentiful so bring what you need if you plan to camp out like many surfers do here. Besides surfing, Dominical is also famous for the Nauyaca Waterfalls – two majestic waterfalls deep in the mountains outside the town.

The easiest route from San Jose to Dominical is down the Costanera Sur highway. This will take about four hours. The bus from San Jose will take about seven hours. However, it is advised to rent a 4×4 vehicle and drive yourself as attractions in Dominical are fairly spread out.

Marino Ballena National Park

The furthest south of our look at the best Costa Rica Pacific Coast beaches is in Marino Ballena National Park near the village of Uvita. Here you will find 14 kilometers (9 miles) of jungle-backed coastline. One of the most unique aspects of the beaches at this park is the point, Punta Uvita, which is shaped like a whale’s tail jutting out into the ocean! Coincidentally, this is one of the best places in Costa Rica to see humpback whales.

The main beach here is Playa Uvita, which is known for its clear waters and lush jungle where visitors can spot monkeys, toucans, and scarlet macaws. Whale and dolphin tours are popular here, as is stand-up paddle boarding (SUP). Entrance fees to this park are only $6 USD. Marino Bellena National Park is just 213 kilometers (132 miles) from San Jose Airport, which will take around four hours to drive, however, roads in the South Pacific tend to be undeveloped so allow longer than expected. In fact, this is a good rule no matter where you are traveling in Costa Rica!

Costa Rica Pacific Beaches: 12 Stunning Beaches You Can’t Miss