Pura Vida Guide to Playa Brasilito, Costa Rica (2024)
By Jennifer LaCharite
Playa Brasilito is a quaint beach town on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Despite being surrounded by popular and luxurious destinations, Playa Brasilito Costa Rica has maintained its local roots and authentic feel. With new properties popping up and development spiking in the area, this small beach town has managed to keep up without losing its charm.
If you want to stay close to the action but live a more peaceful life then Playa Brasilito is the place to be. Having spent several months living right on the shores of Brasilito Beach, Costa Rica, I can personally attest that you can live the Pura Vida lifestyle here. And you can do it without the high price tag of some of the more popular nearby beach towns.
Read on to find out what to do in Playa Brasilito Costa Rica, where to stay, where to eat, and more!
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Playa Brasilito Costa Rica FAQs
The fishing village of Brasilito is located along the Pacific Coast in the northwest part of the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica. Brasilito is directly south of the popular town of Playa Flamingo.
The closest international airport to Brasilito, Costa Rica is located just outside of the city of Liberia. Officially called the Guanacaste International Airport (LIR), it is often referred to as the Liberia Airport and used to be called the Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport. Brasilito is 46 kilometers (30 miles) from the Liberia Airport.
Swimming at Playa Brasilito depends on the tides and how strong the waves are on any particular day. Swimming at Brasilito Beach tends to be best at the far north end of Brasilito Bay as the rocks break up the waves. Also, the cliff at the north end of the beach shields the beach from larger waves. When in doubt, swim where you see the locals swimming. Waves here make this a great beach for boogie boarding.
How to Get to Playa Brasilito Costa Rica
Nestled between the popular beaches of Playa Flamingo and Playa Conchal, Playa Brasilito Costa Rica is very accessible, with paved roads into town. It is only an hour’s drive from the Guanacaste International Airport near Liberia. From here, you will take Route 21, 155, and 180 to reach Playa Brasilito.
From the airport in the capital city of San Jose, you will take the Interamericana Norte Highway (Route 1) until you reach Limonal. From Limonal, take the Paso del Tempisque (Route 18) until you are forced to either turn left or right onto Route 21. Turn right and continue until you reach the city of Santa Cruz. From here, you will travel a curvy road until you reach the town of Brasilito.
*There is currently (April 2023) a detour in place to bypass the main bridge into Brasilito Costa Rica. Signs are posted. When they are done with construction there will be a much-needed two-lane bridge to help with the traffic congestion that has become an issue here as development continues.
If you want to park your car and head to Playa Brasilito you can do so at the main parking lot in town. Just enter Brasilito Park in your GPS, Waze, or Google Maps. Many people head north up the dirt beach road and park near the part of the beach where they plan to spend their time.
The Best Things To Do in Brasilito Costa Rica
Unless it’s the Christmas holidays or Semana Santa (Easter week), Playa Brasilito Costa Rica tends to be a fairly quiet beach. It is easy to find some space to park and set up a secluded spot for yourself to enjoy the beach. There is plenty of shade and the far north end has some rocky outcroppings and small islands for exploring.
- Visit Playa Conchal. The far south end of Playa Brasilito is where you will find the famous Conchal Beach. Playa Conchal was recently named the most beautiful beach in the world. With no direct vehicle access to Playa Conchal, you must walk south along Playa Brasilito to reach Conchal beach. This walk takes about 15 minutes one way and ends with a small hill to climb over.
- Play ball. For sports enthusiasts, there is a newly resurfaced basketball court and three new pickleball courts in Brasilito. This can be found after the right turn through town leading towards Flamingo Beach.
- Go fishing. You can fish from the shore at sunset like the locals do or charter a fishing boat in nearby Flamingo Beach, where a new full-service marina has been installed.
- Go on an ATV tour. ATV tours take you right onto Brasilito Beach and are a fun, albeit noisy, way to see the sights.
- Go horseback riding. Horseback riding on the beach is a great and peaceful way to see Playa Brasilito and Conchal.
Read more: Ultimate Guide to Playa Conchal, Costa Rica
Brasilito Costa Rica Hotels
There are a few accommodations that are within easy walking distance to Playa Brasilito located in the town of Brasilito.
- Hotel Conchal Brasilito is a two-story boutique hotel with a large pool and landscaped gardens in the town of Brasilito. It is located across the street from Playa Brasilito.
- Hotel Brasilito is found right on the beach. Both of these options will cost you around $80 USD per night.
- For an even cheaper option, there is a place called Brasilito Lodge Beach Hostel.
- There are also a few places along the beach that allow you to set up a tent for overnight camping. The hostel seems to allow this as well. You can find the camping locations on Google Maps by scrolling in close to the coast along Playa Brasilito Costa Rica.
- For the five-star hotel experience near Playa Brasilito, you can book a suite at the next-door Conchal Beach at W Costa Rica. The vast property along Playa Conchal shares its space with The Westin Reserva Conchal, which is an all-inclusive resort.
Brasilito Costa Rica Restaurants
- Patagonia del Mar. The most popular restaurant in Brasilito has got to be Patagonia del Mar. Picture yourself sipping fancy cocktails by the pool as you watch the sunset on the beach. There are even individual cabañas around the pool which are perfect for gathering with a few friends. I could sit here all day (and I definitely have)!
- Masala Indian Restaurant is a fairly new eatery in Brasilito that brings the unique flavors of India to the small beach town. This popular restaurant has been gaining traction in the area, first opening in Liberia and spreading to both Brasilito and Playas del Coco.
- Papaya. Papaya is the restaurant attached to Hotel Conchal. This is a slightly upscale restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They also have vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.
- Deli Cafe. Deli Café is a great little spot to grab a coffee and a pastry or sit inside for the cold air conditioning and free wifi.
- Soda Brasilito. For authentic and inexpensive Costa Rican cuisine check out Soda Brasilito across the street from Brasilito Park. This little soda (local restaurant) by the beach will give you all of the Pura Vida feels. I have even seen a rooster marching around this restaurant during one visit!
- Indira Restaurant. Just down the street from Soda Brasilito is the crumbling but iconic beach dive bar Indira Restaurant. This weatherworn bar lapped by the waves was built before laws that prohibit buildings from being built right on the beach. If you visit Brasilito be sure to catch a sunset and a cerveza at Indira Bar…before it crumbles into the sea!
Things To Know Before You Visit Brasilito
Brasilito means “little Brazil” in Costa Rica. It is very much a Tico-style (local) village and a bit of a hidden gem between the popular white sand beaches of Flamingo and Conchal. This two-mile stretch of beach has tan brown sand and while it may not be considered as beautiful as its neighbors, it makes up for it at dusk. All of my best sunset photos in Costa Rica have been captured at Playa Brasilito, Costa Rica. Check it out!
Be aware that this tends to be a spot for sand fleas to bite at dusk, so be sure to wear bug repellant. I get bad reactions to these tiny critters and you won’t see them coming so be prepared. Any type of bug repellant seems to do the trick just as long as you cover your entire feet and legs. This is the only place that I have experienced bites like these but the sunsets here make it worth the risk!
Playa Brasilito Guanacaste Weather
Much like the rest of the coast in Costa Rica’s northwest, Brasilito experiences a dry season and a green season. Despite this, it remains fairly hot all year. During the rainy months of June to December, the lowest temperature in Brasilito is roughly 24 degrees Celsius (75 F). During the hottest and driest months from January to May, the daily high hovers around 33 C (91 F).
Despite seeing monsoon-type rains during the rainiest months of September and October, the rains during the green season are usually short-lived and tend to take place at night or for a short time in the morning. The heat of the day quickly dries up the rain during much of the green season.
Other Nearby Beach Towns
To the north of Brasilito, you will find the beach towns of Flamingo and Potrero. These are popular towns for ex-pats and tourists with plenty of restaurants, tours, and places to rent. To the south, you will find Playa Grande and the busy beach town of Tamarindo. These are popular surf towns with Tamarindo being one of the top places to learn how to surf in the world.
Read more: 15 Best Things To Do in Tamarindo
Day Trips from Brasilito Costa Rica
If you’re spending more than a day or two at one of the hotels in Brasilito, you may want to venture out and see what else Costa Rica has to offer. Here are a few recommendations:
- Swim in a waterfall: One of the top things to do on the list of every visitor to Costa Rica is swim in a waterfall. One of the best waterfalls in Guanacaste can be found less than two hours’ drive from Brasilito! Llanos de Cortez Waterfall is a natural oasis where you can pack a picnic and spend the day swimming and hiking around the falls. It is also a very inexpensive place to visit and easy to access for most people.
- Visit an Adventure Park: If you want adventure, wildlife, and a cultural experience all wrapped up into one trip, Diamante Eco Adventure Park is the best place for you. Not only is there an animal sanctuary with everything from butterflies to sloths, but there is even a cultural tour to learn about the traditional way of life in Costa Rica. For those who want a little more excitement in their lives, they can try the dual Superman zipline facing the ocean!
- Hike a volcano: Immerse yourself in nature and hike the largest and most active volcano in Guanacaste at Rincon de la Vieja Volcano. Here you will see bubbling mud pools and fumaroles before enjoying a cool dip in Oropendola Waterfall. Don’t forget to indulge in a volcanic mud bath and relax in the natural hot springs. Seeing this active volcano could be the highlight of your Costa Rican vacation – it was for me!
- Go sport fishing: One of the most memorable experiences on my Costa Rican vacation, however, was eating the tuna I had just caught while I was still on the boat – it doesn’t get any fresher than that! Experience it for yourself during a full day of deep-sea fishing from nearby Playa Flamingo. Besides delicious yellowfin tuna, you could reel in Mahi-Mahi, roosterfish, or even a massive marlin.
If you want to experience the Pura Vida life in an authentic Costa Rican beach town then be sure to spend some time in Playa Brasilito Costa Rica.
