Most Caribbean-Like Beaches?

1

You should drop your media-hyped 'chocolate box' perspective of what contributes to a fabulous beach and open your eyes. For a tiny country CR enjoys both the wild Pacific and the calmer Caribbean coastlines for a visitor to enjoy in a single trip. I'm sure the volcanic activity across the country would like to apologize for darkening the white sands of your dreams but it does contribute to a wonderful fertility of wild mangroves and beachfront vegetation.
Often utterly deserted, surf swept, turtle nesting, tidal pools, estuaries packed with birds and wildlife, stunning sunsets.........damn that golden sand!!
Sorry if that is not your "kind of paradise". Keep on looking.....

2

I was initially spoiled on the Caribbean beaches you describe; namely PR/DR and the closest thing to Caribbean you're expecting will be in the San Blas islands of Panamá - where relocation is probably not an option. If you can get passed the fact that Central America's Caribbean and Pacific beaches are not Caribbean, I think you'll find a lot more variety and eventually some place that suits what you're looking for. Would be an absolute shame if you had to scout them all trying to decide now wouldn't it?

I can't function properly when becoming too tropically deprived! Collections of my Latin America Travel Photos.

3

not that i have seen all the beaches in CR but i have seen many, and i would say none of them are the idyllic postcard beaches you might find in negril or the DR or even Cuba for that matter. They are in my opinion far more interesting and wild and raw....i have never experienced such a beautiful beach as the nameless one we frequented for two weeks on the Osa peninsula; didnt see another living soul all day..now that is paradise

4

wow ez chocomo... Taking the walking trail in cahuita national park to the outcropped point where the reef is submerged oh 50 meters out, the waters there are close enough to what you describe, for me anyway... I did look for that aruba beach on the caribe in CR but it is less calm much of the time on this side of the ismus, ergo no choco box bliss. sorry!

Never to get someplace I am leaving or I will go where you are ... deal?

5

Well said Boomer-

In short, CR is about nature, untamed jungle, diverse eco systems, raw pristine log strewn beaches, groomed by wind, rains, volcanic sand, surf and sun.

You want calm waters of blue ocean and white sand, not in CR.

Lightest sand beach on Pacific is Playa Conchal and Isla Tortuga, with Playa Garza/Nosora area pretty light tan, but none of them white, and all the water is more green. On the Caribe side, Playa Cahuita at the refuge, and also Playa Manzanillo at the Gonduca refuge, both you have to trek or kayak to.

Prettiest beaches on the pacifc for raw, undisturbed, natural and teaming with wildlife with jungle as a backdrop, my vote would be Cocrcovado area and the Osa, Playa Matalapo, Carate, Drake Bay areas. Second choice on pacific and a lot easier to get to, is the Mal Pais and Montezuma areas. On the Carbe side, Playa Punta Uva is a postcard, feel more like Thailands remote islands than CA, and its certainly a contrast to the Pacific side of CR.

Other unbelievable beaches, is Tortuguero area, Santa Rosa NP in the NW, and the beaches south of Dominical to Playa Uvita/Ochajal.

Get a Guidebook & Get Lost. Adventure travel to Thailand, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Macau, Hong Kong, Morocco, Monaco, France, Italy, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Hawaii and USA National Parks. Recently returned from 7 months in China.

6

Thanks everyone for your input. We went EVERYWHERE, both in Costa Rica & Panama and were badly disappointed. Pearl Islands were closest but water a bit too cold. Costa Rica is not for us, but if you like nature, it has that in abundance. The sand was too dark, water too dark, surf scary & a bit too "naturey" for us. Beaches tends to be pretty desolate. Of course, we all have differing preferences, but I don't even need to ever return to Costa Rica. It might be good for surfers and non-tropical beach lovers but not us. Thanks again and our search continues!

Authormommy

7

Wow...you are weird!...but hey at least you are honest...(and we do appreciate the 'follow up'!)

There really is a place for you though:

http://www.visitmaldives.com/Photo_gallery/index.php

Enjoy!

8

Sorry if I seem "weird". That made me laugh! It's just that we're looking for what WE prefer and we are really looking for our spot on Earth. We all like different things & places and this wasn't for us. Didn't mean to diss it.

The Maldives look GREAT but not feasible for us to live on for numerous reasons including remoteness. Thanks for the tip, though, and I do want to make it there some time on "real" vacation.

Authormommy

9

Thanks for getting back to us. At least you tried!

Everyone has their own visions of the perfect beach, for me living in the midwest, just walking the beach on Lake Michigan at sunset is fine with me, but I do love beaches. Eastern Long Island in the Hamptons are stunning from Amagansett to Montauk, and if you like nice sand, head to Siesta Key, Longboat Key, and also in the panhandle of Florida, Destin, Grayton Beach, Seaside and Carillon.

You know what beaches I was disappointed with, and I surf, was Hawaii, nice, but too rocky, too rough and not nearly as pristine as Costa Rica nature wise.

Each to his/her own.

Tim

Thailand has some stunning beaches in the islands....

Get a Guidebook & Get Lost. Adventure travel to Thailand, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Macau, Hong Kong, Morocco, Monaco, France, Italy, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Hawaii and USA National Parks. Recently returned from 7 months in China.