Montezuma
A 40-minute river hike leads to a waterfall with a delicious swimming hole. Further along, a second set of falls offers a good 12m leap into deep water…
Must-see attractions in Península de Nicoya
Mal País & Santa Teresa
Playa Santa Teresa is a long, stunning beach that's famous for its fast and powerful beach break. The waves are pretty consistent and can be surfed at…
Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Curú
Península de Nicoya
Situated at the eastern end of the peninsula, this tiny 84-hectare wildlife refuge holds a great variety of landscapes, including dry tropical forest,…
Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Ostional
Península de Nicoya
This 85 sq km coastal refuge extends from Punta India in the north to Playa Guiones in the south, and includes the beaches of Nosara and Ostional. It was…
Parque Nacional Barra Honda Caverns
Península de Nicoya
This 23 sq km national park protects a system of 42 caverns. The only cave with regular public access is the 41m-deep La Terciopelo, which features…
Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas de Guanacaste
Península de Nicoya
Las Baulas national marine park encompasses the entire beach at Playa Grande, as well as the adjacent land and 220 sq km of ocean. This is one of the…
Montezuma
Here's your chance to see a waterfall crashing down a cliff, straight onto the rocks and into the ocean. El Chorro Waterfall is the pièce de résistance of…
Península de Nicoya
A local NGO that is dedicated to the conservation of Costa Rica's two species of macaw: the great green macaw and the scarlet macaw. The group…
Nosara Area
North of Guiones, Playa Pelada is a family gathering place for sunset, swimming and surfing, though the waves can get a bit rough. On the northern end,…
International Animal Rescue Costa Rica
Nosara Area
Make an appointment to visit this animal rescue center. Brenda Bombard is an incurable animal lover who has devoted two decades to caring for injured and…
Montezuma
About 6km north of town, Playa Grande is the best surf beach in the area. It's a 3km-plus stretch of waves and sand, which never gets too crowded as it…
Nosara Area
Nosara's most developed beach is also a stunner, with a wide, generous arc of marbled sand (and a few pebbles and shells mixed in), excellent beach breaks…
Montezuma
The best beach close to town is just to the north, where the sand is powdery and sheltered from big swells. This is your glorious sun-soaked crash pad…
Mal País & Santa Teresa
Somewhere north of town, Playa Santa Teresa ends and Playa Hermosa starts. This gorgeous beach deserves its hermosa (beautiful) moniker and then some. It…
Península de Nicoya
Mike's beautiful 45-acre mountainside property, 10 minutes north of San Miguel, includes walking trails and a butterfly rancho. In addition to the…
Península de Nicoya
A dreamy, hidden, white-sand beach about 30 minutes north of Sámara, where no development is visible. Just inland, though, sits a sprawling hacienda…
Mal País & Santa Teresa
About 8km north of the Playa El Carmen intersection (past Playa Hermosa), Playa Manzanillo is a combination of sand and rock that’s best surfed when the…
Reserva Natural Absoluta Cabo Blanco
Península de Nicoya
Costa Rica’s oldest protected wilderness area covers 12 sq km at the tip of the Península de Nicoya. The unique park is covered by evergreen forests,…
Nosara Area
Reservations are required to visit this wildlife sanctuary, set on 50 glorious acres of jungle and garden. The sanctuary is dedicated to rescuing,…
Nosara Area
The private 35-hectare reserve behind Lagarta Lodge has trails leading through a mangrove wetland down to the river and beach. Stop in the Lagarta lobby…
Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Camaronal
Península de Nicoya
A good beach and point break, this charcoal-gray stretch north of Punta Islita is strewn with driftwood and sheltered by two headlands. This beach also…
Península de Nicoya
Sponsored by the Hotel Punta Islita, this imaginative, open-air museum includes mosaics, carvings and paintings that adorn everything from houses to tree…
Nosara Area
From the south, the first beach you'll hit is Playa Garza, still a sleepy Tico fishing village with an arc of pale brown sand, and headlands on either…
Península de Nicoya
About 4km south of Punta Islita, Playa Corozalito is an entirely undeveloped beach backed by mangrove swamps and offering plenty of opportunities to spot…
Península de Nicoya
South of Punta Islita (and not to be confused with a beach of the same name south of Jacó), Playa Bejuco has reddish-brown sand, crystal-clear water and…
Mal País & Santa Teresa
Playa El Carmen, downhill from the main T-intersection coming into town, is a good beach break that can be surfed anytime. The beach is wide and sandy and…
Montezuma
About 1.5km south of town, alongside the waterfall trail, you can tour this lush mariposario (butterfly garden) and nursery where the mysterious…
Montezuma
This pretty little beach is the centerpiece of Montezuma, as fishers, ferries and tourists come and go. Unfortunately, it's not really recommended for…
