Guanacaste is the sunny north-western corner of Costa Rica, a province of dry forest, cattle ranches, volcanoes and some of the country's best Pacific beaches. Tamarindo is its best-known beach town, a former fishing village that grew up around surfing and now offers restaurants, shops, tour desks and a long, sociable bay. For a first visit, the combination of surf, sunsets, wildlife and day trips is hard to beat, but a little planning goes a long way. Here is how to approach it.
Getting there
Most visitors fly into Liberia's Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport, which is the closest airport to the coast and has direct flights from several North American cities. Tamarindo is roughly an hour to an hour and a quarter by road, depending on traffic and which route you take. You can rent a car, book a shared shuttle or arrange a private transfer. If you arrive late, consider a night near the airport and an easy morning drive. Flying into San Jose adds several hours of driving, so most first-timers avoid it unless they are combining Guanacaste with other regions.
Where to base yourself
Tamarindo itself is the easiest base for first-timers, because it has the widest choice of hotels, restaurants and tours, and you can do much without a car. Playa Langosta, just south, is quieter and more residential. Farther south are Playa Avellanas and the Hacienda Pinilla estate, where resorts and surf beaches are more spread out. To the north, Playa Conchal, Brasilito and Playa Flamingo offer calm water and resort-style stays. If you want volcano country and hot springs, consider a night or two near Rincon de la Vieja, inland from Liberia.
What to do first
Start with a surf lesson, because it is the activity Tamarindo does best, and the waves are forgiving. Add a catamaran sail at sunset, a snorkelling trip to the Catalina Islands or a kayak through the mangroves of Las Baulas National Marine Park. If your trip falls in turtle season, a night visit to Playa Grande to see leatherbacks nesting is a highlight. For wildlife on land, a guided walk near Avellanas gives you monkeys, birds and iguanas without a long drive.
Day trips inland
Guanacaste's interior is a world apart from the beach. The Rincon de la Vieja volcano offers fumaroles, mud pots, forest trails and waterfalls, and adventure parks nearby combine ziplines, tubing and hot springs. Llanos de Cortes is an easy waterfall swim near Bagaces, Palo Verde National Park offers river safaris through wetlands, and Santa Rosa National Park mixes dry forest with history. Most of these are long days of two hours each way, so choose one or two rather than trying to see everything.
What to book ahead
In the dry season from December to April, hotels fill early, so reserve accommodation well in advance. Popular sunset sails, turtle tours and surf lessons also sell out, so book those a few days ahead. Inland day trips often depend on weather and volcanic activity, so choose flexible bookings when you can. Rental cars are in demand at peak times, so reserve in advance if you want one.
Money and practicalities
US dollars are widely accepted in tourist areas, but carry some colones for small purchases. Cards work in most places. Tap water is usually safe in towns, but many visitors prefer bottled or filtered water. The sun is strong, so bring reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses, and pack insect repellent for evenings and forest trips. Roads in Guanacaste can be rough, especially unpaved tracks to some beaches, and rural roads are poorly lit, so avoid driving after dark where possible.
Respect the place
Costa Ricans value their environment. Do not take shells from Conchal, keep your distance from wildlife, follow rules on turtle beaches, and take rubbish with you. Swim only where conditions are safe, since rip currents are common on some beaches. A friendly greeting and a few words of Spanish go a long way, and the phrase pura vida, which means roughly pure life, is used for hello, goodbye and everything in between.
A simple first-trip plan
If you have a week, spend five nights on the coast and one or two in volcano country. Do a surf lesson and a sunset sail in the first two days, add a wildlife morning, choose one big inland day, and leave an afternoon free. That balance gives you sea, forest and a taste of the interior, without a schedule so packed that you forget to enjoy the beach.