Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula Sights

Shopping Nightlife

1. Playa Tamarindo

Wide and flat, the sand here is packed hard enough for easy walking and jogging, but swimming and surfing have become questionable since the town's Blue Flag status was taken away (because of overdevelopment and the total absence of water treatment). The water quality is especially poor during the rainy months, when you'll want to do your swimming and surfing at nearby Playa Langosta or Playa Grande. Despite this, surfing is still the main attraction here, and there's a young crowd that parties hard after a day riding the waves. Witch's Rock Surf Shop has showers, toilets, surfboard rental, a swimming pool, and a restaurant where you can watch the surfers over a cold beer. Strong currents at the north end of the beach get a lot of swimmers into trouble, especially when they try to cross the estuary without a surfboard. Steer clear of the estuary, where there have been crocodile sightings. There's street parking and a public dirt lot in front of El Vaquero Brewpub. Amenities: food and drink; parking; showers; toilets. Best for: partiers; surfing; walking.