Costa Rica Beaches in May
 

HI All,

My husband and I will be travelling to CR May 13-23 for our honeymoon!! We are planning on spending 2-3 days at the beach. Of course everyone recommends Manuel Antonio, however I wanted to know if there are any other swimable and less commercialized beaches that are recommended during the 'green' season?

Thank you!

Congratulations! You will love your time in Costa Rica!

Most beaches on the Pacific have a strong current (they're great for surfing) which makes them not that great for swimming. You can, however, swim in Playa Ballena & Playa Herradura (although that is just as commercial as Playas Manuel Antonio). If you just want to sun yourself and dip in the water (or surf) then here are a few on the Pacific that i love.
1. Playa Esterillos
2. Playa Palo Seco
3. Playa Bejuco
4. Playa Hermosa (great for watching people surf)

I would recommend you Santa Teresa, Mal País, a lovely place, not crowded or very touristy, the beach is beautiful, you can relax and enjoy your time there. Actually many people uses to planned their wedding or honeymoon. This is a nice hotel, I´ve stayed there a few times, and I am planning for my honeymoon trip, www.hoteltropicolatino.com
Hope this helps!

I would add Uvita to the mix less than an hour from Manuel Antonio, I loved the area and planning my return soon! :) Dominical is a surfer beach but Uvita Marine park is very safe to swim and not many people around, Ventanas beach was precious. Lot of options for small boutique hotels, we stayed in Tiki Villas, though we were not on honeymoon that would be perfect for the area!

Costa Rica has a Blue Flag Ecological Program in place that rates the quality of the beaches, including water quality. You might want to consider this when you are deciding where to go.

http://www.visitcostarica.com/ict/pa...s/areasurf.asp

Click on the tab that says "Map" and then click on the map to enlarge.

Hotel Punta Islita and the Harmony Hotel in Nosara are both great places.

I agree with Hotel Punta Islita...excellent for a honeymoon and safe to swim.
I would have to disagree with The Harmony in Nosara. It's a nice hotel for sure, but I live in Nosara full time and have to say it's much more of a surfing beach than a swimming beach.
You could also look at the Treetop Inn in Samara. Nice small place on the beach in Samara which is a small fun town and good for swimming.

One more vote for Punta Islita. A gorgeous place and perfect for a honeymoon.

I second the recommendation of Hotel Tropico Latino in Santa Teresa.

Love this area and especially the food. There is a huge international community here. Mostly from Europe and South America. The chef at Tropico Latino is from Florence, Italy. Amazing food.

Another hotel there is Pranamar Villas. More upscale, and just lovely. It is owned by the previous owners of the Flor Blanca, an over the top hotel also located in this area. Flor Blanca is amazing. But it will certainly cost ya.

Pranamar has a great pool area and very tastefully designed rooms. The owner brought a lot of the furnishings from Bali, including huge stone bathtubs! I haven't eaten at the restaurant yet. But my customers have given it very strong reviews.

One caveat about this area, is that the surf is strong. Of course, the surfers love it. But swimmers have to pick your spot. A lot of this beach is too turbulent or rocky to swim in. Don't get me wrong, you can swim here. But talk to the front desk at your hotel for directions to the safer spots, and pay attention.

Manuel Antonio has gotten more commercial over the years. But I still enjoy it. Not nearly as commercial at Tamarindo, the area is spread out. There are still little places to escape too. Great choice of restaurants and nature tours as well.

Three hotels that have access to uncrowded beaches in this area are:

Arenas del Mar (pricey, but worth it) that is right on the beach.

Makanda by the Sea. Adult only and very romantic. A 10 or 15 minute walk to a beach that is mostly locals.

Buena Vista Luxury Villas / Tulemar Bungalows. "Private" beach. Lovely little beach in a protected cove. Variety of room classes starting at under $200. Some off season specials too.

Hope this helps! Let me know if I can offer more advice.

Warm Regards,
Pat Hewitt
(Travel professional)

Hello, if you prefer something more private, i highly recommend you Esterillos. It is a beautiful and calm place, perfect for honeymooners. Also, there is a lovely hotel that i always recommend to couples, it name is Xandary By the Pacific, they have beautiful rooms and spa, and a wonderful ocean view.

Enjoy your time in Costa Rica
If you need additional info, jut let me know.

Hi all - where is Esterillos in comparison to Los Suenos? Thanks!

I've always had my eye on Casa Chameleon, but haven't had a chance to stay there yet. It's looks very honeymoonish.

http://www.hotelcasachameleon.com/ac...ons/index.html

CRLady, the last I heard, Xandari was selling their Pacific Resort - do you know if that ever happened?

Esterillos is about a half hour south of Los Suenos. Xandari by the Pacific was sold to Del Pacifico at Esterillos in December. The hotel is still open under the new name Alma del Pacifico and is being run by RockResorts. almadelpacifico.com

I agree Santa Teresa, Mal País is an excellent option. And the advice with respect to strong currents can not be overstated.