Playa Hermosa vs.Playa Carillo, vs. Flamingo Beach Resort
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Playa Hermosa vs.Playa Carillo, vs. Flamingo Beach Resort
Everytime I think I've made up my mind, I get confused...For parents and our 15 yr old, which area would be the nicest in Aug for 3-4 nights??? I thought I was set on Playa Hermosa (coming from Arenal and then on to MA), but beach at Carillo sounded spectacular and now Flamingo sounds good to...
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I don't know Playa Hermosa, but can give you some opinions on Flamingo and Carillo.
Flamingo is a beautiful beach with light colored sand. It is good for boogie boarding but the surf may be just a bit too much for swimming. We have visited it on a few separate occasions and there were never more than just a few people there. There a couple of large hotels and several smaller places, as well as private villas very near the beach, all with great views. I would definitely consider staying there for our next trip (in fact it is one of my husband's favorite beaches in CR).
Playa Carillo is a very pretty beach that has a very tropical appearance with a row of coconut palms along the beach and gentle waives. There is really nothing along that beach so I am wondering where you were thinking about staying (Guanamar maybe?). You could stay in Samara which is one beach north of Carillo. Samara is a typical Costa Rican beach town with a number of small hotels, shops and restaurants and a soccer field. It is definitely more local in character than Playa Flamingo which is more Americanized. The beach in Samara is also very nice and gentle enough for swimming.
From Arenal, Flamingo and Hermosa would be about the same distance. Samara/Carillo would be a longer drive.
Flamingo is a beautiful beach with light colored sand. It is good for boogie boarding but the surf may be just a bit too much for swimming. We have visited it on a few separate occasions and there were never more than just a few people there. There a couple of large hotels and several smaller places, as well as private villas very near the beach, all with great views. I would definitely consider staying there for our next trip (in fact it is one of my husband's favorite beaches in CR).
Playa Carillo is a very pretty beach that has a very tropical appearance with a row of coconut palms along the beach and gentle waives. There is really nothing along that beach so I am wondering where you were thinking about staying (Guanamar maybe?). You could stay in Samara which is one beach north of Carillo. Samara is a typical Costa Rican beach town with a number of small hotels, shops and restaurants and a soccer field. It is definitely more local in character than Playa Flamingo which is more Americanized. The beach in Samara is also very nice and gentle enough for swimming.
From Arenal, Flamingo and Hermosa would be about the same distance. Samara/Carillo would be a longer drive.
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Joyce, we haven't been to the Samara/Nosara/Carillo area yet. Someday. . . .BUT Flamingo is indeed a beautiful beach and we swim there. It is a long beach with great walking opportunities and a lovely sunset. True, it is very Americanized. Not much in the way of shopping or night life here, but there are some good boat trips, such as the Sunset Cruise, etc. We LOVE staying at Flamingo Beach Resort. It is a very nice property. And, from this location, you can check out any number of beaches up and down the coast from Sugar and Potrero just north to Brasilito, Conchal, Tamarindo to your south.
Having said that, I would hate to discourage you from Samara/Carillo also. These are a little more difficult to get to, as Iza mentioned--probably about 2 hours or a little more from Flamingo.
And the Playa Hermosa area is certainly nice as well (we have visited here for days and evenings, but never stayed overnight).
You won't go wrong! You'll just want to go back!
Having said that, I would hate to discourage you from Samara/Carillo also. These are a little more difficult to get to, as Iza mentioned--probably about 2 hours or a little more from Flamingo.
And the Playa Hermosa area is certainly nice as well (we have visited here for days and evenings, but never stayed overnight).
You won't go wrong! You'll just want to go back!
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Playa Hermosa is sort of like a horseshoe bay. . .more so than Flamingo which is long and sweeping. Flamingo is more like a real-estate center and area for retired Americans and others who have come to CR to live. Nothing Tico about it! Kind of a little town, but not in a typical sense in that there isn't a town square with a church and soccer field! There is something about that entire coastline north and south of Flamingo, though, that we have really enjoyed and have returned to several times. They have a marina at Flamingo. .it has had a little trouble staying open this last year because of ownership controversy, but is open now, I believe.
As I stated earlier, we haven't stayed at Playa Hermosa, but have been there twice during the day and spent a little time at Coco Beach as well (but it was at night, so don't know much about the beach here). Hermosa isn't really a town (that we could tell). .just a beach with hotels and restaurants--scattered out. Coco Beach would be the nearest small town, I believe. You can do some fishing and boat trips out of Coco. There are some hotels up in the hills overlooking Playa Hermosa and some down on the beach. There is a time share hotel there called Condovac and also Sol Playa Hermosa (which I believe is all-inclusive). Also near Coco and Hermosa is Playa Ocotal. It isn't mentioned much on this board, and I haven't been there, but have heard it has an excellent hotel.
As I stated earlier, we haven't stayed at Playa Hermosa, but have been there twice during the day and spent a little time at Coco Beach as well (but it was at night, so don't know much about the beach here). Hermosa isn't really a town (that we could tell). .just a beach with hotels and restaurants--scattered out. Coco Beach would be the nearest small town, I believe. You can do some fishing and boat trips out of Coco. There are some hotels up in the hills overlooking Playa Hermosa and some down on the beach. There is a time share hotel there called Condovac and also Sol Playa Hermosa (which I believe is all-inclusive). Also near Coco and Hermosa is Playa Ocotal. It isn't mentioned much on this board, and I haven't been there, but have heard it has an excellent hotel.
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trevorjoyce,
We have been to Costa Rica several times and are going back on the 5th with our 4 and 6 year old. Last year, my husband and I went to Samara for a week. We loved it there. It is a very Costa Rican town on the beach. There are several restaurants also right on the beach, and many more along the street that is perpindicular to the beach. I think the best place to stay is Las Brisas in one of the beach bungalows. They are small, a little dark but very clean. There is no tv. At night, you can hear the ocean, the howler monkeys and even the rooster next door! From Las Brisas, you can walk to the restaurants in town.
As for Carillo, the beach is beautiful but there is no real town. Everything is on a hill and you need to walk to the beach. I would stay in Samara and drive or take the bus or taxi to Carillo.
As for Flamingo, like someone else mentioned, it is very Americanized. We went there about 8 years ago after travelling to to different areas of Costa Rica and we felt like we were back in the U.S. To us, it didn't feel like Costa Rica at all.
We have been to Hermosa for a day but I don't remember much about it except that I wanted to go back. We are going back on June 5th for 4 nights. We aren't sure yet we are going after that but you can e-mail me after the 20th to ask me more [email protected]. I will post a trip report but I am sure that after being gone for 2 weeks it will take me a while to get to it!
I know how you feel about getting confused! There are so many great places to go but I am sure you will like wherever you wind up. It depends what you are looking for. Please let me know if you have other questions. We are planning on returning to Costa Rica many more times so I am really going to look into accomodations this time. Hopefully, I wil be more helpful in a few weeks!
We have been to Costa Rica several times and are going back on the 5th with our 4 and 6 year old. Last year, my husband and I went to Samara for a week. We loved it there. It is a very Costa Rican town on the beach. There are several restaurants also right on the beach, and many more along the street that is perpindicular to the beach. I think the best place to stay is Las Brisas in one of the beach bungalows. They are small, a little dark but very clean. There is no tv. At night, you can hear the ocean, the howler monkeys and even the rooster next door! From Las Brisas, you can walk to the restaurants in town.
As for Carillo, the beach is beautiful but there is no real town. Everything is on a hill and you need to walk to the beach. I would stay in Samara and drive or take the bus or taxi to Carillo.
As for Flamingo, like someone else mentioned, it is very Americanized. We went there about 8 years ago after travelling to to different areas of Costa Rica and we felt like we were back in the U.S. To us, it didn't feel like Costa Rica at all.
We have been to Hermosa for a day but I don't remember much about it except that I wanted to go back. We are going back on June 5th for 4 nights. We aren't sure yet we are going after that but you can e-mail me after the 20th to ask me more [email protected]. I will post a trip report but I am sure that after being gone for 2 weeks it will take me a while to get to it!
I know how you feel about getting confused! There are so many great places to go but I am sure you will like wherever you wind up. It depends what you are looking for. Please let me know if you have other questions. We are planning on returning to Costa Rica many more times so I am really going to look into accomodations this time. Hopefully, I wil be more helpful in a few weeks!
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We stayed at Hotel El Velero in Playa Hermosa for 3 days last year and had a great time.
The beach is better for swimming than Playa Flamingo (less wave action, etc..); the one poster who said there wasn't much town, just restaurants, homes and hotels is right.
El Velero has a sailboat that you can charter for a cruise / snorkeling. It was a lot of fun.
I'd recommend it for a couple of days.
The beach is better for swimming than Playa Flamingo (less wave action, etc..); the one poster who said there wasn't much town, just restaurants, homes and hotels is right.
El Velero has a sailboat that you can charter for a cruise / snorkeling. It was a lot of fun.
I'd recommend it for a couple of days.
#8
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Samara is better to swim, Tamarindo is better to surf, Flamingo is more luxery.
Saludo
costaklaus - www.costaricaweb.de
Saludo
costaklaus - www.costaricaweb.de
#9
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The biggest advantage to Flamingo is its location and easy access to so many other beach areas in both directions (from Sugar Beach and Potrero just a tiny bit north all the way down to Tamarindo). Although Flam. is quite Americanized, these surrounding areas are not so much, and it makes for an interesting combination.