47 Best Sights in Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

Not to be confused with the surfers' beach near Jacó by the same name, Playa Hermosa's 2-km-long (1-mile-long) crescent of dark-gray volcanic sand attracts heat, making the early morning or late afternoon the best time to visit (with the latter providing spectacular sunsets). The beach fronts a line of shade trees, so there's a welcome respite from the heat of the sun. The crystal clear water—it's a Blue Flag beach—is usually calm, with no strong currents and with comfortable temperatures of 23°C to 27°C (74°F to 80°F). For offshore diving, there's an average visibility of 20 feet, and rock reefs that attract large schools of fish, sea turtles, sharks, manta rays, and moray eels. Sea views are as picturesque as they get, with bobbing fishing boats, jagged profiles of coastline, rocky outcroppings, and at night the twinkling lights of the Four Seasons Resort across the bay. At the beach's north end, low tide creates wide, rock-lined tidal pools. Food and drinks are available at Hotel El Velero. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: swimming; walking.

Dominated by the massive Dreams Las Mareas Resort, Playa Jobo is still one of the most beautiful beaches in the area. Cradled within the sheltered cove is fine brown sand and calm water, making this beach safe for swimming. Motorized water sports are not allowed, so despite the resort's size, the bay remains relatively quiet. A few sailboats are anchored offshore. Playa Jobo is fringed with acacia trees that have sharp thorns, and there are rocks jetting on either side of the cove where many people begin a snorkel adventure (beware of sea urchins and jellyfish). This beach is a refuge to turtles and manta rays, which you might see in the shallow, clear waters. Windy days are frequent, so watch for blowing sand. At high tide, the beach is narrow. This, combined with the slight slope to the shore, has most people sunbathing by the pool or lounging in the grassy area between the sand and the resort. Although all beaches in Costa Rica are public, this strand is difficult to reach unless you're staying at Dreams Resort. Your other options are to approach by boat or access from around the cove at low tide. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: snorkeling; sunset; swimming.

This wide swath of light-brown sand stretches over 3 km (2 miles), with coconut palms lining much of it and hardly a building in sight. Two species of sea turtle nest here, and a group of young people collect and protect their eggs, releasing the baby turtles after sunset. The surf is a little strong, so watch children carefully. There's a kids' playground right at the beach, and a funky little restaurant with concrete tables amid the palms. At low tide, it's a perfect beach for taking long, romantic strolls or for exploring active tide pools. Surfers head here to ride the beach break near Junquillal's northern end because it rarely gets crowded. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: surfing; walking.

This Blue Flag beach is actually two beaches: To the north is an upscale residential area where every foot of beachfront has been built up; the beach here is rather narrow, since the coast is lined with rocks, and the light-gray sand is coarse. To the south, the beach is a pristine, protected annex of Las Baulas National Marine Park, where the occasional leatherback turtle nests at night and beachcombers and surfers roam by day. The dividing point is the San Francisco Estuary, the mouth of which is a knee-high wade at low tide, and a deep river with dangerous currents around high tide. The beach here is wider and less rocky, and it's where surfers find the best surf breaks. If you walk up the river at low tide, you may see snowy egrets, baby blue herons, tail-bobbing spotted sandpipers, and, if your eyes are sharp, tiny white-lored gnatcatchers, endemic to these parts. The rockier parts of the beach are excellent for spotting seabirds, including American oystercatchers, and playing in the tide pools. Amenities are available at Playa Langosta Beach Club. Amenities: food and drink; toilets. Best for: sunset; surfing; walking.

Contrary to the name, the beach is not black, but rather beige with dark streaks. This is primarily a surfer's beach, so it's not great for swimming because it tends to have fast hollow waves and is lined with rocks. There is one calm, short stretch of clear sand to the south of the Playa Negra Hotel, and at low tide a large tidal pool forms there. The spindly buttonwood trees that edge the beach provide sparse shade. The dirt road to Playa Negra is always bumpy and muddy during rainy season, so drive with caution. Food and drink are served at Playa Negra Hotel's palapa restaurant on the beach. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee). Best for: surfing; walking.

One of the most dramatic beaches in the country, this serene crescent of black-sand beach ringed by rocky cliffs contrasts nicely with the sparkling, clean turquoise water. It's only ½ km (¼ mile) long, but the views stretch for miles and include nearby offshore islands and the jagged profile of the Santa Elena Peninsula 34 km (21 miles) away. This is prime fishing, diving, and relaxing territory. Right at the entrance to the Gulf of Papagayo, it's a good place for sportfishing enthusiasts to hole up between excursions. There's good diving at Las Corridas, just 1 km (½ mile) away, and excellent snorkeling in nearby coves and islands, as well as around the rocks at the east end of the beach. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: snorkeling.

A seemingly endless stretch of soft, light-color sand, this Blue Flag beach is the idyllic paradise people picture in their tropical dreams. There is only one property on the entire beach, the Hotel Sugar Beach, offering parking, restrooms, and a restaurant open to the public except during private events. The north end of the beach has some good snorkeling when the sea is calm—usually around low tide—and swimming out from the middle of the beach is relatively safe. Watch out for a few rocks on both sides of the cove, and if the swell is big, children and weak swimmers shouldn't go in past their waist. This beach is frequented by Ticos on weekends, but it is still relatively peaceful compared with neighboring beaches. Playa Penca, a short walk south along the beach, can be a good swimming beach as well. A large part of the attraction here is the forest that hems the beach, where you may see howler monkeys, black iguanas, magpie jays, trogons, and dozens of other bird species. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); toilets. Best for: solitude; swimming.

On the southern end of Culebra Bay, this calm beach with black sand stretches 2 km (1 mile), and is frequented by guests staying at nearby El Mangroove resort and Casa Conde Beachfront Hotel. It's a great beach to visit with kids if you're staying in nearby Play Del Coco as well. Devoid of rocks and waves, the water is virtually flat, making this a popular spot for stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, and swimming. There’s a wooden shack next to El Mangroove offering overpriced water activities and equipment. Local vendors stand beachside, selling everything from sarongs to snow cones. With a minimum of six people, you can organize a snorkeling tour on a boat to the outer bay. There isn’t much shade on the sand, but a grassy area between the resorts and the beach is lined with swaying palms and mesquite trees. A path meanders from one end of the bay to the other, meaning you can stroll without getting too much sun. There's guarded parking ($1 tip) between the two hotels. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: kayaking; swimming; walking.

North along the shore, Playa Guiones segues seamlessly into crescent-shape Playa Pelada, where the water is a little calmer and just as clean, also designated a Blue Flag beach. There are tide pools to explore and a blowhole that sends water shooting up when the surf is big. Lots of trees provide shade. The northern end has a decent surf break, but novice surfers should beware of riptides and rocks. This is the locals' favorite vantage point for watching sunsets—great photo ops, with beached fishing boats adding color and interest to the foreground. Olga's Beach Club bar is nothing fancy, but it's a good place for a cool beer and fried red snapper. More upscale and romantic are the cushioned settees in front of La Luna Bar, on a slight rise overlooking the beach. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: sunset; surfing; swimming.

Stretching 4 km (2½ miles), this relatively undeveloped wide, brown-sand beach, across Potrero Bay from built-up Flamingo, catches ocean breezes and spectacular sunsets, which you can watch while bobbing in the warm, swimmable water. The pelican-patrolled beach is anchored at one end by the small Tico community of Potrero and at the other end by the Flamingo skyline. Although large houses and condominium developments have sprung up on any hill with a view, at beach level there is only one unimposing hotel and some low-lying private houses set well back from the beach; beachgoers never feel hemmed in or crowded, thanks to the local folks who keep the beach clean and deserving of Blue Flag status. The best area for swimming is midway between Flamingo and Potrero town, near the Bahía del Sol Hotel. About 10 km (6 miles) offshore lie the Catalina Islands, a barrier-island draw for divers and snorkelers; dive boats based in Flamingo can get there in 10 minutes. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

Gorgeous, horseshoe-shaped Playa Rajada is a wide sweep of almost-white fine-grain sand that, so far, has evaded tourists. Shallow, warm waters make it perfect for swimming, and an interesting rock formation at the north end invites snorkelers, plus there's plenty of shade. It's also a favorite beach for watching sunsets. Amenities: none. Best for: snorkeling; sunset; swimming.

This is the perfect hangout beach, with plenty of shade, bars, and seafront restaurants to take refuge in from the sun. Devoid of rip currents or big waves, it's also perfect for families with children. Its wide sweep of light-gray sand is framed by two forest-covered hills jutting out at either end. The waves break out on a reef that lines the entrance of the cove several hundred yards offshore, which keeps the water calm enough for safe swimming and leaves enough surf to have fun in. The reef holds plenty of marine attractions for diving and snorkeling excursions. Isla Chora, at the south end of the bay, provides a sheltered area that is especially popular with kayakers and snorkelers—it even has a tiny beach at lower tides. After years of hard work to clean up the beach, Sámara Beach now sports a Blue Flag. Those seeking solitude should head to the beach's western or eastern ends. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; surfing; swimming.

Playa Carmen seamlessly segues into Playa Santa Teresa, about 1 km (½ mile) to the north. This flat, sandy Blue Flag beach is edged by forest and punctuated with rocky sections and tide pools at low tide. It's usually a calmer option for surfers, but swimmers need to take care, especially since there are no lifeguards here. The farther north you go, the less crowded the beach is. Beachfront hotels include Trópico Latino, Latitude 10, Florblanca, and Pranamar; Rancho Itauna provides food and entertainment facing the beach. Amenities: none. Best for: surfing; walking.

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.

Thanks to sparse foliage, it's not difficult to spot wildlife within Santa Rosa's tropical dry forest, especially if you're with an experienced guide. There are impressive flora and fauna, and even on a half-day visit you might see monkeys, birds, deer, and coatis hiding in the dry-forest vegetation. Santa Rosa's wealth of natural beauty is due in part to its remoteness—it isn't as busy as some of Costa Rica's other parks. Most trails are easily accessible and relatively flat. To get deep into the park, you must have a 4WD vehicle, and many roads are impassable in rainy season. The park headquarters, a historic ranch house and museum called La Casona, and a nearby camping area are 7 km (4½ miles) from the Pan-American Highway via a paved road.

From park headquarters it's 11 km (7 miles) to Playa Naranjo, where the famed Witch's Rock surf break is located (surfers get there by boat). The road here is rough (4WD only). Playa Nancite—the site of one of the world's few completely protected olive ridley turtle arribada, or mass nesting (permit required)—is an additional 3 miles (5 km) by footpath north of Playa Naranjo. The arribadas occur during rainy season (July to November). A permit can be obtained from the Ecotourism Office in the administrative center. The most impressive coastal views are from the Mirador Valle Naranjo and Mirador Tierras Emergidas. For bird-watching, follow the Los Platos trail about 5 km (3 miles) past the administrative center on the way to the coast. It’s best to visit the park with a guide.

Despite the name, you’re likely to see more goats, ducks, chickens, pigs, and other farm animals than you are monkeys. During interactive tours, you can feed a baby goat, harvest and brew tea, and pet baby peacocks. Advanced reservations required. At this volunteer-run operation, animals are rescued, rehabilitated, and released back into the wild. At any given time, you might see reptiles, raccoons, and (usually) a monkey or two that are being treated for injuries. Keep in mind this is not a zoo, nor is it a tourist trap, meaning that animals roam free and the sanctuary survives on a donation basis. The sustainable farm has an impressive aquaponics setup and offers horseback-riding tours for all levels—$55 per hour in the jungle or $70 for two hours on the beach.