Nicoya Peninsula

Nosara is a district on the west coast of the Nicoya Peninsula in Guanacaste Province, about two and a half hours' drive from Liberia Airport and approximately five hours from San José. You come here to surf at Playa Guiones, for yoga classes, and due to its proximity to Ostional's turtle beach.Nosara consists of several parts: the Costa Rican village about six kilometers inland by the Río Nosara, the quieter Playa Pelada, and the area around Playa Guiones, where most accommodations, cafés, and surf schools are located. A tangle of unpaved roads and paths connects the neighborhoods.In the 1960s, a US entrepreneur bought the coastal land to subdivide it for a residential development. The project failed, but the landowners founded the Nosara Civic Association, which to this day ensures that a forested strip is preserved along the beaches. That's why you barely see any buildings from the water.Playa Guiones is an approximately six-kilometer-long sandy beach with very consistent waves, where beginners and advanced surfers can surf. Since the founding of the Nosara Yoga Institute in 1994, the place has also been a center for yoga and retreats.

Santa Teresa is a surf town on the Pacific coast in the south of the Nicoya Peninsula, about five hours from San José by car and ferry. You come for the waves, which offer something for almost everyone from beginner to pro, and for the sunsets, where half the town gathers on the beach in the evenings.The town stretches along a single main road that runs from the fishing village of Mal País in the south, through Playa Carmen and Playa Santa Teresa, up to Playa Hermosa in the north. Most cafés, restaurants, and surf schools are located between Playa Carmen and Playa Santa Teresa.Until a few decades ago, Santa Teresa was a remote village that lived off agriculture, cattle farming, and fishing. Today, tourism is the main source of income for most families, and the audience is international: surfers, yoga tourists, digital nomads.For swimming, the beaches are often less suitable due to the surf and currents. At low tide, tidal pools form between the rocks of Santa Teresa and Mal País, where you can bathe; water shoes protect against the sharp stones.

Montezuma is a small coastal town on the eastern side of the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, approximately 40 kilometers southwest of the Paquera ferry terminal. You come here for the waterfalls just behind the town, the beaches along the coast, and its proximity to the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve.For a long time, Montezuma was a remote fishing village. In the 1950s, Swedish Nicolás Wessberg and Danish Karen Mogensen settled here; their efforts led to the establishment of Cabo Blanco in 1963, Costa Rica's first protected area. Later, expats and backpackers arrived, giving the town its somewhat alternative character that persists to this day.The center consists of a few streets with restaurants, accommodations, shops, and tour operators. To the north and south, rocky coves and sandy beaches line the coast, accessible on foot.From Montezuma, boat trips depart for Isla Tortuga in the Gulf of Nicoya, and a water taxi connects the town with Playa Herradura near Jacó on the opposite coast.

Tamarindo is Guanacaste's most famous beach resort on the Pacific Coast of the Nicoya Peninsula, about an hour's drive from Liberia International Airport. You come here for the wide surf beach, the mangroves of the Tamarindo Estuary, and the Las Baulas Marine National Park, where leatherback sea turtles lay their eggs.From a small fishing village, it transformed into a resort starting in the mid-1980s; the 1994 surf film The Endless Summer II made its waves internationally famous. Today, surf schools, hotels, restaurants, and bars line the main road parallel to the beach.The main beach, Playa Tamarindo, with its consistent waves, is well-suited for beginner surfers. To the south lies the quieter Playa Langosta, while to the north, beyond the river mouth, is Playa Grande, which belongs to the national park.Tamarindo is heavily tourist-oriented and more expensive than smaller coastal towns. However, you'll find a wide selection of accommodations, restaurants, and evening entertainment here. The best time for swimming is during the dry season, from November to April.

Monteverde is the cloud forest highlands in the Arenal and Monteverde region, about a four-hour drive from the Valle Central around San José. You come here to hike through the Monteverde and Santa Elena cloud forest reserves, where mosses, epiphytes, and with a bit of luck, the quetzal can be seen.The settlement lies at around 1,300 to 1,400 meters. The main town and supply center is Santa Elena, with most accommodations, restaurants, and tour offices; along the road towards the reserve are Cerro Plano and the Quaker-founded Monteverde settlement.The climate is cool and often foggy. Besides the reserves, private parks like Selvatura offer hanging bridges and ziplines; several operators lead night walks in the evenings.Plan at least two nights. Early mornings are best for birdwatching, and a local guide increases your chances of spotting animals.