Our friends at The Lonely Planet made a list of the best 10 beaches in Costa Rica. You can read this original article here.
When I read this I was super excited to see that we have 4 of the best beaches all with in a quick driving distance plus I believe they missed out one of the BEST Hidden Gem Beaches of them all. A beach that is so calm & quite. A beach that is home to hundreds of baby turtles being released annually. A beach that has 8km of soft sandy calm shores yet so close to one of the top surf zones. I'll let you know what beach this is at the end but let's jump in and let the lonely planet provide their reviews of these beaches below......
#5 Playa Santa Teresa (45 min drive)
Playa Santa Teresa is one of the best beaches in Costa Rica for surfing, the long, stunning strand is famous for its fast and powerful beach break. The waves at the popular Peninsula de Nicoya destination are pretty consistent and can be surfed at virtually any time of day. At the north end of the beach, Roca Mar – aka Suck Rock – is an awesome point break and a local favorite.
#9 Playa Montezuma (30 min drive)
The best beach close to town is just to the north, where the sand is powdery and sheltered from big swells. This is your glorious sun-soaked crash pad. The water's shade of teal is immediately nourishing, the temperature is perfect and fish are abundant. At the north end of the beach, look for the trail that leads to a cove known as Piedra Colorada. A small waterfall forms a freshwater pool, which is a perfect swimming spot.
#11 Playa Manzanillo (45min drive)
The chilled-out town Manzanillo has long been off the beaten track. This little town is a vibrant outpost of Afro-Caribbean culture and has remained pristine, thanks to strict regulations on regional development. In September and October this Caribbean beach has the best snorkeling in Costa Rica and nearby activities include hiking, snorkeling and kayaking.
#12 Playa Cocolito (13 min drive) + a 2hr 12km hike
One of the quietest beaches in this area of Costa Rica, Playa Cocolito is also your chance to see El Chorro Waterfall crashing down a cliff, straight onto the rocks and into the ocean. It's a hot, two-hour, 12km hike from Montezuma: leave at sunrise to spot plenty of wildlife along the way. Alternatively, this is a popular destination for horseback riding. The waters here are a dreamy, iridescent azure, with pink rocky cliffs creating two inviting swimming areas.
And I have to admit The Lonely Planet did an amazing job reviewing these beaches and has summed up each of them perfectly but I do believe they missed a true hidden gem. Which is not entirely their fault because the only way you can reach our beach is through one of two ways. Staying at a small resort Barcelo Tambor or staying in our community of Los Delfenis Golf & Country Club. Our very own beach of PLAYA TAMBOR where you can walk out of your rental villa and feel like you have the entire beach to yourself to relax on. If you're lucky you'll see a whale breach the ocean or release some rescued turtles! and I have to say one of my favourite things to do is to stand at the end of the Tambor runway strip on the beach (a few km away) to watch these small air planes land and take off above us.
I absolutely love that this beach isn't easily accessible to anyone as we really are trying to help with the conservation of sea turtles through Tambor Turtle Rescue and sometimes a visitor will try and have a beach fire which can accidentally kill hundreds of viable turtle eggs. So if you're into conservation & privacy with the respect and politeness of our community members then you too will love this area.
Pura Vida
Kristy & Eric
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