Los Pargos

Compared to its more famous neighbor Tamarindo, Playa Negra feels worlds away from the tourist crowds and beach hawkers. Due to the lack of tourist infrastructure in the surrounding area, the beach is often deserted except for surfers and guests of Hotel Playa Negra. If you're looking for something off the beaten path, this is your spot.Playa Negra is about ~2 hours from Liberia airport, ~45 ...

There are a ton of shuttles, taxis, etc. from the airport in San Jose or if you book through a hotel, they will pick you up. Driving to Tamarindo isn't too difficult, especially if you speak a bit of Spanish...luckily the pin on the map will give you directions too :)  There is so much to do in Tamarindo. If you are an adolescent or young adult I recommend staying at Selina Hostel. Selina has m...

Concha is the Spanish word for "shell" and as the name states, you will find the whole beach is made up of tiny sea shells.To get to this beach you will have to start at Playa Brasilito and make your way to Hotel Brasilito. When you arrive at the hotel you will continue down the road "Brasilito Beach Front". The road gets a little tight and you must cross a small creek but once you are on the b...

This was the very first beach I found off the radar about 15 years ago.  Every year I travel to Costa Rica, I make a point to return to Barrigona.  While there are a few people, mostly locals, that go to this beach, many times I have been the only person here.  On several occasions I've found turtle track out of the water during the nesting season.The beach is crescent shaped with volcanic rock...

Riddled with stygian chambers much like the holes in Swiss cheese, Barra Honda is unique among Costa Rica's network of national parks. According to its website, the National Park's crowning glory is its 42 known caverns, less than half of which have been explored by humans. Terciopelo, named after Costa Rica's deadly fer-de-lance snake, can only be reached by way of a single aluminum ladder, wh...

I have been to many beaches in Costa Rica. I have never experienced a beach as beautiful (yet) as this one. The approach to the water is a gradual, barely noticeable ease into the ocean. From my first time here and all the subsequent visits, the beach and ocean floor were completely void of rocks and coral. The sand in the water is silky smooth. This is a perfect beach for a beginner surfer if ...

Llanos de Cortez is a hidden gem in the northwestern portion of Costa Rica in the Guanacaste region. This region is known for being dry and flat so finding waterfalls out in this area are a nice treat.  Accessing this waterfall is relatively easy. The parking lot is pretty close to the waterfall and is just a 10 min hike down to the falls. The trail is a little steep, but not very long at all.T...