With over 8,000 miles of coastline, finding the 10 best beaches of Costa Rica can be a daunting task. Luckily, USA Today has spent the time doing just that to help visitors to Costa Rica spend their vacations at the very best beach destinations that this tropical country has to offer. From popular surf beaches teaming with tourists and water sports, to secluded stretches of sand where the only sound is that of the waves breaking on the shore, Costa Rica has a variety of beaches to suit the wants and needs of any vacation.
Several of the beaches featured on this year’s 10 Best Beaches of Costa Rica list are well known beaches that have been hot on the travel scene for years and continue to draw visitors from all over the world. Also on the list this year are several lesser known beaches that are just starting to draw international attention. Thanks to Costa Rica’s strict laws on environmental protection, beaches that become popular are not at risk of over development meaning that more and more people can come enjoy the best beaches of Costa Rica without damaging the country’s rich natural beauty.
Playa Portrero makes the list this year as one of the best beaches in Costa Rica and in particular Guanacaste, the province known as the Gold Coast for having so many beautiful beaches to chose from. Playa Portrero is spread out along a bay located in the northern Pacific corner of the country. This area is home to several national parks as well, such as the Santa Rosa National Park and the Palo Verde Natural Reserve, both located a days’ trip from Playa Portrero. Playa Portrero is home to a great variety of accommodation options from resorts and hotels to beautiful vacation rentals houses and condos. The area is great for those seeking water activities such as snorkeling, scuba diving, and sea kayaking. Not far from Playa Portrero visitors will discover several of the other beaches to make the 10 Best Beaches of Costa Rica list this year.
Playa Grande and Playa Avellanas, popular beaches found in the area known as Tamarindo are both nearby to Playa Portrero and also among Costa Rica’s best beaches. For years the town of Tamarindo and the surrounding beaches have been attracting backpackers, surfers, and international visitors looking for the idyllic tropical beach town and surf spot. Here, visitors will find both. Playa Avellanas, also known as “Little Hawaii” offers surfers an awesome surf location in a serene setting just outside of the hustle and bustle of Tamarindo. Playa Grande also attracts surfers to its waves along with turtle lovers. Playa Grande is located within the Marino Las Baulas National Park and is a protected turtle nesting site. Both Playa Grande and Playa Avellanas are close enough visitors to enjoy the amenities of Tamarindo while still experiencing the secluded reprieve of these less developed beaches.
While Costa Rica has literally thousands of miles of beaches to explore, visitors will be delighted to skip the hours of exploration and head straight to some of the best beaches with a trip to Playa Avellanas, Playa Grande, and especially Playa Portrero.