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When I booked my trip to Costa Rica, I knew I wanted to spend some time on the coast. You can’t go on vacation to a tropical country without spending at least a few days on the beach, right? I flew into Liberia, in Northwest Coast Rica and only had a few days free to spend on the coast. It made the most sense, both time-wise and cost-wise, to find a beach town nearby. With this in mind and a map in hand, I settled on the Pacific Beach town of Tamarindo.
At first glance, Tamarindo had everything I was looking for. It has sandy beaches, the sparkling blue Pacific Ocean, ample opportunities for water sports, wildlife in the trees, and a chill backpackers vibe. So I booked myself a stay at the Pura Vida Mini Hostel on Hostelworld for three nights, hopped into a shared shuttle at the Liberia airport, and headed for my relaxing beach getaway in Tamarindo.
Arrival and First Impressions
Before my flight, I had my hostel in Tamarindo arrange a shared shuttle for me at the airport. There are pletny of drivers waiting at the arrival gate offering shuttle and taxi services, so having a prearranged shuttle may not have been necessary, but it was so convenient. The ride from the airport directly to my hostel in Tamarindo took about 2 hours and cost $25 USD.
The shared shuttle I took from the airport had about 4 other passengers. Each passenger got dropped off in front of their hotel. I watched as we passed nice 5-star hotel on a hill overlooking the town, then tried to make sense of the small backroads we took through town driving to different hostels. We drove through what was the main town center with restaurants and shops lining the streets. I made a mental note to find my way back here later for shopping.
After getting dropped off at my hostel, I quickly dropped off my bags and headed out to find the beach. One thing I love about backpacking towns like Tamarindo is that most accomodations are usually only a few blocks from the beach. Tamarindo was no different. The Pura Vida MINI Hostel where I stayed was about 3 blocks from the beach. All I had to do was walk straight down the street until I reached sand. It was perfect!
Excited to finally be on the beach, I quickly kicked off my sandals and dipped my toes in the water. The water was unsurprisinlgy perfect. It was perfectly warm with small waves, soft sand and rocks dotting the coastline and palm trees swaying in the breeze.
After a while wading in the water and walking along the sand to see what was there, I decided it was dinner time. I had spent the entire day traveling, after all. Finding somewhere to eat was easy; the beach is lined with restaurants with views of the waves. I grabbed a table looking out at the Pacific and had dinner while watching the sun set. It was a wonderful end to a long travel day.
What To Do In Tamarindo
Relax at the Beach
You can’t go to Costa Rica and not spend at least a few days on the beach. Sure, the inland cloud forests and volcanoes are some of the biggest draws for visitors to the country, but the coast should not be missed. I chose to visit Tamarindo because I wanted some beach time on this vacation. During the day the sun is sweltering, the sand hot, and the ocean warm.
The beach gets packed during the day, with both visitors and locals alike. Locals walk the sand selling trinkets and handicrafts while visitors lounge on towels and surf the waves. I could only take a few hours on the beach at a time before getting sunburnt and overheated, but man oh man were those few hours relaxing. Luckily it’s easy to find somewhere to grab a drink and get out of the heat for a bit while you recover and prepare for the next round of beach relaxing.
Participate in Water Activities
The Pacific Ocean provides a plethory of activity options and Tamarindo offers so many of them. You can swim, surf, body surf, stand up paddle board, kayak, fish, go for a boat ride, and so much more. Vendors along the beach rent pretty much any equipment you will need for the activity of your choice. I opted out of these activities and instead spent my time sun bathing and swiming while people watching on the beach.
Go on a SCUBA or Snorkel Tour
Costa Rica’s northwest coast has numerous islands off shore that make for great snorkeligng and SCUBA diving.
I spent one day SCUBA diving and this was by far my favorite activity in Tamarindo and my second favorite activity in Costa Rica (exploring the Cloud Forest was my fave, but that’s a story for another time). I booked a tour with the Pacific Coast Dive Center that offered 2 dives at the nearby Catalina Islands. During these dives, we saw so many cool oceanic critters, which were awesome to a newbie like me. We saw sharks, sting rays, sea stars, and so many fish! I made a promise to myself after this trip that I will absolutely start SCUBA diving more because it truly is a whole other world under the sea and I want to explore all of it!
Cruise Through the Tamarindo Estuary
Located just North of town, the Tamarindo Estuary offers an opportunity to see different wildlife than you can see from in town. I signed up for an estuary boat tour from a tour provided I saw on the street in town. I had to wait about two hours for the next available tour so I spent time on the beach waiting for my ride. When the time came, a shuttle picked me up and drove the short distance to the entrance of the estuary. From here, we hopped on a small boat and set off into the mangrove to explore.
During the tour, we slowly cruised along the mangrove forest looking for crocodiles and birds. We saw so many birds I didnt recognize, both large and small, as well as a few small crocs lurking by the shore. Further upstream, we also saw monkies lounging in the trees. It was a peaceful afternoon cruise.
Keep Your Eyes Peeled for Animals in the Trees
Walking through town I could always here monkies howling, but it took me a while before I actually saw any. I spent so much time looking out towards the ocean or down hile walking that I totally missed looking up! But that’s where the animals are – up in the trees.
The first time I saw a monkey on this trip I was laying in a hammock at the hostel, taking a break from laying in the sun on the beach. I happened to see some movement in the trees in front of me, and low and behold, they were monkies! Some were running along the branches while others just lay there taking a nap. After this, I started to spot monkies everywhere through town.
Admire the Sunset
The entire coastline glows at sunset, with orange, pink, and purple colors taking over the sky. Every night I was here I made sure to be on the sand to watch the sunset, and I definitely wasn’t alone – it felt like everyone else in town was doing the same. Along the sand there are plenty of restaurants offering a great spot to sit and watch the sun go down while resting from a day of exploring.
Why I Wish I Skipped Tamarindo
Tamarindo is beautiful, there’s no doubt about it. This trip to Costa Rica was my first to Central America, and yet it felt so familiar. Familiar isn’t bad, but it just wasn’t what I was expecting or looking forward to. The restaurant lined beaches, streets filled with vendors, and backpackers, all reminded me of other beachside backpacking havens like those on the islands of Thailand. Once upon a time these were my favorite places to go. When I was in my 20’s I loved the packed Thai beaches, but this time I felt different. I wanted a beach vacation that was easily accessible and had plenty to do, but with less people around.
I will definitely return to Costa Rica one day. When I do, though, I will skip Tamarindo and head to a beach elsewhere. Maybe the Eastern side of the country will bring about what I was looking for?
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