The Best Beaches of Costa Rica

If you’re fortunate enough to be planning an adventurous trip to stunning Costa Rica and plan on spending most of your days relaxing and exploring picturesque beaches, there is a lot to choose from. You can stay in Costa Rica beach home rentals and be by the aqua blue water everyday of your vacation! Continue reading to discover 9 of the best beaches in Costa Rica. All of which deserve a place on your travel itinerary.

Manuel Antonio Beach is nestled beside the stunningly beautiful Manuel Antonio National Park and is well worth visiting if you like the sound of spending the day swimming and sunbathing at a picture perfect, white sand beach. As Manuel Antonio Beach is surrounded by a national park, don’t be surprised if you spot a sloth, a howler monkey or a green iguana, hanging out at the beach.

Although Manuel Antonio Beach is highly related and attracts plenty of visitors it’s never too crowded as it is a 30-minute walk from the nearest car park. However, on your rainforest walk to the beach, you’re sure to catch a glimpse of a monkey too. Lastly, as Manuel Antonio Beach also boasts plenty of coral, it’s well worth packing a snorkel set.

Flamingo Beach’s quirky name was inspired by its unique pink-tinged sand. So if you’ve always dreamt of visiting a pink sand beach, it’s definitely well worth including Flamingo Beach on your trip itinerary. If you’re interested in taking a gorgeous photo of Flamingo Beach, simply drive to the top of the sea cliffs which overlook it, in order to take the perfect panoramic picture. At the top of these sea cliffs, you’ll also find a variety of luxury hotels, where you’ll be able to enjoy a gourmet lunch with a view.

If you’re looking to visit a beach which boasts a wide array of activities, you’re bound to fall in love with Flamingo Beach as you’ll be able to book scuba diving trips and sailing trips.

While Tamarindo Bay may not boast powder soft white sand or unique pink-hued sand, Tamarindo Bay is still well worth visiting as it’s one of the top rated surf beaches in Costa Rica. If you’re an animal lover, it’s also well worth adding Tamarindo Bay to your Costa Rica travel itinerary as it’s home to huge leatherback turtles, which choose to bask on the bay’s warm sand.

If you stop by, make sure to pick up a cheap beach ball as the bay boasts multiple beach volleyball courts, where you can challenge other tourists or locals to a friendly game.

Samara Bay should be the first beach on your itinerary if you’re an avid snorkeller as it boasts a sizeable reef which attracts tropical fish as well as stingrays. If you tire of swimming, you’re in luck as Samara Bay boasts numerous businesses which hire kayaks out for the day. So if you’re keen on exploring the bay by kayak, you’re in luck.

As Samara Bay is a popular destination for both locals and tourists, you also won’t have any trouble finding a beachside bar, where you can make new friends and swap your favorite travel stories.

If you’re interested in wandering off the beaten tourist track in order to find your own little slice of paradise, it’s well worth visiting Playa Santa Teresa, which is surrounded by a lush tropical jungle! Playa Santa Teresa offers white, powder soft sand and backs on to the Pacific Ocean.

If you’re an avid surfer, you’re in luck as Playa Santa Teresa boasts numerous surf spots. Examples of which include La Lora and Surf Rock.

Playa Hermosa is one of the top-ranked surf beaches in the country and often holds international surf competitions, which attract some of the world’s most talented professional surfers. However, you don’t have to be a professional surfer in order to enjoy Playa Hermosa’s activities. Examples of which include jet-sking, windsurfing, sailboarding, and kayaking. Playa Hermosa is definitely an adventure seekers playground.

The first thing that you’ll notice when you arrive at Jaco Beach is the massive palm trees which line the beach. While Jaco Beach is a popular destination for surfers as the waves are manageable, Jaco Beach is also a popular spot for recreational swimmers.

After a day spent surfing, swimming and sunbathing it’s well worth strolling into one of Jaco Beach’s seaside restaurants. Many of which offer fresh, mouth-watering seafood dishes at unbeatable prices. If you’re keen Tsunami Restaurant, offers some of the highest rated sushi in Costa Rica.

Nosara Beach boasts 7km of pristine white sand and features a variety of handy tide pools, which are ideal for snorkeling. If you’ve never surfed in your life and are keen to tick your very first surf lesson off your bucket list, you’re in luck as Nosara Beach boasts small waves which are well suited to first-timers and is home to several stores which hire out surf gear such as wetsuits and high-quality surf boards.

If you’re not at all interested in surfing and are looking for a safe, calm beach which offers flat water, to swim in, head to Playa Biesanz. Playa Biesanz is an underrated beach which is tucked in behind a small cove near Quepos Point and offers an intimate, small beach, where you’re unlikely to come across another soul. So if packed beaches aren’t your scene it’s well worth adding Playa Biesanz to your travel itinerary!

Playa Biesanz is also the perfect beach for families due to it’s flat, lake like water, which makes a safe playground for children of all ages will enjoy exploring. Just remember to pack a snorkel set or two and a picnic lunch for your family to enjoy.

So if you’re headed to beautiful Costa Rica in the near future and are still finalizing the details of your travel schedule, it’s well worth including all of the lovely beaches listed above on your travel itinerary. And don’t forget to bring a book, hammock or check out the top travel gadgets that can help you tour around and relax on your vacation. And after all, how are you supposed to pick a favorite, if you don’t visit each of the 9 stunning beaches featured above.