Best places: Beaches in Costa Rica

This sandy, palm tree–lined beach offers swimming & snorkeling, plus a view of mountain ranges.

😐 Giving it a 3 stars due to all the construction and habitat destruction that is going on right now. Quite sad to see such a gem being destroyed. Other than that it is a beautiful place, clear water and great for snorkeling. 4x4 recommemded. Not accessible to some people, the stairs are not safe, so...

Scenic, 4km Gold Coast beach with crushed-shell sands & clear waters, popular for snorkeling.

👍👍 Playa Flamingo is our favorite beach in Costa Rica! The pristine stretch of white sand is the perfect spot to relax and enjoy playing in the waves all day until the sunset lights up the sky. You can grab a snack at Coco Loco or there are some mellow beach vendors that will serve you snacks in the sa...

Palm-shaded beach popular for diving & dolphin watching, with manatees in the surrounding mangroves.

👍 Such an amazing & must see beach. I only give it 4 stars because of the privatization of this beautiful public stretch. The hotel owns the land surrounding pappagayo peninsula & therefore you can’t access this peninsula directly by yourself. You need to park at there (free) parking & they take you b...

👍👍 Accesible, close to Liberia, clean, off-the-beaten-path, interesting, calm, beautiful... There is only one business there, a restaurant (check schedule for working hours), nothing else. The sand is white. There is a nice constant contrast between sand, rocks, trees, water. You can appreciate the M...

Lengthy beach with a tranquil vibe, areas shaded by palm trees & majestic sunset views.

Popular for snorkeling, swimming & scuba diving, this white sand beach houses a shallow coral reef.

Secluded, tree-lined beach with reefs for swimming & snorkeling plus nearby amenities.

👍👍 A beautiful beach that’s well maintained and very clean. The sand is soft and the water is warm. The water is also shallow so you can go out pretty far without being that deep. Also, be sure to stay for the sunset. You’ll be glad you did!

Popular for fishing, this tucked-away estuary beach is home to exotic birds, howler monkeys & crabs.

👍👍 A great, relaxed quintessentially Costa Rican beach, white sand, a rocky outcropping to explore located on a small, easily accessed peninsula (with an elevation featuring exceptional views of the whole area and a Costa Rican flag for photos). Watch as local fishermen bring their fresh catch in nearb...

Long, sandy beach lined with trees, attracting visitors for surfing, walks & sunset viewing.

👍👍 Beautiful beach! We tried going to Playa Conchal but it was closed due to the red tide (marea roja). Playa Penca was much less crowded than the other beaches and had beautiful tide pools near the cactus covered hills. The water was crystal clear and the sand was soft and white. Find a tree to relax...

👍👍 Phenomenal place to wild camp! You are technically not allowed to due to the pandemic and since there are no bathrooms and many people litter there. If you spend some time picking up other people's garbage and go to the rest / bar nearby for bathroom usage I don't see a problem to stay there and th...

👍👍 Located 30 minutes from Liberia Airport, this tiny yet stunning beach is a must-see destination for those looking for less touristy beaches in the Guanacaste area. The waves are calm, basically feels like a huge pool with warm water. It’s perfect for bathing and snorkeling. As soon as you step in th...

👍 Nice beach but today a crocodile was in the water. If other people hadn't begun to yell at me, I may have become lunch!

Sandy stretch inside Manuel Antonio National Park, with swimming, birds & trees full of monkeys.