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Area Beaches Offer Something For Everyone

Looking for a low-key, sultry escape spent lazing about on a sun-drenched Pacific Beach? Or are you more in the mood for ocean adventure, like sport fishing, scuba diving or surfing the Northern corner of Guanacaste’ Gold Coast region you can have either or some mix of both. Only 30 minutes or less from Liberia International Airport, the six beaches communities along this ocean cul-de-sac are the most easily accessible of the Gold Coast Beaches. Each has it own charter, but together they offer something for ever kind of traveler, from the budget-minded to the high-end big spender.

Playas del Coco

Just 20 minutes from the Liberia airport along paved roads in Playas del coco, Costa Rica’s oldest fishing village and the area central hub. Here, the old and the new blend with a bit of a honky tonk feel. A growing, international ex-patriot community resides alongside log-established Costa Rican Families. Moored to the left or its three- kilometer -long beach are Coco’s traditional commercial fishing boats; to the right , a fleet of boats geared to the tourist trade. And in town, old-time sodas and pulperías coexist with high speed internet cafes. Tourism is chiefly how Coco survives these days and to that end, it, unlike the other beach communities in the area, is truly a full-service town.
There are numerous low and moderately price hotels that rent rooms to visitors as well as bars and restaurants on and off the beach offering international and local cuisine. There are three dive shop in town that take out divers daily as well as several privately owned sport fishing boats that take out customer s in search of tuna, wahoo, mahi-mahi, rooster fish, marlin or sail fish. Here, also, is where you can book surf trips to Witch’s Rock or Ollie’s Point or rent snorkeling gear. Coco beach it self is best for sunbathing, swimming, people watching and little exploring: at low tide, you can walk over the rocks at the left end of the beach to reach the secluded, white sand beach of Playa Blanca.
At the end of the day, Coco offers more than dinning in the way of nightlife. Its bars and restaurants offer opportunities for dancing, pool playing, casino gambling and even karaoke.
This beach town is also the service center for the area. The port captain has an office in Coco as does Costa Rican immigration. There’s a bank, supermarket and medical facilities, including 3 pharmacy. There’s four high-soeed Internet –cafes, where visitors can check emails and mace international phone calls. And, of course, there is a shopping. Coco’s main street is lined with open-air and indoors shops offering a broad range of souvenirs to take home. Any of the hotels in town can help you with tours and water sports bookings, but Coco is also one of the few communities with several independents tour offices that can help you arrange activities during your stay.

Playa Hermosa

About four miles before you get to Coco is the paved turnoff the area’s second largest beach community, Playa Hermosa. Considerably more laid back than Coco, Hermosa is less of a twon than it is a resort and retirement community. Its mix of beach front and off-beach hotels, including two large all-inclusive resorts, are set amidst are set amidst private homes and numerous amall developments, where mostly North Americans have taken residency or live part of the year. Hermosa’s near white sand beach is one of two in the area to earn environmental awards for cleanliness it’s great for sun bathing, swimming, and skim boarding and snorkeling. One of the oldest and largest dive shops in Costa Rica makes its home in Hermosa, making this beach community a key destination for divers. You can arrange to go sport fishing through the shop as well as any Hermosa hotel. You can also book sailing and/or snorkeling cruises on one of the sails boat that moor of the beach.
The recent growth in Hermosa has led to an increase in the number of dinning options in this community. In addition to established local restaurants that serve typical Costa Rica food, there are now several restaurants offering sophisticated international menus up more upscale prices. Services in the area are improving as well. There are now several small, but well stocked , grocery stores , where you can buy food, wine and beer, as well as such things as natural insect-repellent, sunscreen and other everyday over-the counter drug store items.

Playa Ocotal

Just as you enter Coco, the paved road to the left will take you to the other environmental award-winning beach, Playa Ocotal. This relatively small beach is a favorite among locals and residing ex-pats largely because its rocky shore is great for snorkeling. It’s also a popular destination for divers; Ocotal is home to the resort with the other longest established dive shop in the area. As with the other beach communities, you can make arrangements for sport fishing another water sport activities from here as well.
Aside from the resort, there is a couple of other place to stay in Ocotal, including a couple beds & breakfast and a hotel offering condos and villas. Primarily, it is made up of large, expensive private home and condo’s that lie within a gated community. This is the place to go if you want something a little out of the way but within easy reach Coco, which about two mile away. There are no grocery store or other service outlets here and only one bar-restaurant just off the beach one bar-restaurant just off the beach.

Playa Panama

Slightly north of Playa Hermosa, at the entrance to the Papagayo Gulf, you’ll arrive at Playa Panama, a popular destination for Costa Ricans. Nestled into the bay as it is, Panama is among the calmest beaches in the area, so like Pez Vela; it offers a tranquil place for swimming and lazing about in the sun.
Unlike Pez Vela it is much less secluded. Playa Panama is part of the long-standing Gulf of Papagayo Project aimed at developing are underway as well. But there are no stores in Panama and only one restaurant. And while one dive shop is based in this beach community, independent water sports operators do not make their home here.

Bahia Pez Vela

More secluded is Bahia Pez Vela, the smallest of the area’s beach communities. To reach it, you must rive through the gated community of Ocotal. Here, there is only a single resort, expensive villas and a restaurant set againinst a picturesque graden and lawn overlooking the bay. But you don’t have to be a resident or guest to enjoy Pez Vela’s often deserted w/b sand beach if you are really in the mood to get away from it all. All beaches in Costa Rica are public, so everyone has free access to themPeninsula de Papagayo
The same is true at Peninsula Papagayo at the other end of the bay, which with the recent opening of the Four Season Hotel is on its way toward becoming a luxury resort and residential community for the wealthy. This is also part of the Papagayo Golf project and other high-end hotels are expected to open here in the future.
Currently, only Four Season guests have access to its exclusive seaside golf course, spa, beach facilities and other service, although outsiders can book reservations at the resort’s gourmet restaurants if occupancy dips low enough. But the two beaches on either side of the resort- Playa Mirador and Playa Blanca- are, of course, open to the public.  With this in mind the Peninsula Papagayo developers have established parking and free shuttle service to those who wants to come and spend the day in the area’s beaches.
Part of the Papagayo project’s plan is eventually to develop a full-fledged town, with shops, offices, medical facilities, gas stations and bus service, to support its aspiring beach community. But for now none of his exists. There is, however, a canopy tour and horseback riding available to tourist, whether they are guests of the Four Seasons or visitor who come to the peninsula just for the day.
Although each of the northern Gold Coast beaches has their own character, there is common element among them. All of the communities are making efforts to keep their beaches clean. All are considered safe, although visitors should still exercise common sense.
Don’t leave valuables in your car or leave them unattended on the beach.
Also, all are within easy reach of many Costa Rican national parks, where tourists can hike, horseback ride, take canopy tours and get a closer glimpse at the country at the country famous biodiversity. Any hotel or tourist facility can help you book day trips to such parks as Arenal, Palo Verde, Santa Rosa and Rincón de la Vieja. There are also public and privately operated buses or private taxi in the area that can help you get where you want to go.