Costa Rican beaches voted Central America’s top ten by 2013 Travelers’ Choice

Posted on June 2, 2013 by Costa Rica Bedfinder

Eight Costa Rican beaches were named among the top ten beaches in Central America when TripAdvisor announced its 2013 Travelers’ Choice Awards last week.

The eight beaches that make Costa Rica proud in this year’s polling results:

Manuel Antonio – first place
Samara Beach – 2nd place
Playa Guiones – 4th place
Playa Santa Teresa – 5th place
Playa Avellanas – 6th place
Playa Conchal – 7th place
Playa Hermosa Papagayo – 8th place
Puerto Viejo – 9th place

Manuel Antonio voted top beach in Central America by travelers polled in 2013

Playa Conchal was ranked 7th in 2013 Travelers’ Choice

Playa Guiones in Nosara won 4th place among Central American top 10 beaches

Samara Beach did so well to be voted 2nd best beach in Central America

Playa Hermosa in Papagayo made it into the top ten beaches with the 8th place

Puerto Viejo was ranked 9th in the top 10 Central American beaches

Playa Santa Teresa was named 5th by TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award

Playa Avellanas emerges as the 6th best beach according to Tripadvisor’s travelers

Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica: Beaches

Posted on December 17, 2012 by examiner

Casa Romantica, boasts 5 bedrooms and sleeps up to 12 with 6,000 sq. feet of living space and 7 bathrooms. http://costaricabedfinder.com/vacation-rental/746/award-winning-luxury-estate-home

I have a hard time choosing my favorite beach in Costa Rica, because they are all so beautiful and different in so many ways. However, Manuel Antonio is high on my list because it is really the tale of two very different kinds of beaches.

In Manuel Antonio National Park, you have several fabulous beaches to explore, Playa Manuel Antonio, Playa Gemelas, Playa Puerto Escondido and Playa Espadillo Sur. As admission to the park is limited, these beaches are never too crowded and the areas around the beaches are packed with nature. The last time I visited, I saw deer, sloths, all four types of monkeys, raccoons, coatimundi and a wide variety of beautiful birds. The water was clear and beautiful and we took lots of photos. Some of my favorite places to stay when I visit here include: Mot Mot Villa which has 4 bedrooms and sleeps up to 8 and Discovery Beach House which has 3 bedrooms and sleeps 6.

Right outside of the National Park is Playa Espadillo Norte. It is a fun beach full of activities. There are makeshift kiosks selling clothes, jewelry, art and food. There are places for renting beach chairs and umbrellas. The beach is set up for volleyball and other activities. You can rent boogie boards, take surf lessons, or go parasailing. This is also the place to schedule a time to go snorkeling, dolphin watching, sailing or fishing. Playa Espadillo also offers great people watching. You can walk to bars and restaurants to get a bite to eat.

If you visit with a large group there is a beach for everyone and activities to keep even the most energetic group members busy. Several of the vacations homes can house large groups. Both Casa Grande and Casa Elsa have 4 bedrooms and sleep up to 12 people. Another popular vacation home in Manuel Antonio that sleeps 12 people is the 5-bedroom Casa Romantica. Closer to Quepos, Tropical Jacana House has 5 bedrooms and sleeps up to 13.

Nosara, Costa Rica: Surfing

Posted on December 3, 2012 by examiner

http://costaricabedfinder.com/vacation-rental/210/guiones-village-center-beach-house-built-for-surfers

With dependable beach breaks year round, Nosara is a premier spot to surf. Compared to some of the other locations, such as Tamarindo, which we covered previously, Nosara offers a more remote, less crowded place to learn to surf or to perfect your surfing. Two of my favorite places to stay when I am here are Casa Tranquila, which has two bedrooms and sleeps 4, and Green Fish, which offers 3 bedrooms and sleeps 6.

There are three quality programs which offer instruction and board rentals:

Safari Surf School - Teaches you how to surf or improve your skills. They focus on ocean awareness, environmental awareness, basic surf stretching exercises and safety. They try to maintain a 3 student to 1 instructor ratio and employ the latest methods to help students learn. Board rental is included in the lessons. Safari Surf School features women’s programs, and kid’s camps. If you are bringing a large family or group, I recommend staying at Casa Paulina, which has 4 bedrooms and sleeps up to 12.

Coconut Harry’s Surf Shop – Boasts the largest selections of boards and the closest school to the ocean. They offer standup paddle lessons. You have the option of having single or multiple day lessons. Coconut Harry maintains a 3 – 1 student to instructor ratio and offers camera rentals. Two good options to stay if you come here include Vista Hermosa which has 2 bedrooms and sleeps 4, or if you have a larger group, there is Las Palmas Rojas which offers 3 bedrooms and sleeps up to 8.

Corky Carroll’s Surf School – Prides itself on being the first surf school in Playa Guiones. As such they claim to have had the best location options since the beach was undiscovered at the time. They tout the fact that they get all directions of swells and various types of waves. This allows for practice in all types of conditions and is ideal for all levels of surfing. A perfect budget rental for your stay while you are here is Casa Maple Sun, it has 2 bedrooms and sleeps up to 4.

Nosara, Costa Rica – Yoga

Posted on November 12, 2012 by examiner

Las Palmas Rojas – Nosara Playa Pelada http://costaricabedfinder.com/vacation-rental/96/tastefully-designed-beach-villa-on-playa-pelada-nosara

When I think about Nosara, the first thing that comes to mind is the Nosara Yoga Institute. The Yoga Institute is an internationally recognized retreat and training center for Yoga. They offer 100 hour, 500 hour and 1,000 hour professional certifications. If you are planning to come for professional certifications, staying at one of Costa Rica Bedfinder’s vacation locations that are within walking distance makes a great deal of sense. One of my favorite vacation rentals in this area is the Peace Retreat which is only 100 yards from the Nosara Yoga Institute. Another one that is very close is Namaste. Las Colinas boasts a 40-foot infinity-edge pool with a view over a seven-mile beach. If additional room is desired the Casita de las Colinas can be combined with this rental.

However, the Nosara Yoga Institute is not just for professionals. They have classes available for a wide variety of levels including beginners. Classes are 90 minutes long and are taught in English and some instructors are bilingual.

Some of my favorite cost conscious options include Ocean Heights Apartment – Nosara. In Playa Pelada two very cost effective locations offer great rates. Michelle’s Hideaway and Villa Domingo. The Villa Domingo location is a great option for a large family.

Nosara, Costa Rica – an overview

Posted on November 5, 2012 by examiner

Casa Pauline, located between the beaches of Guiones and Pelada. Photo provided by Costa Rica Bedfinder. Find more about this beautiful vacation home at http://costaricabedfinder.com/vacation-rental/152/pelada-beach-rental-home-in-quiet-shared-compound

One of my favorite locations in Costa Rica is Nosara. In fact, this is one of the places we strongly considered living, when we purchased a vacation home in Costa Rica. When I think of Nosara, I immediately think of yoga, surfing, and turtles. In a country that prizes the environment, Nosara combines tourism with respect for the environment admirably.

Located in the Guanacaste province on the Pacific Coast, Nosara offers a remote beach destination; however, there is a small airport that can easily access the area. If you want to stay away from the crowds and enjoy some privacy, this is the place for you. Mel Gibson has a home in this area.

It is important to realize that Nosara is generally an umbrella term which refers to several towns located in this area.

These towns include Playa Guiones, a beach town which is known for surfing. The highlight is the seven kilometer stretch of white sand. This is the most southern of the beaches that comprise what is loosely called Nosara. Some of my favorite places to stay here include: Descano which sleeps 6 and Tortuga Feliz, which can accommodate up to 8 people.

Playa Pelada is the next beach. It is separated from Playa Guiones by Punta Pelada, a peninsula that divides the two beaches. This is a gorgeous but small curving white sand beach. It is still an operating fishing village and you will see several small fishing pangas lining the beach. At the southern end of the beach a blowhole is visible when the tide is right. Come to this beach for walks, shell hunting, drinking at Olga’s Bar or dining at La Luna Restaurant. This beach is frequented by locals and their families. A few of my favorite places to stay at Playa Pelada include: Villa Mango which accommodates up to 18 people in 7 bedrooms. I also love Casa de Piedra which sleeps up to 10.

Playa Nosara is the northern most beach in the area, stretching to the mouth of the Nosara River. Before the river empties into the ocean, it forms lush mangrove estuary filled with birds and other wildlife. Explore this area by kayak or standup paddle board. This beach is often deserted. You will occasionally see a fisherman, a surfer or an Olive Ridley turtle here. This is the place to come if you crave some peace and quiet. My favorite places to stay here include: Nosara Retreat Villa, which sleeps 4 and Libelula which accommodates 14.

Tamarindo, Costa Rica: Dancing

Posted on September 23, 2012 by examiner

Lounge at Tamarindo’s Aqua Bar.

In part 1 of this series, Tamarindo, Costa Rica: Surfing, I discussed the schools where you can learn or perfect your surfing. In part 2 of this series, I outlined some popular locations to surf near Tamarindo. Part 3 addressed some of my favorite places to dine in Tamarindo.

In this article I will share with you some of the great places to dance in the area.

Aqua Discotheque
Offers a large dance floor with a progressive DJ. Both Tourists and Ticos frequent this disco. You can host your own private party here. They feature a VIP section with a private bar. There are ocean views from the terrace. Monday night is ladies night with women drinking free from 10:00 until midnight.

Babylon
This bar features live reggae music and a relaxed Caribbean vibe. This is the place to be on Saturday nights. The crowd will be a blend of both tourists as well as locals. There is a large open air dance floor where you can dance under the moon and stars.

Crazy Monkey Bar
Located in the Best Western, this is one of the most popular bars in Tamarindo. You can get a clue to the atmosphere by the fact that this was featured on “Wild on E! Costa Rica”. An open air bar, the Crazy Monkey boasts a pool bar, pool tables, 2 dance floors and a live DJ throughout the week. They offer a variety of special nights, one of the most popular is salsa night. Friday night is ladies night. This is often the site for live music events and fashion show. They have a daily happy hour from 5:00 until 7:00.

Voodoo Lounge
The Voodoo Lounge is a nice family restaurant even serving breakfast. However, after the dinner hour it morphs into a hot dance location. They offer a variety of music and special nights. For example, Monday features Brazilian acoustic music, Latin night on Tuesdays is very popular.

I want to share with you some of the wide variety of accommodations that are available in the area from Costa Rica Bedfinder. Each week I will select a few of my favorite places to stay with you. Here are some of my favorites in the Tamarindo beach area:

Luxury beach villa 150 yards from Playa Tamarindo
Modern vacation home a mile from Tamarindo Beach
Tamarindo Beach penthouse ocean view condo

Tamarindo, Costa Rica: Dining

Posted on September 16, 2012 by examiner

Lola’s is a great beach front restaurant. Photo by Donald Farris.

In part 1 of this series, Tamarindo, Costa Rica: Surfing, I discussed the schools where you can learn or perfect your surfing. In part 2 of this series, Tamarindo, Costa Rica: Surfing Destination, I outlined some popular locations to surf near Tamarindo.

In this article, I will share with you some of my favorite dining options in Tamarindo.

Tamarindo offers a wide variety of places to which will accommodate every budget and taste. .

Carolina’s Restaurant and Grill - This is an elegant restaurant specializing in International Fusion. The owners are a Costa Rica and Swiss couple who met at culinary school. They offer a nightly four or five course tasting menu.

Season by Shlomy – A popular option for dining in Costa Rica is seafood and this is one of the best options for seafood. The Israeli –born chef offers fresh fish and seafood with a changing menu featuring a Mediterranean influence.

Eat at Joe’s – This is associated with the Witches Rock Surf Camp. It is open from 7:00 am until 10:00 pm. I love to eat breakfast here on the beach. They have amazing breakfast burritos, banana pancakes and huevos rancheros. They are also known for their sushi and nachos.

Lola’s – This restaurant is located just south of Tamarindo in Playa Avellanas. It is located on the beach and is my favorite place for lunch. They offer great salads, amazing sandwiches and fresh fruit smoothies.

There are so many great places to dine here, please share with us your favorite places to eat.

Ocean view 3-bedroom family vacation home

Modern vacation home a mile from Tamarindo Beach

Tamarindo, Costa Rica: Surfing Destinations

Posted on September 10, 2012 by examiner

Surfing at Witches Rock Tamarindo. Photo by Donald Farris.

In part 1 of this series, Tamarindo, Costa Rica: Surfing, I discussed the schools where you can learn or perfect your surfing.

Tamarindo is a great location as a base for a surfing vacation. There are several great surfing locations within walking distance, many within a short drive and a few special ones that you can reach only by boat.

Playa Tamarindo itself is a very popular place for beginning surfers to learn to surf.

Advanced surfers may wish to explore these special places located within walking distance:

Rivermouth – offers a right beach break with hollow waves for advanced surfers. Best condition at mid tide.

Pico Pequeño – located south of river mouth this reef breaks right. Best condition at mid tide.

Playa Langosta – located south of Playa Tamarindo. This is a beautiful but rocky beach. Exposed beach break with hollow peaks. Best conditions occur at mid-high tide with offshore flow. At low tide, explore the sea life in the calm pools made by the rocks.

Breaks within a short drive:

Playa Grande – located north of Tamarindo offers an exposed beach break with hollow peaks. Best condition at mid- high tide. Playa Grande is also home to Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas, the nesting ground of the Leatherback and Ridley Turtles.

Playa Avellanes – located south of Tamarindo. Offers beach break waves. This is a great family beach with a white sand that stretches for miles.

Playa Negra – Located south of Tamarindo. Offers on of the few point breaks in Guanacaste. The break is perfectly formed, but short.

Access only by boat:

Witches Rock – Located north of Tamarindo. Very isolated beach with a stunning rock backdrop. Offers a beach break with both right and left waves.

Ollie’s Point – Named for U.S. Military Lt. Col. Oliver North. This location was made featured in the movie “The Endless Summer II.” It offers a right point with fast, hollow waves. Best conditions at outgoing to mid low tide.

Absolute beachfront luxury on Tamarindo Beach

3-story Tamarindo vacation homes for up to 24 rental guests

6-bedroom 2-level luxury ocean view penthouse condo

Tamarindo, Costa Rica: Surfing

Posted on September 3, 2012 by examiner

Surfer in action at Tamarindo Beach

Tamarindo is the surfing mecca of Northern Guanacaste. The best time to come for surfing is between December to April. We went to Tamarindo when my son wanted to learn to surf.

Witches Rock Surf Camp was the surf school we chose. They work with beginner, intermediate and advanced students. The instructors are bilingual and they have a low student-instructor ratio. They offer daily surf tours to the best waves along Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. They also have a great surf shop and restaurant. Robert August, from the movie “Endless Summer II” shapes surfboards on-site. You can even take home your own Robert August surfboard. My son is athletic and got up during his first lesson. He improved during the second lesson. Each class had only one other student, so he got lots of one on one time with the instructor.

Tamarindo Surf School is another popular place to learn to surf. They guarantee they will get a beginner to stand up and ride your first waves in just one lesson! They also offer several packages. These include combination surf and Spanish program as well as a surf and tennis program.

Banana Surf Club offers instruction to beginning, intermediate and advanced students. They have experience teaching all ages of surfers. Instruction is available seven days a week in both English and Spanish.

Next week I will highlight the best surfing destinations in this area.

50 meters from the beach a short walk from JW Marriott Resort
Ultra luxurious 8-bedroom villa with spectacular Tamarindo Beach view
Tamarindo beach home with an 18m lap-pool on sandy beachfront

Flamingo and Potrero Costa Rica: Activities

Posted on August 27, 2012 by examiner

Play golf on one of the many courses near Playa Flamingo or Playa Potrero.

In part 1 of this series, “Flamingo and Potrero, Costa Rica: The National Parks,” I talked about two National Parks, Las Baulas National Marine Park (Parque Marino las Baulas) and Santa Rosa National Park. Part 2 “Flamingo and Potrero, Costa Rica: The Beaches” explored five fabulous beaches in the area. Part 3 “Flamingo and Potrero, Costa Rica: Arts and Crafts.

This area is known for its incredible beaches, so almost any water activity, that you can imagine, is available. In this article, I want to share some of the activities that aren’t as well known that you can do.

Horseback Riding – There are a wide variety of vendors that offer opportunities to rent horses. You can take a ride on the beach at sunset, or trek through the savannas and dry forests inland.

ATV tours – There are a few tour operators that offer ATV tours of the area. Most stop at a few beaches, and small towns. Most provide some kind of picnic lunch. Many combine the tour with horseback riding, zip line canopy tour and even surfing.

Canopy Tour – Fly through the air on a zip line. With some you may additionally have the opportunity to include rappelling, rock climbing, Tarzan Swings and hanging bridges. Some even require you to take a horseback ride to get to the canopy.

Golf – Guanacaste offers several golf courses most with views of the Pacific Ocean and you may get to see some spectacular wildlife as a bonus.

Spas – A wide variety of spas exist in this area to pamper you. Some are large scale and offer extensive spa facilities. You can have a freshly harvested warm volcanic mud bath and natural steam showers. Prices are available for every budget.

Spectacular 5 bedroom private ocean front villa rental
Playa Potrero Villa two blocks from the beach
Playa Flamingo Luxury beach condo residence

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