As you plan your trip to Costa Rica – and, specifically, the country’s north-Pacific coast, alternately known as Guanacaste (for our province) and the Gold Coast (for our sun-drenched setting) – you’ll likely find yourself wondering: Where should I stay? Because the north Pacific spans a vast area, from downtown Tamarindo, Costa Rica and north to Playa Conchal, fanning out to encompass everything from luxury communities to sleepy villages.

So, if you’re still considering your options, this guide will help. We’re covering six of the region’s most popular vacation spots: Tamarindo, Playa Langosta, Hacienda Pinilla, Las Catalinas, Playa Flamingo, and Playa Conchal. Get to know them. Browse their offerings. And get in touch if you have any questions!

From south to north:

Vacation Here: Hacienda Pinilla

Hacienda Pinilla Beach Club on Playa AvellanasLocated just 3.5 miles south of downtown Tamarindo, Costa Rica, Hacienda Pinilla is a world of its own. This luxurious, gated community spans 4,500 scenic acres of pristine beaches, rolling savannah, and ranch land where cowboys once (and still, in certain areas!) roamed.

This historic property is one of Guanacaste’s most revered and beloved communities, thanks to its conservation efforts, spectacular beaches (there are three!), cultural significance, and extreme beauty.

And have we mentioned the unmatched resort amenities? They extend to an 18-hole, part-72 championship golf course, a multi-million-dollar Beach Club, tennis courts, horse stables (and a few of those heretofore mentioned cowboys), hiking and biking trails, a spa, and casual and fine dining restaurants. You could spend your entire vacation here and still have plenty left to do!

Hacienda Pinilla Overview

  • Location: 251502906974132, -85.85025488735461
  • Average Temperatures: 65º-95º F (18º-35º C)
  • Closest Airport: Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) (90 minutes)
  • Best Known For: This 4,500-acre, luxury gated community encompasses three pristine beaches, a spectacular Beach Club, miles of hiking and biking trails, tennis courts, horse stables, and one of Costa Rica’s premier championship golf courses.
  • Top Activities: Surfing, SUP, Beachcombing & Swimming, 18-Hole Golf, Hiking & Mountain Biking, Tennis, and Excellent Dining
  • Top Sights: Beaches (Playa Avellanas, Playa Mansita, and southern Playa Langosta), Las Baulas Marine Park (turtle watching), and the Catalina Islands (scuba & snorkeling)
  • Recommended for: Families & Family Groups, Couples & Honeymooners, Luxury Travelers
  • Blue Zone Experience Recommendation: When you stay at Hacienda Pinilla, we hope you’ll avail yourself of the community’s many amenities. But if there’s one thing not to miss, it’s a day at the Beach Club, located on breathtaking Playa Avellanas and serving jaw-dropping views, an oceanfront pool, and fresh fusion fare.

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Vacation Here: Playa Langosta

aerial view of Playa Langosta and downtown Tamarindo, Costa RicaMany are tempted to lump Playa Langosta in with its bigger and flashier sibling to the north (Langosta is just 1.5 miles south of downtown Tamarindo, Costa Rica). But for those of us in the know, we know (and now you know) that Langosta is a tranquil, incredibly scenic, and Tamarindo-adjacent destination all its own.

Let’s start with the second: Playa Langosta is spectacularly beautiful, thanks to its sun-bleached sands, world-class sunsets, and rocky outcroppings that bid you almost walk on water, when the tide is low. This, paired with a more sedate atmosphere and upscale beach-club feel, makes Playa Langosta enough of its own personality to merit a stand-alone classification.

And yet, if you want all this and you also want proximity to varied dining & nightlife options, the best selection of tours & activities in Guanacaste, and all the other perks and amenities of a big-city setting (and again, we use that term relatively), then you can’t beat Langosta’s dual seclusion and convenience, at just a 5-minute drive into downtown Tamarindo, Costa Rica.

Playa Langosta Overview

  • Location: 289918019586203, -85.85259677551782
  • Average Temperatures: 65º-95º F (18º-35º C)
  • Closest Airport: Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) (75-90 minutes)
  • Best Known For: This is one of Costa Rica’s prized blue-flag beaches, recognized both for its cleanliness and ecological practices – from wildlife preservation to trash disposal. Come and see for yourself (literally) what sustainable and responsible tourism looks like!
  • Top Activities: Surfing, SUP, Beachcombing & Swimming, Ocean Kayaking, Snorkeling & Scuba Diving, plus easy access to all Tamarindo activities, including Catamaran Sailing, Sport Fishing, and more
  • Top Sights: Beaches (Playa Langosta & nearby), Tamarindo Wildlife Refuge (wildlife watching & estuary kayaking), Las Baulas Marine Park (turtle watching), and the Catalina Islands (scuba & snorkeling)
  • Recommended for: Families & Family Groups, Couples & Honeymooners, Active Seniors, and Travelers Seeking Quiet + Convenience
  • Blue Zone Experience Recommendation: You can’t stay in Playa Langosta and not spend a day at the beach. (This specific beach.) Stroll the sands. Walk on the glistening rocks at low tide. Search for sea creatures. Take a swim. Enjoy the locale.

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Vacation Here: Tamarindo

downtown Tamarindo, Costa Rica at sunset

You may be tempted to class sandy downtown Tamarindo, Costa Rica – just a mile from north to south – as a beach town or (gasp!) a seaside hamlet. But the truth is, this coastal wonderland and travel hotspot is as close as Costa Rica’s north-Pacific coast gets to a beachside metropolis.

And, indeed – hopping, bustling, busy Tamarindo is a mini-city packed with incredible restaurants and nightlife, myriad tours and activities, live music and fire dancing, night markets and farmer’s markets, and oh-so-much more.

Add to that a reputation for world-class surf, epic sunsets, and one of the world’s most important leatherback nesting sites, and you’re just scratching the surface of why travelers flock to this tiny city by the sea.

Tamarindo Overview

  • Location: 10.301162936012725, -85.84060195323838
  • Average Temperatures: 70º-95º F (21º-35º C)
  • Closest Airport: Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) (75-90 minutes)
  • Best Known For: Surfing! There’s a lot to love about downtown Tamarindo, Costa Rica but it’s claim to fame remains its consistent waves and easy access to epic surf locales. (Just watch Endless Summer II, which features Tamarindo and nearby Ollie’s Point and Witch’s Rock, to see what we mean!)
  • Top Activities: Surfing, Catamaran Sailing, ATV tours, Beachcombing & Swimming, Horseback Riding, Snorkeling & Scuba Diving, Wildlife Tours, Sports Fishing & SUP
  • Top Sights: Beaches (Playa Tamarindo & nearby), Tamarindo Wildlife Refuge (wildlife watching & estuary kayaking), Las Baulas Marine Park (turtle watching), Catalina Islands (scuba & snorkeling), and Dining & Nightlife
  • Recommended for: Friend Groups, Families, Couples & Honeymooners, Foodies & Nightlife Lovers, Surfers
  • Blue Zone Experience Recommendation: You cannot let a trip to Tamarindo go by without tackling the waves. Whether you’re a seasoned surfer or a never-touched-a-board beginner, there’s a beach and a break (and, if needed, a surf lesson) perfectly suited to your skill level.

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Vacation Here: Playa Conchal & Brasilito

Playa Conchal Costa RicaNamed for the tiny, blush-colored, crushed seashells that wash to shore and paint the beach, Playa Conchal (“Shell Beach”) is a shimmering paradise of aquamarine ocean and pink coastline. And it’s also one of Costa Rica’s most picture-perfect, idyllic settings – exactly as beautiful as you’ve seen it in photos!

The curved bay of Playa Conchal (and its sister town of Brasilito, separated by rocky outcroppings but just a 10-minute walk) overlook the sparkling Pacific and the Catalinas Islands archipelago, sprinkled onto the horizon and beckoning long days of both over-water and underwater adventures.

And, as Playa Conchal is home to one of Costa Rica’s first and still very eminent all-inclusive resorts, you’ll find that a bevy of amenities has cropped up. From ocean kayaks and pedal boats to snorkeling equipment and banana bikes, you can easily outfit yourself with the best of beachside life. And then, when you’re finished with all your outdoor explorations, you can enjoy Conchal’s full-service spas, casual and fine dining restaurants, and so much more!

Playa Conchal Overview

  • Location: 39950828041297, -85.81150813664789
  • Average Temperatures: 65º-95º F (18º-35º C)
  • Closest Airport: Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) (75 minutes)
  • Best Known For: The luxury community of Reserva Conchal hugs the crest overlooking both Playa Conchal and Brasilito. You’ll find everything from an 18-hole championship golf course to a Beach Club and restaurants.
  • Top Activities: Beachcombing & Swimming, SUP, Scuba & Snorkeling, and Golf
  • Top Sights: Beaches (Playa Flamingo, Brasilito & nearby), plus the Flamingo Marina and the Catalinas Islands (scuba & snorkeling)
  • Recommended for: Families & Family Groups, Couples & Honeymooners, Luxury Travelers
  • Blue Zone Experience Recommendation: There’s nothing more awe-inspiring than a well-timed snorkel or dive trip to the Catalinas or Bat Islands. Giant manta rays, whose wingspans can reach a truly awe-inspiring 30 feet, are gentle giants that swim these waters from February to March (Catalinas) and June through August (Bat).

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Vacation Here: Playa Flamingo

Playa Flamingo beachfront costa ricaIdyllic and awe-inducing, the crescent-shaped curve of Playa Flamingo (alternately known as Flamingo Beach or simply Flamingo) is one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful. Here, turquoise Pacific waters, white sands, and the brand-new Flamingo Marina welcome you to this sandy, oceanside haven.

For this is a haven. Though not quite the “hidden” gem it once was, Playa Flamingo is still a gem – a sun-shiny, sparkling-waters, story-rich gem known for its record-breaking sport fishing, underwater ocean life, and a full menu of water sports. Then, there’s the almost-a-mile of powder-soft white sands, where gentle waves lap and the sea is so clear, you can spot manta rays and tropical fish gliding beneath the surface…

And, if all this scenic wonder isn’t enough to convince you, know that Playa Flamingo has grown up in recent years. Once a beachy suburb to its big sister – downtown Tamarindo, Costa Rica is just 15 miles south – Playa Flamingo now holds its own for restaurants, tours and activities, and all the other amenities you crave while on vacation.

Playa Flamingo Overview

  • Location: 438824598035442, -85.79278749527045
  • Average Temperatures: 65º-95º F (18º-35º C)
  • Closest Airport: Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) (65-75 minutes)
  • Best Known For: Flamingo’s white sands and aquamarine bay are world-famous, but the new Flamingo Marina undoubtedly offers shiny, new appeal with myriad tours and on-water offerings, plus dining, shopping, and other amenities.
  • Top Activities: Sailing & Boating, Nearshore & Offshore Sport Fishing, Snorkeling & Scuba Diving, Beachcombing & Swimming, as well as easy access to Tamarindo and Conchal activities
  • Top Sights: Beaches, Flamingo Marina, Catalina Islands (scuba & snorkeling), Las Baulas National Marine Park (turtle nesting)
  • Recommended for: Families & Family Groups, Couples & Honeymooners, Active Seniors, and Travelers Seeking Quiet + Convenience
  • Blue Zone Experience Recommendation: This is the perfect jumping-off point for a snorkeling or scuba trip to the Bat Islands and the Catalina Islands, home to some of Costa Rica’s most jaw-dropping underwater sights, including giant manta rays, which have a wingspan up to 30 feet!

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Vacation Here: Las Catalinas

Las Catalinas no-car vacation in Costa Rica

What if we told you that you could experience the soul of the Old-World Mediterranean and the heart of the tropics, all in one unique beach town? Welcome to Las Catalinas, a car-free, master-planned community located about 5 miles north of Playa Flamingo and 20 miles from downtown Tamarindo, Costa Rica.

In a way, Las Catalinas can be hard to describe: It’s more than a community, something a little different from a town. But it’s absolutely, unequivocally one of the most special, wildly different, must-have experiences on Costa Rica’s coastline.

Because here, you’ll ditch the car – don’t worry, the valet will take care of your rental, for all those explorations further afield! – and escape to a pedestrian-only community that fans out around a bustling town center. Restaurants and plazas, shops and walking trails, beaches and Pacific Ocean cohabitate here, offering you access to all the things that vacation should be about.

Las Catalinas Overview

  • Location: 48324702554465, -85.79099722460778
  • Average Temperatures: 65º-95º F (18º-35º C)
  • Closest Airport: Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) (65-75 minutes)
  • Best Known For: An Old-World Mediterranean (think: Italian village by the sea) ambiance and architecture, set into a Costa Rican tropical setting. There’s nothing else like it!
  • Top Activities: Beachcombing & Swimming, Kayaking, SUP, Snorkeling & Scuba Diving, and Boogie Boarding
  • Top Sights: Beaches (Playa Danta and Playa Dantita), plus the nearby Flamingo Marina, Catalina Islands (scuba & snorkeling), and Las Baulas National Marine Park (turtle nesting)
  • Recommended for: Active Travelers, Families & Family Groups, Couples & Honeymooners, Wildlife & Nature Lovers
  • Blue Zone Experience Recommendation: Las Catalinas skirts the shores of Playa Danta and Playa Dantita – both spectacular beaches that fly under the tourist radar. Take at least a day to enjoy and explore. And know that the community’s sporting goods suppliers are at the ready to rent boogie boards, bikes, SUP boards, snorkel gear, and more!

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Planning a Trip to North-Pacific Costa Rica?

Still can’t decide between pink-hued Playa Conchal and the mini-metropolis vibes of downtown Tamarindo, Costa Rica? We’re here to help!

At Blue Zone Experience, we’ve built our reputation on 5-star service, carefully curated experiences, and the region’s most culturally informed experts. The truth, though? Our true passion is you and your experience.

What you may not know is that, when you book one of our homes, you gain access to our free concierge services: on-the-ground expertise, curated tours and transportation options, and a one-on-one with your personal concierge, who will have your back from the moment you begin planning until the day you return home.

So, please, get in touch! We can’t wait to hear about your next adventure!