Costa Rica Beach Vacations

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Few places in the world allow you to have breakfast on the Pacific Ocean and dinner on the Caribbean Sea. And beautiful Costa Rica beaches will charm you at both ends of the day.

The Pacific coast boasts some of the most famous beaches for a Costa Rica surfing vacation and sun bathing. The Carribean region of Costa Rica is noted for its variety of ecosystems (to add some Costa Rica ecotourism to the mix) and its beautiful white or black sand beaches.

The beaches are so beautiful that it is impossible to determine which ones make the best Costa Rica beach vacation. If you are flying in and out of Liberia International Airport in Guanacaste on the north Pacific coast, you may want to stay at one of the beaches in the north Pacific Region.

If you are flying in and out of San Jose, then the Central Pacific region, the South Pacific region or the southern Carribean region may be a better choice.

Guanacaste Beach hotels are considered to be more typical Costa Rica beach hotels. Also this is where most of the larger hotels and resorts are, offering excellent all-inclusive Costa Rica vacation packages.

Manual Antonio National Park on Costa Rica's Pacific coast is justifiably a favorite for both nature enthusiasts and beach lovers. It's a great place to combine a bit of Costa Rica ecotourism with a low-stress Costa Rica family vacation. The national park is famous for its beautiful creamy-white sandy beaches, forests which grow to the high tide mark, and abundant wildlife. Three species of monkeys, two species of sloths, colorful orange-and-blue crabs, anteaters, prehistoric looking ctenosaur lizards (iguana relatives) and much more live here and many are very easy to see (bring your camera!). One of the most interesting trails leads you through the forest to the top of Cathedral Point hill where you can look down vertical cliffs to the crystal clear water below. On hills outside the park a number of elegant hotels and restaurants offer excellent accommodations and breathtaking ocean views (read more about it in the Favorite Destinations section).

Jacó Beach on the central pacific coast is the one of the closest beaches to San José. It is best known for its broad, open beach, variety of hotels, and frequent strong surf attracting surfers from San José on weekends. This may be the place for your Costa Rica surfing vacation! Over the last 15 years new hotels and restaurants have been built offering visitors accommodations ranging from budget to luxurious (see Villa Caletas). Along the main road are many gift shops selling souvenirs and beach items. In the center of town, nightlife is active with numerous discos and bars; however, beyond the town center the environment is much quieter. Nearby visitors can see scarlet macaws and other wildlife in or around Carara National Park. This area has a lot to offer, and is just a two hour drive from San José.
 
In the sunny northwest region lies the resort area of Tamarindo, best known for its broad, light sandy beaches, superb hotels and restaurants, and gorgeous sunsets. The warm blue waters are popular for wading and swimming near shore, and surfing further out. Many of the best hotels and restaurants are located behind the beach or across the street. This area also serves as a hub for other vicinity attractions such as snorkeling and diving tours, national parks, and sport fishing.

l  Rainforests l Volcanos and Mountains lBeach Vacations l Wildlife Viewing l