Villas Dualis Blog

Wildlife Around Sámara: Monkeys, Iguanas, and Where to Spot Them

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Monkeys, iguanas, and birds find you here. What shows up for free, what's worth a guide, and how to watch without doing harm.

A Week in Sámara: A Sample 7-Day Itinerary

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

A relaxed, family-tested seven days in Sámara: beach, surf, snorkeling, the feria, one big adventure, and plenty of pool time.

Where to Eat in Sámara: Sodas, Beach Bars, and Easy Dinners

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

From a ₡3,000 casado at a family soda to an easy sit-down dinner, here's where we send guests to eat in Sámara, and what to skip.

Beyond the Main Bay: Carrillo, Barrigona, and Camaronal

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Sámara's main bay covers most beach moods: calm water, walkable, food and drinks behind you. But three beaches within easy reach reward a little effort, and they're three completely different experiences. Playa Carrillo: the postcard, 10 minutes away A crescent of sand backed by a long line of palms and almost nothing else. No buildings on the beach, no vendors, just the kind of view that ends up as someone's screensaver. It's 10 minutes by car, and you can get there by golf cart or ATV too....

What Fruit Is in Season in Costa Rica? A Month-by-Month Guide from Sámara

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Costa Rica has two seasons: verano (dry, December to April) and invierno (the green season, May to November). Guanacaste sits at the hot, dry end of the country, and what grows here follows that rhythm: an explosion of mangos and jocotes at the tail end of the dry months, then a second wave of tropical fruit (rambutan, soursop, passion fruit) that rolls in with the rains. We've lived in Sámara since 2024, and this is the guide we wrote for our villa guests. The quick seasonal snapshot Decemb...

A Day Trip to Nosara and Playa Guiones

Wed, 27 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Nosara is the nearby town we'd actually build a day trip around. It's 50 minutes up the coast and a different world: more polished, more expat-driven, with a serious yoga scene and one of the most consistent surf beaches in the country. Here's the day trip we actually do, not the theoretical one. The drive About 50 minutes from our gate. The road toward Nosara starts about 10 minutes from the villa, and the bumpy part is in its first 20 minutes or so: part paved, part dirt, and not anyone's...

Sámara Weather Month by Month: What It's Actually Like

Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Forecast apps are nearly useless for Costa Rica; they show a thunderstorm icon for entire months that are mostly sunny. Here's what each month actually feels like in Sámara, from a family that lives here. The constants first: days around 30C (mid-80s F) every month of the year, warm ocean, and sunsets that pull people to the beach like a bell rang. What changes is the rain, the green, and the crowd. December. The rain has just stopped, the hills are still green, and the holiday crowd arriv...

Sámara with Kids: A Costa Rica Family Trip That Actually Works

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

We moved to Sámara when our son was a toddler, and we've been testing this town with him ever since. He's our toughest critic. This is the family trip guide we wish we'd had, written from the trenches. Why Sámara works for families The bay is the headline: protected, gentle waves, and shallow for a long way out. It's one of the calmest swimming beaches in Guanacaste, which changes everything with small kids. Add a town you can walk end to end, sodas where kids are welcomed rather than tolera...

The Saturday Feria: A First-Timer's Guide

Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Every Saturday morning, Sámara's farmers market sets up in town, a 15-minute walk from our gate. It's small, it's local, and it's the best food shopping you'll do all week. Here's how to do it right the first time. What you'll find Whatever is ripe that week: mangos and jocotes in the dry season, mamón chino and guanábana later in the year, plus year-round staples like pineapple, papaya, bananas, and limes. Beyond fruit there are vegetables, herbs, flowers, fresh tortillas, eggs, baked goods...

Learning to Surf in Sámara: How to Actually Progress in a Week

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Sámara's bay is one of the best places in Costa Rica to learn to surf, and that's not hometown bias. A reef offshore shelters the bay, so the waves roll in mellow and consistent over a sandy bottom. No rocks, no rips that surprise you, no crowd of experts dropping in on your wave. Here's how to turn one week into actual progress instead of one fun wipeout session. Day 1 or 2: take a real lesson Skip the "just rent a board" instinct. A 90-minute lesson with a good instructor fixes your pop-up...

What to Pack for Sámara (and What to Leave Home)

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Packing for a beach town in the tropics is easy to overthink. After hosting guests from a dozen countries, here's the list we'd hand a friend. Bring these * Reef-safe sunscreen (zinc oxide). Regular sunscreen damages coral and some snorkel operators will turn you back at the boat. Buy it before you fly; selection in town is limited and pricier. * Insect repellent. The villas are screened and treated, but jungle walks and sunset hours go better with it. * Two swimsuits. One is always wet. T...

Things to Do in Sámara, Costa Rica: A Local Host's Guide

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Sámara gets called the most laid-back beach town in Guanacaste, and after living here full time since 2024, we'd say that's about right. The bay is calm, the town is walkable, and you can fill a week without ever driving more than 50 minutes. Here's what we send our own guests to, with the same advice we give over WhatsApp. Start with the water Learn to surf in one of Costa Rica's friendliest bays Sámara's protected bay is one of the best beginner waves in the country. Mellow break, white sa...

Best Time to Visit Sámara: Dry Season vs Green Season

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Costa Rica has two seasons, and the right one for your trip depends on what you want from it. We live in Sámara year-round, so here's the real comparison, not the brochure version. Verano: December to April The dry season. Day after day of sun, almost no rain, and the hottest stretch of the year by March and April. The hills around town fade from green to gold, the beach days are endless, and this is when most travelers come. That popularity has a price: peak rates, busier restaurants, and t...

Getting to Sámara: Airports, the Drive, and Getting Around Without a Car

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Sámara sits on the Nicoya Peninsula in Guanacaste, and half the questions we get before a stay are some version of "how do we actually get there?" Here's the answer, from a family that's done the drive more times than we can count. Which airport: Liberia or San José? Fly into Liberia (LIR) if you can. It's about two hours from Sámara on a fully paved road, and the route is simple. San José (SJO) has more flight options and sometimes better fares, and it can be the better choice if Sámara is...