Monkeys, iguanas, and birds find you here. What shows up for free, what's worth a guide, and how to watch without doing harm.
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...
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 t...
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 ...
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. He...