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...
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 ...
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...
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 (...
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 ...