Tamarindo, Costa Rica

While Tamarindo in Costa Rica is no longer a sleepy beach town known only to a lucky few, we can still settle ourselves onto the sand and feel like we have the vast skyline to ourselves. Staying in Playa Langosta, the beach just south of Tamarindo, provides a welcoming relief from clusters of tourists while keeping us close enough for sunsets like this! Extra bonus: Have a friend or loved one in one hand and a cocktail in the other.

A little rain never hurt anyone, right? One of the best ways to explore all the hidden nooks and crannies of a town is to go for a run (or if you prefer to walk or “yog”, that’s just as dandy). Running along the long stretch of Playa Tamarindo, a little rain shower is a welcoming relief from the warm sun. If you time your run just right with the tide, you can run from the compact sands of Tamarindo all the way south to Play Langosta. This area is a bit more remote with less sunbathers to jump over and deep sand made of crushed shells. Be mindful of rocks and be sure to wear shoes!

The breezy, tropical fashion of locals can be enviable: Who wouldn’t want to spend their days in cool, palm-fiber hats and colorful fabrics? Visitors who want to emulate the tico style can look for goods at Diamante Boutique in Tamarindo, where light dresses and bathing suits—bikinis especially—fill the racks.

I took a boat trip out to Witch’s Rock and surfed the biggest and best waves of my life. I barely slept the night before because I knew the waves were going to be a challenge for someone at my skill level. After a few bad wipe outs on the biggest steepest waves I’d ever surfed I finally dropped in on a nice left. As i slid down the face the rail dug in and i saw open face ahead of me. My single fin was a little squirrelly on the bottom turn but I glided on until I angled up and over the shoulder to paddle back out to the line-up. I’ll remember those 10-15 seconds for a long long time.

We all decided to go to a local rodeo while we were staying in Tamarindo, Costa Rica for a few days. People were watching from not only above but below the grandstands. We decided to go below and while down there, I got this shot of a gaucho looking a little bored. While for us, this was a novelty--for him, it was likely a long night.

Beautiful evening sky looking back up Tamarindo Beach towards the El Diria hotel in Costa Rica.

You can’t come to Tamarindo and not spend some time on a board, as Playa Tamarindo has a wave for everyone. Here you’ll find surf shops aplenty, with lessons, rentals, clothing, gear and more. Rent a board by the hour (or two), the day or a week. Take a lesson. Or not. Whatever you decide, you’ll have fun playing in the surf and can revel in the fact that the water’s warm (no wetsuit needed), the bottom’s sandy (you can surf barefoot) and the waves are plentiful. It doesn’t get much better than this. As they say in Costa Rica, Pura Vida!

Boat cruises can be trite. A drink ticket, bag of chips and cruising in circles around a bay — if you’re lucky. But if you opt to sign up for an afternoon with Antares Sailing, departing from Playa Tamarindo, be prepared for a whole new boat cruise experience. Unlimited drinks. Gourmet food. (Think sesame tofu coleslaw salad, salmon hors d’oeuvres, steaming hot shrimp curry and more.) A mesmerizing performance by a French guitarist whose fingers know their way around the strings, for some improvised flamenco. Beyond the on-board festivities, you’ll enjoy weighing anchor for an hour or so near a remote beach where you can snorkel or float to your heart’s content. If you’re nice, the crew will even toss you an Imperial cerveza or two …

If you’re looking to cool off with a delicious beverage, you could go the cocktail route and have a mojito or margarita. Or you could opt for sangria. If so, look no further than Patagonia — Tamarindo’s Argentinean steakhouse (there’s also a sister seafood restaurant). Whether you go for a glass or a pitcher, choose from clerico (white) or rojo (red), made to order with the freshest tropical fruits (think bananas, strawberries, pineapple and more). If you’re at Patagonia around the lunch or dinner hour, make it a point to grab a bite. The empanadas are mouth-watering. So too is the skirt steak, which will melt like butter in your mouth — made even better with Patagonia’s homemade chimichurri sauce.

If you’re craving nightlife and a beach town feel, Tamarindo is the place to be. By far the most developed town in Guanacaste, you’ll be within walking distance of tons of shops, restaurants, and bars. The vibe is laid back and water sports are plentiful, but despite the crowds, the beach remains clean and fairly peaceful.