Things To Do in Guanacaste Costa Rica—Your Guide to the Golden Beach Region

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Things To Do in Guanacaste Costa Rica—Your Guide to the Golden Beach Region

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So you’re in the planning stages of an upcoming trip to Costa Rica–how exciting! The Guanacaste or “Golden Coast” region of Costa Rica will genuinely surprise you and offer a unique perspective on the lush beauty of Costa Rica and its culture.
 
Everything from the perfect sunny weather to the marine life and beach town aesthetic of this area will refresh, revitalize, and show you just how beautiful life is on the Pacific coast.  
 
Plan your trip to Guanacaste, Costa Rica, using my fun and insightful guide below.

Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra costa to you. I only recommend or promote services and products that I’ve loved or would buy myself. 

Location

Guanacaste, Costa Rica, is the region within the dotted line and contains popular locations such as Tamarindo and Nosara.
 
The capital of this region is Liberia, where you will likely fly into if you are planning on specifically visiting this area.
 
In comparison to other regions in Costa Rica, Guanacaste is known for its perfect sunny weather year-round and Pacific beaches with golden sands and sunsets.

Check Out My Collection of Guanacaste Costa Rica Recommendations

🇨🇷Guanacaste Costa Rica Recommendations

Transportation

The superior option for getting around in nearly any situation is to rent a vehicle. If you have the means and are of the legal age to rent a car, this is the best choice for navigating Costa Rica, as it’s the most reliable and convenient option.
 
During my trip, the friends I made rented ATVs, which were ideal for off-roading, finding waterfall hikes, and getting around the general area. I’d recommend this option if you’re planning on staying in one location or even going to nearby towns, but I believe going coast-to-coast with a little ATV rental is not cool with most companies. 
 
If you are like me and are 1) too young to rent a car and 2) wanting to cut back on costs and find more budget-friendly options, then you can always resort to public buses and Uber (yes, Uber does work in Costa Rica; however, I wouldn’t say it’s very reliable).
 
My complicated non-linear fare from the airport to Samara was around $25 USD. For being over a two-hour trip with various vehicular changes, that amount is fairly cheap but; I could’ve saved so much time and money by simply booking an airport shuttle.
 
The linked option below is seriously only five dollars and includes a few other things amongst a designated drop off to your location. Little things like this make me realize I love to overcomplicate the things that don’t need to be.

Book the $5 Private Airport Shuttle

public bus in costa rica

Tips on Public Buses in Costa Rica

The majority of my trip was spent taking public transit, so I wanted to share a few tips on the public bus system:
 
1) The best way to get a schedule of the public bus routes and times is to find a picture of the schedule online or take a picture at one of the stations.
 
2) At larger stations (such as the Nicoya station), most of the buses are on time; at smaller bus stops (such as the few in Samara), almost every bus is about 10-20 minutes late. Due to this flexible period, I would still typically make it to the stop 5 minutes prior, just because I was never fully sure if the bus would be late. Just know, if your bus hasn’t arrived yet, it is coming–just much slower than you anticipated.
 
3) It is very common that bus drivers won’t stop at a stop if they think no one needs to be let off. Make sure you’re standing up and closer to a door so that the drivers can tell that someone needs to get off.
 
4) My last tip is that I’ve been to a few bus stops that won’t accept cards, so please be sure to save some change (they’ll even take US dollars) to make sure that you can pay for a ticket.

Incredible Beach Towns in Guanacaste

Samara Costa Rica

Samara, Costa Rica, is around 2 hours south of the Guanacaste Airport. It’s incredible for anyone looking for a tranquil beach town with beginner surfer waves and a small-local feel. What I absolutely loved about Samara was the sense of community you feel right off the bat, and as a solo traveler, it definitely made me feel more comforted. Samara is the beach town for you if you’re looking for an off-the-beaten-path gem.

Nosara Costa Rica

Nosara is the place for yoga, wellness, smoothies, and anything else you might think of that’s boho chic. In comparison to Samara, it is a bit more expensive, but definitely worth it to experience the expat community and beautiful beach town that Nosara is. Nosara is also a bit livelier, not in the nightlife scene, but rather in the morning-life scene. So many people wake up bright and early to get outside, get yoga or exercise in, and of course, try to catch nice morning waves.  

Santa Teresa + Tamarindo Costa Rica

I unfortunately was not able to experience either of these cute beach towns, but I wanted to give you a well-rounded beach town list. After my research, these two ranked very high on exceptional Costa Rica experiences.
 
Santa Teresa is a great spot for a retreat-style beach feel. It has trendy locations to eat and drink, and is very close to Montezuma, which is the notorious area known for the rainforest jungle and other jungle excursions. Santa Teresa is the place for you if you’re looking for the perfect peaceful getaway.
 
Tamarindo is another frequented location in Costa Rica. Tamarindo is known for having the surfing waves, just keep in mind that in comparison to other beach towns–Tamarindo’s surf is less beginner friendly. This beach town has a nice blend of social scene, outdoor activities, and natural beauty, the all-around ‘Pura Vida’ location.
 
For more information on these beach towns, check out this blog post, “Tamarindo vs. Santa Teresa”.
what to do in guanacaste costa rica

Things To Do in Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Dolphin Sightseeing & Snorkeling

I went on this marine life sightseeing/ snorkeling tour for my birthday and had such a special time.
 
We went out a few miles from the coast and saw dolphins pop up, then we went to a crystal clear part of the ocean to snorkel. This last part was the highlight of the whole excursion. Not only did I see some of the most vibrant schools of fish, but I swam right next to the largest turtle I’ve ever seen! As we went back in, our friendly tour guide cut us up fresh pineapple and gave more information about marine life on the Costa Rica coast.
 
I will mention that it’s important to note what time of the year you’re looking to book this excursion. I went in January, which is considered the “off-season” due to migration for larger marine life such as whales (which I didn’t know before my excursion).
 
Considering this, the best time to schedule a marine life expedition is in the “dry months,” which is from August to October, when you’ll get the best opportunity to not only see dolphins but also see humpback whales.

Book the Dolphin Sightseeing & Snorkeling Tour

Visit Any and Every Beach

Regardless of whether you’re staying in one town or not, most beach towns have more than just one beach spot, and they’re all worth exploring. Aside from the typical beach activities like swimming in the blue water and getting quality vitamin D, going to beaches is a great way to experience more of the culture.
 
Upon my trip to Costa Rica, I spent a lot of time at a few different beaches. On separate occasions, I met a group of people who I ended up playing soccer with, a kind old man who helped me trudge through high tide while carrying my things (this is a story for another time), and even a local who showed me around and had the same birth date as me–weirdly enough we met on our birthdays.
 
Being by the water is not only revitalizing but might lead you to befriend and make connections with people you would’ve never thought of.

Take Surfing Lessons

If you are spending more than a few days in one beach town in Costa Rica, seriously consider taking surfing lessons. Not only is surfing a great way to get some activity in, but it’s also a great way to challenge your mobility and balance, and how cool does it sound to say you learned how to surf in Costa Rica?
 
I’d recommend taking surfing lessons in beach towns that have easier waves and are less populated because you’ll likely have a smaller class size, meaning more support from the instructor.
 
Samara has been deemed by numerous instructors and websites to be one of the best locations for beginner surfers, if you’re feeling like you’re up for a bigger adventure, then book the lessons in Tamarindo.
 
Book Samara Surf Lessons
Book Tamarindo Surf Lessons

Ziplining Tour

Another activity high up on the recommendations is booking a ziplining expedition in any of Costa Rica’s rainforests. Even though the majority of towns in Guanacaste are beach towns, Guanacaste’s landscape transitions into a wetter climate right near Monteverde and is the door to incredible rainforests.
 
This eight hour canopy tour let’s you zipline over 11 different waterfalls, it has a thirty-minute off-roading experience with an optional swim activity, and provides adventurers with an authentic Costa Rican lunch. This is the ultimate Costa Rican experience if you are set on having the ziplining expedition of a lifetime.
 
Keep in mind that there are plenty of other highly rated ziplining experiences to book based on your budget, comfort level, and other personal factors. I always advocate that you do your own research to see what best suits you.
 

Book the Mega-Zipline Tour

With any bookings/excursions I’ve mentioned, keep in mind that it’s important to book these at least a month in advance, as spaces do fill up quickly, and I want to make sure you get the fullest experience from your trip!
 
Now that you have some ideas on what to plan for your Costa Rica trip, check out my post “Outfits to Pack for Costa Rica” for inspiration on how to pack for your upcoming adventure!
 
Thank you so much for reading my post on “Things To Do in Guanacaste, Costa Rica–Your Guide to the Golden Beach Region”. Happy exploring and happy traveling!
 
With love,

Trin 🌍📍