Tamarindo
Costa Rica · Guanacaste
Guanacaste's main beach town — consistent surf, walkable streets, sunset restaurants, and the closest of the surf towns to Liberia (LIR) airport. Popular with first-time Costa Rica visitors and surf schools at every block. Expect wind and dry sunshine December through April.
Overview
Guanacaste's most developed beach town — easy surf, easy access, and easy nightlife.
Tamarindo grew from a fishing village into Costa Rica's most accessible Pacific resort town — a 75-minute drive from Liberia airport, with beach-front restaurants, surf schools, and sunset bars lining a long crescent of golden sand. It's the easy first stop on a Guanacaste itinerary.
- Tamarindo Beach — beginner-friendly waves at high tide, longer rides at sunset
- Playa Grande — a 10-minute crossing, leatherback turtle nesting Oct–Mar
- Sportfishing — sailfish, mahi-mahi, and marlin out of a busy marina
- Day trips — Rincón de la Vieja volcano, Witch's Rock, Palo Verde NP
- Sunset cocktails — Pangas, El Vaquero, Surf Shack
Best time to visit
December through April for guaranteed sun and lively peak season. May through November delivers cleaner swells, deep-green hills, and softer crowds, with brief afternoon storms and warm nights.
Guides for Tamarindo
- Where to Stay in Tamarindo: The Ultimate Hotel Guide (2026) · Where to stay
- Things to Do in Tamarindo: Sort the Week by Where Each Tour Starts · Things to do
- Getting to Tamarindo: Land in Liberia, or Give San José Half a Day · Getting there
- Where to Stay in Tamarindo: the Strip, Langosta, or Playa Grande · Where to stay
- Tamarindo Turtle Tours: What the Park Allows Now, and What to Book Instead · Things to do
- Fishing in Tamarindo: Sailfish, Roosterfish & Snook on the Guanacaste Coast (2026) · Things to do
- Liberia Airport to Tamarindo: Shuttle, Taxi & Transfer Options (2026) · Getting there
Experiences
Tamarindo Estuary Boat Safari
From $52 per person
Sloth Watching, Coffee, Chocolate & Waterfall Experience
From $160 per person
Full Day Scuba Diving Islas Murciélago
From $360 per person
Scuba Diving Catalina Islands
From $140 per person
Snorkeling Catalinas Island
From $95 per person
Estuary Boat Tour
From $45 per person
La Leona Waterfall and River Tubing Tour
From $35 per person
ATV Tamarindo
From $135 per person
Waterfalls and Sloths
From $95 per person
ATV Tour
From $82 per person
Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP)
From $89 per person
Surf Lessons
From $89 per person
Sea Kayaking & Snorkeling Adventure
From $89 per person
Dune Buggy Tour
From $120 per person
See all 14 tours and activities in Tamarindo →
Getting around
Shared Shuttle: San Jose Airport (SJO) to Tamarindo
From $61 per person
Shared Shuttle: Monteverde to Tamarindo
From $72 per person
Shared Shuttle: Arenal / La Fortuna to Tamarindo
From $62 per person
Private Transfer: Manuel Antonio to Tamarindo
From $420 per vehicle (up to 4)
Private Transfer: Monteverde to Tamarindo
From $264 per vehicle (up to 4)
Private Transfer: Arenal / La Fortuna to Tamarindo
From $300 per vehicle (up to 4)
Private Transfer: Liberia Airport (LIR) to Tamarindo
From $120 per vehicle (up to 4)
Private Transfer: Liberia Airport (LIR) to Playa Flamingo
From $106 per vehicle (up to 4)
Private Transfer: San Jose Airport (SJO) to Tamarindo
From $480 per vehicle (up to 4)
Shared Shuttle: Liberia to Tamarindo
From $35 per person
Shared Shuttle: Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur
From $65 per person
Shared Shuttle: San Juan del Sur to Tamarindo
From $65 per person
Gallery
Practical facts
- Local time
- UTC-6 · Same time as Costa Rica
- Region
- Guanacaste
- Main language
- Spanish
- On the map
- 10.30° N, 85.84° W
Near Tamarindo
- Playa Flamingo · 16 km away
- Playa Hermosa · 35 km away
- Nosara · 42 km away
- Papagayo Gulf · 48 km away
- Liberia · 58 km away
- Samara · 58 km away
More of Costa Rica
Pura vida is a way of life in this small Central American republic where 28% of the land sits under protection.
Explore Costa Rica · Liberia · San Jose · Monteverde · Alajuela · Puntarenas
Where to stay
Villas Kalei
10/10 · 20 reviews
WET hotel - Adults Only
9.9/10 · 43 reviews
Pacific Kalokairi Adults Only
9.8/10 · 71 reviews
Villa Maravilla Estates, Tamarindo Beach, Prime Location, Family & Friends
9.8/10 · 53 reviews
Los Altos de Eros Boutique Hotel & Spa
9.8/10 · 48 reviews
House of Nomad - Adults only
9.8/10 · 20 reviews
Les Voiles Blanches Tamarindo
9.8/10 · 7 reviews
La Ramona Charming Hotel
9.6/10 · 983 reviews
BOHO Tamarindo
9.6/10 · 226 reviews
Sueño del Mar Beachfront Hotel
9.6/10 · 132 reviews