Vacation and Tours in Tamarindo
More on: Costa Rica Destinations
Tamarindo is a resort town on the Pacific coast in the Nicoya Peninsula in northwest Costa Rica, about a 4-hour drive northwest of San Jose and about three hours west of Arenal.
The town is home to about 8000 people (as of 2020), but at the peak of the tourist season, thousands more tourists are added to its population.
Tamarindo is famous for its popular surfing beaches, suitable for both beginners and more experienced surfers, and for its ecotourism. It is very popular with American tourists, both young people attracted to the surfing beaches and the variety of nightlife options, and older adults who find it reminiscent of Hawaii from fifty years ago before tourism there fully developed.
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In the town, there are plenty of surf clubs that provide surfing lessons and also rent out the required equipment.
Even those looking for a quiet and calm beach for swimming will find what they are looking for in the town and its immediate surroundings.
Besides surfing and spending time on the excellent beaches, you can also go kayaking in a river with mangroves, sail on a catamaran/boat and snorkel, explore the area on ATVs, ride horses, go ziplining, go on a fishing trip, go tubing in the river, watch sea turtles coming out of the sea to lay their eggs on the beach, spend time at the casino, and more.
The town has one long main street near the sea, with a variety of restaurants, souvenir shops, surf equipment shops, and hotels of all styles and levels. Several small streets branch off from this street. Everything is within close walking distance, so there is really no need for a car during your stay in the town.
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The small town offers 3.5 kilometers of beautiful sandy beach and deep-blue, warm water. It is surrounded by other amazing beaches within a short drive with plenty of indulgent resorts. Surfing enthusiasts from all over the world, but mainly from the USA, come here in droves. In November and December, the waves are at their highest, reaching up to 4 meters.
Arrival
The best and fastest way to get there is by a direct flight to the international airport near the city of Liberia, which is located about an hour and a quarter drive from Tamarindo.
Order a private transfer from the airport to Tamarindo: Private Transfer-Liberia airport
For those who have already landed in San Jose and traveled in the center of the country, they can travel to Tamarindo from San Jose by bus, but it is much better to use the large shuttle taxis of the Interbus company, which depart several times a day from San Jose, Arenal, and other destinations and will take you right to the hotel entrance in the Tamarindo area.
Recommended Accommodations in Tamarindo
The most successful hotel in the town, located right on the beach, is the Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort. This is a vast five-star resort with spacious and indulgent rooms, many of them overlooking the sea, lovely pools, a variety of quality restaurants, and a casino.
The hotel pool near the sea:
The view from the room balcony:
Other Recommended hotels:
JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa - A magnificent large five-star resort located on a wonderful, almost private sandy beach with great large pools. Adjacent to golf courses and tennis courts. A club with a pool, manicured gardens, and plenty of successful restaurants. Free guided bike tours of about an hour. Free internet and parking. Located about 6 km south of Tamarindo.
Tamarindo Bay Boutique Hotel - A four-star hotel about 500 meters from the sea. The hotel has a swimming pool and is immersed in tropical vegetation.
Hotel Arco Iris – A small three-star hotel, rich in tropical vegetation, with cute cabins of several sizes, a pool, and a restaurant. For those looking for a more modest and intimate place. Located a few hundred meters from the beach on one of the side streets.
Recommended Tours and Activities in Tamarindo:
Kayak Estuary Tour
A cruise up the river starting from the river mouth in the town near the beach. On both sides of the river are mangrove trees and at their feet are crowds of rainbow crabs. On the islands exposed at low tide, birds walk around eating reptiles that have come out for a stroll. Crocodiles also swim in the river, but most of the time they are hidden in their holes. After paddling for about an hour, you get off the kayak and walk among the trees where groups of monkeys run and howl. Among the trees are many holes in the ground from which colorful crabs often peek out. After a walking tour of about half an hour, you return to the kayak and paddle back to the starting point. During the cruise, you receive many explanations about the flora and fauna in the area and are impressed by the wild landscape. The duration of the trip is about three hours.
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♦ Kayaking in the nature park near Tamarindo - Kayak to the Heart of the National Park
Marlin del Rey Catamaran Tour
A five-hour cruise departing from the beach of Tamarindo from noon until sunset.
The cruise is held in a large catamaran that comfortably accommodates over thirty passengers. During the cruise, you can observe various marine animals such as sea turtles, dolphins, and in season, also whales. You sail for about an hour and a half to a quiet lagoon where you anchor for about two hours to swim and snorkel. You receive masks and fins, paddleboards, and floating sticks.
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♦ Cruise including snorkeling, lunch, and drinks - Tamarindo Snorkel & Sunset Cruise with Lunch
Starts at 13:30 and lasts about 4.5 hours.
The cruise includes unlimited soft and alcoholic drinks and lunch. On the way back, the sails are raised, and you sail with them while watching the sunset accompanied by good music.
ATV Tour by Fourtrax Adventure
A two-hour ATV tour between authentic villages and in fields north of Tamarindo, among herds of cows and abundant vegetation. Occasionally you will have to lift your legs to avoid getting wet as the path partly passes through giant puddles and water.
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♦ ATV Tour - ATV or Buggy Guided Tour from Tamarindo or Conchal
A tour of the beaches and mountains for two hours.
At the northern end of the route, you reach a charming bay with a pristine long sandy beach and calm water far from civilization. This is the place to rest and relax, soak in the warm water, and marvel at the view.
The tour is also suitable for those who have not previously experienced driving ATVs. You receive a detailed explanation of driving the ATV and conduct a guidance and learning round before starting the tour. You get a good helmet with a face shield for protection against dust.
Short video about the ATV tour:
Beer tour in Tamarindo with CR Limo Company
An indulgent beer tasting tour with transportation between the various breweries in a long limousine where refreshments and drinks are also offered. The tour is provided by the recommended company CR Limo Company, specializing in a variety of private tours in the area including private transfers in a limousine and/or off-road vehicle.
You visit three destinations: two breweries (owned by former Americans), one quite new and modern with invested equipment and structure, and the second also with quality equipment but in an open structure in its final stages of establishment. The third destination is a bar on the beach of Tamarindo where you also taste different types of beers from a brewery not located on the site itself.
At each site, every participant receives four glasses with different types of beers of their choice. At two of the places, you can also order food at an extra cost.
This is a recommended tour for beer lovers who can taste a wide variety of beers and a fairly large amount of beer.
Chocolate tour at a small chocolate factory with a botanical garden - Reina's Chocolate
The tour takes place in a home-based factory that produces small quantities of different types of chocolate. The place is located about a fifteen-minute drive from the center of Tamarindo. In the guided tour, you will learn the stages of chocolate preparation while participating in the various stages from peeling the cocoa beans through grinding them in a manual grinder several times until a liquid chocolate texture is obtained. Then you fill the chocolate into molds while adding selected flavors to each mold.
The tour includes chocolate tastings in a variety of flavors with explanations about their content, and tasting of chocolate drinks and tea. You also tour a diverse tropical fruit garden in the backyard.
It is recommended to buy chocolate bars in the flavors you liked on the spot.
Tour of Marino las Baulas National Park
A nature reserve located about 25 minutes' drive north of Tamarindo. This is a large and important nesting site for female sea turtles. Every year, many females arrive in the area to lay their eggs. The nesting season in this area lasts from November to April, so it is suitable for those arriving in Costa Rica in the dry season (unlike Tortuguero, where the nesting season is in the wet season between June and October). Visiting the site is only permitted with a local guide. In the reserve, there are several hiking trails where many species of animals and birds can be observed.