Guanacaste
Guanacaste is a province in Costa Rica.
Cities
Other destinations
Culture and History
Travel to Guanacaste, visa requirements
With the opening of the new international airport at Liberia in Guanacaste, you can now fly from many US gateways including Dallas, Houston, Miami and Atlanta directly to Guanacaste. From there you can drive or fly to all Pacific beach cities in a few hours.
To access Guanacaste's beaches from San Jose, a ferry can be taken from Puntarenas, a hot and unpleasant town with about 40,000 inhabittants, to the other side of the Golfo de Nicoya. From there, a long ride on poor pavement can take you to any number of great beaches. However, skipping the ferry and instead taking the Puente de la Amistad (literally "Bridge of the Friendliness") is probably prefferable. It's about four hours to most Guanacaste beaches from San Jose by car.
Get around
Many tourists like Tamarindo, Coco, Samara and Carrillo beaches. Samara is the home of a lively beach scene while Carrillo is a more family orientated community and home to one of the most beautiful resorts in the world, Las Ventanas del Mar. Other fantastic beaches are: Cuajiniquil, Ocotal, Pan de Azucar, Potrero, Flamingo, Brasilito, Conchal, Langosta, Avellana, Junquillal, Manzanillo, Ostinal, Nosara amongst many more. Dont go to Samara, Tamarindo, Coco or Carrillo just because those are most visited by tourists. You will get the most beautiful beaches and nature where you are not surrounded by hundreds of other tourists. Try some of the other beaches as well.
Guanacaste offers so much more than Beaches, like National parks (everything from wetlands to savannahs to volcoanoes) and not to forget Fantastic view.
Guanacaste attractions and sightseeing
This region offers a wide variety of activities, such as world class surfing and sport fishing along with volcano tours and horse country. It is famous for its fine and vibrant fiestas. Guanacaste is a tropical desert and you will see a great change of seasons here from the hot and dry to the wet and windy. It makes this part of Costa Rica so desirable with tourists and expats alike.
City tours
Guanacaste's beaches are famous as surfing destinations and have been since Playa Negra was highlighted in the movie Endless Summer II. The surf breaks in Playa Negra and Tamarindo in northwest Guanacaste have made that area a magnet for visitors and investors alike. The Sportfishing in Costa Rica is legendary, and many fishing boats sail from Guanacaste. There is Cloud Forest, Beach, Volcanoes, all for exploring on horseback. Naturally fed hot springs relax and invite. And world-class golf has arrived in Guanacaste as well, with the arrival of the Four Seatsons and San Jose Pinilla resorts, just to name two.
Good restaurants and cheap meals
Gallo Pinto (literally 'spotted rooster') is the national dish of rice and beans. You haven't visited Costa Rica till you've had it - with breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Guanacaste nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.
Local cervezas (beers) are Imperial and Pilsen. Both are worth a try!
Stay safe
Get out
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