Tamarindo

Tamarindo is Costa Rica's premier beach town on the Pacific coast of Guanacaste - a vibrant surf destination with consistent waves, golden sand beaches, legendary sunsets, and a lively restaurant and nightlife scene. It's the ideal blend of beach culture, surf lifestyle, and Costa Rican pura vida.

Tamarindo beach is a long, sweeping crescent perfect for beginner to intermediate surfers, with several surf schools offering lessons and board rentals. Playa Grande, just north, is home to leatherback sea turtle nesting (October-March) and more challenging waves.

The town has evolved from a sleepy fishing village into a cosmopolitan beach community with international restaurants, craft cocktail bars, yoga studios, and boutique hotels. Despite the development, Tamarindo maintains its surf town soul with beach bonfires, sunset sessions, and a relaxed pace of life.

The best time to visit Tamarindo is December to April during the dry season, with sunny skies, warm temperatures, and consistent surf.

Dry season temperatures of 28-35°C are hot with minimal rain. Guanacaste is the driest province in Costa Rica. Surf is consistent year-round but best December-April.

The wet season (May-November) brings afternoon thunderstorms but also fewer crowds and lower prices. Mornings are usually sunny. Turtle nesting season (October-March) overlaps both seasons.