Potrero Beach, Guanacaste

Potrero Beach, in the canton of Santa Cruz Guanacaste, is a beach of dark sand and little surf, located just north of the Marinas de Flamingo.

It is one of the first beaches to be developed for tourism in the area, and has a real community of residents, most of whom work for the hotels, rental houses and villas in the area.

Pleasant family vacations

Due to its low surf, long sandy beach, Potrero is a favorite destination for those looking for a place with restaurants, bars, various types of hotels and other lodging options, as well as a wide variety of beach and ocean activities, including paddle boarding, boogey boards, boat tours, sailing catamarans and yachts.

Other beaches nearby

To the south is Playa Flamingo, famous for its beautiful white sand beach, as well as rock pinnacles at both ends, ideal for snorkeling.

To the north, there is Playa Penca, Prieta, Pan de Azúcar and Playa Danta, four equally beautiful white sand beaches. This in case you have transportation and want to visit the neighboring beaches.

How to get to Potrero Beach

Potrero is on the north side of the canton of Santa Cruz. The easiest way to get there is to drive from Libera or Nicoya to the Belen crossroads. Once there, you must enter towards the Ostes, and continue to the community of Huacas. Once in Huacas, follow the road to the Flamingo marina, and a few meters before, there is a junction to the right that leads directly to Potrero.

Hacienda Pinilla, Guanacaste

Hacienda Pinilla is a large beach community of luxury villas and vacation rentals situated on the ocean, south of Tamarindo Bay.

It is one of the most regarded beach community, with abundant green areas, wide open spaces, community services and privacy.

Beaches at Pinilla

Pinilla basically has two beaches for the enjoyment of the owners and visitors, Playa Mansita, which is a smaller beach with lots of rocky pinnacles, and Playa Avellanas Beach, a fantastic and very long beautiful white sand beaches that is world famous for surfing.

Community services and facilities

There are several services on site at Pinilla, including:

Community security, Golf, Wedding and Event venues, and a large and fantastic Club House, situated right on the beach, which offers an ocean view and beachfront restaurant and bar and large pool.

Vacation rentals at Pinilla

Pinilla offers a large number of luxury vacation rentals and villas, the vast majority in  Spanish Colonial architecture, blending in perfectly into the tropical dry forests that is the local vegetation in Guanacaste.

Pinilla is definitely perfect for clients looking for options other than hotels, especially in case of groups of friends, families with children or even couples that simply wish to have accommodation options that provide the independence and privacy a hotel could not offer.

Activities

There are many things to do while staying at Pinilla, from local activities such as playing Golf, walking through the vast grounds and watch nature and birds, snorkeling in one of the many rocky pinnacles located on the beach, surfing, surfing lessos, horseback riding and more options.

In case you wish to see even more activities, just a short drive from Pinilla is Tamarindo, a super popular beach community, which again, offers even more tours and activities, such as canopy tours, volcano trips and even guided tours to national parks.

Sailing is another popular activity, and chartering a private sailboat or catamaran is definitely one of the activities we recommend the most, especially in order to finish an unforgettable beach vacations in Guanacaste.

Papagayo Peninsula, Guanacaste

Papagayo Peninsula, located in the Canton of Carrillo-Liberia, is a small hilly peninsula located north of Culebra Bay.

Currently, Papagayo is home to a number of super luxury hotels and luxury ocean view homes (vacation rentals and luxury villas).

It is currently the most expensive beach destination in Costa Rica, with famous chains such as Four Seasons, Andaz, Pexs, Exclusive Resorts. The Mangroove, Planet Hollywood and others. Read more about the Gulf of Papagayo.

Scenic Beauty

The beauty of Papagayo is its large cover of dry tropical forests as well as its dramatic, intricate and shifting coastline. As a result, there are some of the most beautiful beaches in the area, including Virador, Navazcolito, Playa Huevos as well as the two beautiful Huevos Islands.

Culebra Bay

Culebra Bay, the bay that extends south of Papagayo, is also a fascinating ecosystem. Due to the geography, there is an almost total absence of waves in the area. And it can be said that it is practically a Tropical Fjord.

For this reason, it is also an ideal place to practice marine activities such as stand up paddle, windsurfing, snorkeling and diving.

Papagayo Marina

The Papagayo Marina is one of the largest marinas in Guanacaste, and has numerous slips, where several luxury yachts, boats, sailboats and catamarans are parked.

How to get to Peninsula de Papagaste

To get to Peninsula de Papagayo, the easiest way is by land, either from the Liberia airport or from San Jose.

To reach the end of the peninsula, it takes approximately 45 minutes from Liberia, with a road service in perfect condition.

Ocotal Beach, Guanacaste

Playa Ocotal is located south of Playas del Coco, and is a small beach of black sand, and many rock formations, especially on its south and north side. The rest of the beach is sandy, and ideal for swimming.

Until recently it was a relatively unspoiled beach, however, in the 1990s, hotels and spectacular beach houses (vacation rentals and luxury villas) began to be built, most of which are located on top of the hills, offering a breathtaking view of the sea.

Due to the absence of large waves, it is ideal for a relaxing vacation, where you can enjoy long swimming sessions, relax on the sand, or sunbathe.

Snorkeling, as well as paddle boarding, are two of the favorite activities, for the same reason. Especially during high tide is when the snorkeling is best, and colorful coral fish can be seen in the rock formations.

During low tide, natural pools are formed, which also offer snorkeling possibilities, especially for children.

For recreational options, such as bars, restaurants and supermarkets, it is advisable to make the short trip to Playas del Coco, where there are plenty of beachfront restaurants, bars and all the basic services, such as banks, clinics, stores and options to buy communication cards, such as sim cards and other items.

El Coco is famous for being a real fishing village, and was formed many years ago, so, also from a cultural perspective, it can be interesting a short visit, either during the day or during the evening hours, to perhaps enjoy a dinner in a typical restaurant, from seafood to other menus.

Las Catalinas, Guanacaste

Las Catalinas is located on Playa Danta Beach, in northern Guanacaste.

This amazing coastal resort village, offer the visitor a unique experience, one of beautiful architecture, beachfront location and first-class service.

The unique  design of Las Catalinas

Las Catalinas is a beautiful beachfront place with beach houses, shops, restaurants, small hotels and inns, pedestrian streets, plazas, parks, and recreational areas.

Based on  the principles of the New Urbanism movement—environmentally friendly design, walkable neighborhoods, intertwining private and public spaces—Las Catalinas offers a refreshing new scene for sustainable beach communities that are built to thrive and also, revolucionize the concept of what a luxury beach community should be.

The beach

Playa Danta is situated north of Potrero Beach, in the canton of Santa  Cruz. It is a smaller white sanded beach with magnificent natural surroundings and simply beautiful sand, calm waters, and great snorkeling opportunities.

Right behind the beach border is Las Catalinas, a small, intimate and newly built beach community, which offers several luxury rental homes, villas and vacation rentals.

This community offers local restaurants, bars, two hotels , and even shops and an ice cream parlor

Several ocean activities are also available, including the rental of paddle boards, snorkeling gear, booky boars and the rental of catamaran sailboats, monohull sailboats and luxury yachts.

How to get to Las Catalinas

Las Catalinas, and thereby Danta Beach, are located at the northernmost end of the Santa Cruz Canton beach extension. Situated past Potrero, Prieta, Pena and Sugar Beach, there is only one beach further north, which is Dantita.

You can reach the community by driving past the beach road of Potrero all the way north until you will automatically reach Las Catainas.

Hotels in the area

Two hotels, Santarena and Casa Chameleon, offer high end accommodation options. While Santarena is situated more on the beachside of the project, Casa Chameleon sits atop a hill with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean.