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Your Complete Guide to Hermosa Beach, Costa Rica (Guanacaste)

Hermosa Beach in Costa Rica or Beautiful beach as it translates into English is located just 20 minutes away from Daniel Oduber International airport from Liberia and is one of the best-maintained strips of sand from the country.

You can reach the beach by car or by plane from San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica as Liberia airport has direct connections with San Jose International airport.

Across Costa Rican shores there are plenty of beaches with this name but the most beautiful and famous one is located in the Guanacaste region.

The other two Hermosa beaches from the country are located one in the central part of the country right near Jaco beach and the other one in the Nicoya Peninsula.

Hermosa beach Costa Rica Guanacaste is on the northern part of the Pacific Ocean coast and attracts thousands of visitors each year because of its stunning beach and relaxing atmosphere.

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Playa Hermosa beach in Costa Rica

Playa Hermosa beach in Costa Rica

 

The beach was awarded the Blue Flag prize or Bandera Azul, an award received only by the beaches that adhere to high standards of environment and safety facilities.

This 2 kilometres strip of sand covered with grey sand and surrounded by tropical forest, palm trees and the turquoise waters of the ocean is a great holiday destination for families, couples but also for sports lovers.

7 kilometres south of Costa Rica Hermosa beach is the beautiful beach called Playas del Coco, while Playa Panama is located within a short drive to the north of Playa Hermosa.

In the hilly area around the beach, there are many hotels and resorts which offer an amazing view of the ocean and are great places to spend your holiday.

There are many paved roads and alleys to get to the beach and some of them are packed with cafes and shops from where you can souvenirs or what you need for a day on the beach.

Vibe of Hermosa beach in Costa Rica

The great thing about Hermosa beach Costa Rica is that it is perfectly located and you are within minutes drive to the beach from the nearby towns.

The beach has a laid back atmosphere and it is never too crowded so you’ll find a great place to put your towel and enjoy the sun.

 

Costa Rica Hermosa beach black sand beaches in Costa Rica

Playa Hermosa Beach black sand beaches in Costa Rica

 

Because of the calm waters and the small waves, the beach is very popular among families with kids and couples.

There are plenty of restaurants and cafes in the nearby area where you can try the local dishes and sip a cocktail at the end of the day.

Unfortunately, Costa Rica Hermosa beach does not have a vibrant nightlife, but you can head to Playas del Coco if you are looking to party till late at night.

Activities in Costa Rica Hermosa beach

Besides perfecting your tan on one of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica, there are plenty of attractions and things to see while in the area.

Ziplining, horseback riding and catamaran tours are just some of the things which you can try in Playa Hermosa, but let’s take them individually and see more details about each of them.

Zip lining or canopy tours

In the area around Hermosa beach in Costa Rica can be found two important canopy tours or zip lines.

From heart-stopping cables and suspended bridges to kids-friendly courses, the tours are among the most popular attractions from the area.

The most interesting tour is located in the northern part of the Santa Rosa National Park and lasts for about 2.5 hours and covers more than 2 miles.

The other zip line is located right near Playa Ocotal and is shorter and lighter, perfect for families with kids.

Horseback riding

There are a few local companies that offer horseback riding tours across the jungle and the beach.

You will have the unique opportunity to discover hidden treasures like waterfalls, secluded beaches and incredible creatures.

 

Playa Hermosa beach Costa Rica

Playa Hermosa beach Costa Rica

 

You can pick from a half-day tour or a day tour but don’t go with the lowest price as some of the tour guides do not care a lot about their horses.

Catamaran tours

Costa Rica Hermosa beach is a great starting point for catamaran tours, a great way to admire the Guanacaste coastline.

Stay safe while you travel

  • medical safety abroad
  • medical assistance including COVID-19
  • emergency medical evacuation
  • trip interruption -up to $5.000
  • travel delay - up to $100/day

Most of the boats leave from Playas del Coco and last for half a day and include drinks and food and tourists can swim and snorkel in the ocean.

Snorkelling and scuba diving

Hermosa beach Costa Rica together with the Gulf of Papagayo are famous all over the country for being one of the best spots for scuba.

The area has many dive shops from where you can rent scuba diving equipment to explore marine life if you have a PADI certificate.

There are half-day and full-day trips in the nearby waters, great opportunities to spot the abundance of wildlife: octopus, eagle rays, white-tipped reef sharks, manta rays, bull sharks and many other marine species.

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Surfing

The calm waters of Hermosa beach in Costa Rica might not be the best for surfing, but Playa del Coco, located within 10 minutes drive is a great surf spot.

 

Costa Rica Surfing Beach

 

No matter if you are a beginner or an expert, the waves from this part of Costa Rica are perfect for this sport.

For experts, I would definitely recommend trying the waves from Ollie’s Point or Witch’s Rock that offers fast and hollow waves for unique experiences.

Bird and wildlife watching tours

With more than 300 species of birds and 150 species of mammals, Palo Verde National Park is one of the top attractions from the area.

It features 15 separate habitats and is a great place for walking around the rainforest and observing the diverse wildlife.

A few kilometres north of Palo Verde National Park is the Lomas de Barbudal Biological Reserve which hosts more than 250 species of bees, 70 different types of nocturnal butterflies and many other endangered species of animals.

The nearby forests of Costa Rica Playa Hermosa beach are home to many monkeys, coatis and birds that can be seen in their natural environment.

Hiking

For those for adventure, we recommend exploring the forests and the national parks around the sand beach: Santa Rosa National Park, Rincon de la Vieja National Park, Barra Honda National Park and Guanacaste National Park.

 

 

These are great places for hiking, observing wildlife and different species of trees and plants that live in this specific area.

Besides these activities and beautiful places to see around Hermosa beach Costa Rica, you can also book ATV tours, sport fishing, canoe and sea kayaking, jet skis, parasailing or boat tours in the waters around the beach.

Hotels in Playa Hermosa

The area is full of amazing hotels and cosy guesthouses where to set your camp and explore the area.

The ones that stand out are:

Conclusion

Playa Hermosa Costa Rica Guanacaste is a great place to spend a week away from home, perfecting your tan, exploring the lush rainforest or relaxing near an infinity pool with a cocktail in your hand.

This piece of heaven offers everything you can wish for and even more, having a wide range of activities that you can experience and many hectares of rainforest full of wildlife.

Grab your sun cream and your hut, hurry up and book your trip to this exotic place located right in the heart of Latin America.

Logistical tips and tricks for your trip

Book your accommodation
We always use Booking.com as they have the best price-quality ratio and they offer a wide range of hotels, guesthouses, apartments, and villas to choose from.

You will find here all types of accommodations, from the cheapest ones to the most luxurious.

Don't forget travel insurance
We never leave home without HeyMondo Insurance or Safety Wings Insurance as they offer the best services and a good value for money.

When we go for longer trips around the world we get Globelink Insurance as it offers a good cover for an affordable price.

Travel insurance will always protect you against unexpected costs caused by medical events like illness, injury, theft, or travel cancellation.

We never go on any trip without travel insurance and there were many cases when we had to use it.

Renting a car
We like to explore a country on our own and a car gives us the mobility and freedom to do that.

We always rent our car from Discovercars as they have free cancellation 48 hours prior to starting date and a wide range of car rental companies and options to choose from all over the world.

Tours and attractions
When we are looking for some adventure or we simply want to break up the monotony and discover new places, we always use GetYourGuide.

We love it because we always find the most amazing experiences, with free cancellation and a large variety of activities and tours to choose from.

Airplane tickets and holiday packages
Expedia is our ally when searching for the best price for airplane tickets as it works as an aggregator for a huge number of airlines and we always find the best price for our flights.

Travel tip: use Expedia when you are searching for holiday packages as they have many last-minute offers and great discounts for hotels, flights, and even the whole holiday packages.