Tamarindo and Vicinity

Tamarindo, a former fishing village that has burgeoned into Guanacaste’s most developed (some would say overdeveloped) resort, offers prime wildlife viewing, a scintillating beach, surfing action, and a choice of accommodations spanning shoestring to sophisticated.

Recent years have seen a growth in robberies against tourists. Rental car break-ins are common. Drugs and prostitution have also encroached, and hustlers can be a nuisance.

MARINO LAS BAULAS NATIONAL PARK

Costa Rican beaches don’t come more beautiful than Playa Grande, a seemingly endless curve of sand (varying from coral-white to gray) with water as blue as the summer sky. A beach trail to the north leads along the cape through dry forest and deposits you at Playa Ventanas, with tidepools for snorkeling and bathing. Surf pumps ashore at high tide. Surfing expert Mark Kelly rates Playa Grande as “maybe the best overall spot in the country.”

The entire shoreline is protected within the 445-hectare Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas (a.k.a. Playa Grande Marine Turtle National Park), which guards the prime nesting site of the leatherback turtle on the Pacific coast, including 22,000 hectares out to sea. The beach was incorporated into the national park system in May 1990 after a 15-year battle between developers and conservationists. The park is the result of efforts by Louis Wilson, owner of Hotel Las Tortugas, and his former wife, Marianel Pastor. The government agreed to support the couple’s conservation efforts only if they could show that the site was economically viable as a tourist destination. The locals, who formerly harvested the turtles’ eggs (as did a cookie company), have taken over all guiding (each guide is certified through an accredited course). However, much of the land backing the beach has recently been developed with condos, homes, and hotels. While MINAE officials contemplate tearing down some of these for violating environmental laws, other officials reportedly have recently granted permission for a Best Western Hotel to be built. And fishing boats continue to trawl illegally and unpoliced within the sanctuary with landlines, which snag turtles!

The beach sweeps south to the mouth of the Río Matapalo, which forms a 400-hectare mangrove estuary. This ecosystem is protected within Tamarindo National Wildlife Refuge (Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Tamarindo, tel. 506/2296-7074) and features crocodiles, anteaters, deer, ocelots, and monkeys. Waterbirds and raptors gather, especially in dry season. The refuge’s ranger station is about 500 meters upriver from the estuary.

See THE LEATHERBACK TURTLE

The hamlet of Comunidad Playa Grande is on the main approach road, 600 meters inland from the beach. The sprawling woodsy community at the southern half of the beach is called Palm Beach Estates.

There’s now guarded parking ($2) at the main beach entrance; elsewhere car break-ins are an everyday occurrence. Don’t leave anything in your vehicle.

The El Mundo de la Tortuga (World of the Turtle museum) has closed.

Visiting the Turtles of Playa Grande

Turtles call at Playa Grande year-round. The nesting season for the giant leatherback is October-March, when females come ashore every night at high tide. Sometimes as many as 100 turtles might be seen in a single night. (Olive ridley turtles and Pacific green turtles can sometimes also be seen here, May-August.) Each female leatherback will nest as many as 12 times a season, every 10 days or so (usually at night to avoid dehydration). Most turtles prefer the center of the beach, just above the high-tide mark.

The beach is open to visitors by day at no cost, and by permit only with a guide at night in nesting season (6 P.M.- 6 A.M., $10 entrance with guide; the fee is payable on leaving the beach if turtles have been seen); anyone found on the beach at night without a permit in nesting season faces a $1,000 fine (second offense; first offenders are escorted off the beach). Guides from the local community roam the beach and lead groups to nesting turtles; other guides spot for turtles and call in the location via walkie-talkies. Visitors are not allowed to walk the beach after dusk unescorted. Groups cannot exceed 15 people, and only 60 people are allowed onto the beach at night at each of two entry points (four groups per gate, with a maximum of eight groups nightly): one where the road meets the beach by the Hotel Las Tortugas, and the second at the southern end, by Villas Baulas. Reservations are mandatory, although entry without a reservation is possible if there’s space in a group (don’t count on it, as demand usually exceeds supply). You can make reservations up to eight days in advance, or 8 A.M.-5 P.M. for a same-day visit. At certain times the waiting time can be two hours before you are permitted onto the beach; each night differs.

Marino las Baulas National Park

Resist the temptation to follow the example of the many thoughtless visitors who get too close to the turtles, try to touch them, ride their backs, or otherwise display a lack of common sense and respect. Flashlights and camera flashes are not permitted (professional photographers can apply in advance for permission to use a flash). And watch your step. Newborn turtles are difficult to see at night as they scurry down to the sea. Many are inadvertently crushed by tourists’ feet.

The park headquarters (Centro Operaciones Parque Nacional Marina las Baulas, tel./fax 506/2653-0470) is 100 meters east of Hotel Las Tortugas. It features an auditorium on turtle ecology. Viewing the film is obligatory for all people intending to witness the turtles nesting.

Sports and Recreation

Hotels and tour companies in the area offer turtle-watching tours (about $25) and a “Jungle Boat Safari,” aboard a 20-passenger pontoon boat that takes you into the mangrove-rich Tamarindo Wildlife Refuge ($30).

Hotel Las Tortugas (tel. 506/2653-0423, www.lastortugashotel.com) rents surfboards ($15-35) and boogie boards ($10 per day) and has canoe tours of the estuary ($30 solo, $55 guided). Pura Vida Café (tel. 506/2653-0835) offers surf lessons ($50), as does Frijoles Locos (tel. 506/2652-9235, www.frijoleslocos.com), at the entrance to Playa Grande; it’s the best stocked surf store around. Next door, El Frijol Feliz Day Spa (tel. 506/2652-9236) can soothe weary muscles with a relaxing massage.

Playa Grande Surf Camp

The Hotel Bula Bula Beach Club (tel. 506/2653-0975 or U.S. tel. 877/658-2880, www.hotelbulabula.com) at the south end of the beach, has funball, volleyball, ocean kayaks, boogie boards, and boules.

Accommodations

Camping is not allowed on the beach. You can camp at Centro Vacacional Playa Grande (tel./fax 506/2653-0834, $5 pp) at Comunidad Playa Grande; it has showers and toilets. It also has 12 two-bedroom cabinas with private bathrooms with cold water only; eight have kitchenettes ($15 pp fan, $20 pp a/c). There’s a restaurant, pool, and free laundry.

For backpackers, I recommend Playa Grande Surf Camp (tel. 506/2653-1074, www.playagrandesurfcamp.com, $15 pp dorm, $25 pp cabins). It has three small but delightful, air-conditioned, wood-and-thatch cabins on stilts, plus two A-frames, including a dorm with screened windows. The courtyard has a pool and thatched shade areas with hammocks, plus there’s Wi-Fi, board rental, and surf lessons.

The Playa Grande Inn (tel./fax 506/2653-0719, www.playagrandeinn.com, $50 s/d room, $75 suite), a handsome surf camp with eight impeccably clean, simply appointed rooms in an all-wood two-story structure. There’s a pool, whirlpool tub, and a lively bar. You can also rent an apartment.

There were two striking newcomers in 2008. First is the Italian-run Sol y Luna Lodge (tel. 506/8893-0198, www.solylunalodge.net, $30- 40 pp), one kilometer inland of the beach. This lovely place has eight tree-shaded thatched cabins (for four or six people) with cable TVs, Indonesian batiks, ceiling fans, mosquito nets, verandas, and nice modern bathrooms with whirlpool tubs. A rustic restaurant was being added beside the landscaped pool with rock-wall hot tub and water cascade. Two smaller cabins are air-conditioned and have king-size beds. It has Wi-Fi.

And the Playa Grande Surf Hotel (tel. 506/2653 -2656, www.playagrandesurfhotel.net, $75 standard, $95 deluxe, $175 suite low season, $125 standard, $150 deluxe, $275 suite high season) belies its name. This modern, two-story, Spanish colonial-style hotel is the most stylish around, with a hip contemporary aesthetic to its rooms and suites, all with flat-screen TVs, Wi-Fi, and air-conditioning. A sushi restaurant was to open in 2009.

Another excellent bet is the ecologically sound Hotel Las Tortugas (tel. 506/2653-0423, www.lastortugashotel.com, $35 s/d economy, $50-60 s/d standard, $85 suite low season; $50 economy, $80 standard, $120 suite high season), a comfortable ecolodge. The 12 rooms vary markedly, though all have air-conditioning, pewter-colored stone floors, orthopedic mattresses, cable TV, Wi-Fi, and private baths with hot water. A new suite and some standard rooms have lovely patios and hammocks. The hotel has a turtle-shaped swimming pool with sundeck, plus a large whirlpool tub and a quiet palm-shaded corner with hammocks. (Since newborn turtles are attracted to light and adults can be disoriented by it, there are no ocean views to the south, where the nesting beach is.) The restaurant is a highlight, with an outdoor patio and great food. The hotel rents surfboards and canoes for trips into the estuary ($55 half day) and has horseback riding ($40) and a mangrove boat tour ($25). Louis, the delightful owner, has added eight “student” rooms with bunk beds and shared hot-water shower facilities ($15 s, $20 d).

I like the aesthetic at the RipJack Inn (tel. 506/2653-0480, www.ripjackinn.com, $60 s/d standard, $80 s/d cabina low season, $80/100 high season), with eight simply appointed rooms graced by Guatemalan fabrics. The open-air restaurant, Upstairs @ the RipJack, serves nouvelle Costa Rican fare and has ocean views. Yoga fans will appreciate the yoga studio.

I adore the Hotel Bula Bula (tel. 506/2653-0975 or U.S. tel. 877/658-2880, www.hotelbulabula.com, $95 s/d low season, $120 s/d high season), in lush gardens adjoining the mangrove estuary, two kilometers south of Las Tortugas. This attractive place is in the hands of two vivacious U.S. entrepreneurs, one a professional restaurateur. The 10 air-conditioned rooms are fabulous, with rich color schemes, king-size beds with orthopedic mattresses, batik wall hangings, plus fans, fresh-cut flower arrangements, batik sarongs for use by the pool, and a shady balcony. The rooms surround a pool in a landscaped garden. It has a stage for live music. The excellent restaurant and bar (with Wi-Fi and loaner lap-tops) are popular with locals. A free water-taxi to Tamarindo is available.

Playa Grande is a great place to kick back in your own home. The French-run Hotel Manglar (tel. 50 6/2653 - 0952 , www.hotel-manglar.com) has 10 apartments that surround a lovely amoeba-shaped pool. However, in spring 2008, several private homes, most of which double as vacation rentals, were to be torn down as they lie within the 50-meter zone.

For greater intimacy, and great for families, try Casa Verde (tel. 506/2653-0481, casaverdecr@ yahoo.com, $135 room, or $285 entire house), a lovely modern home with pool. Three simply appointed, air-conditioned rooms with cable TV have glass sliding doors opening to broad eaves shading terra-cotta patios. One room has a king-size bed and kitchen.

Food

You don’t have to leave the beach to eat. Just pop up to Taco Star (9 A.M.-sunset), a grill at the park entrance. Jay sells burgers and more. Here, too, the Hotel Las Tortugas has an airy restaurant (7:30 A.M.-9:30 P.M. daily) serving an eclectic menu; leave room for the apple pie and ice cream.

Inland, Centro Vacacional Playa Grande has an inexpensive soda selling típico dishes.

For true gourmet fare, head to the elegant Great Waltinis (5:30-8:30 P.M. Tues.- Thurs., 5:30-9 P.M. Fri.-Sat.) restaurant at Hotel Bula Bula. It serves international cuisine, including quesadillas, chicken wings, shrimp and crab cakes, plus such superbly executed dishes as duckling with mango chutney ($14), filet mignon ($16), and filet of ahi tuna sautéed with white wine and garlic butter ($12). Leave room for the “Siberia” chocolate drink-dessert. Avoid the superb killer martinis if you’re driving!

You can stock up at Super Pura Vida, in Comunidad Playa Grande, or at Super Malinche (tel. 506/2653-0236), which has a thatched seafood restaurant attached.

Getting There

From Flamingo, road access is via Matapalo, six kilometers east of Playa Grande (turn left at the soccer field in Matapolo). A rough dirt road also links Tamarindo and Playa Grande via Villareal. The Flamingo-bound buses from San José and Santa Cruz stop in Matapalo, where you can catch a taxi or the bus that departs Santa Cruz at 6 A.M. and 1 P.M.; the return bus departs Playa Grande at 7:15 A.M. and 3:15 P.M.

Tamarindo Shuttle (tel. 506/2653-2727) charges $24 for “door-to-door” service from Liberia airport; a taxi will cost about $80.

The Asociación de Guías Locales (tel. 506/2653-1687, 7 A.M.-4 P.M.) offers water-taxi between Tamarindo and a dock on the estuary near the Hotel Bula Bula every two hours ($3).

Return to HIGHLIGHTS

TAMARINDO

Playa Tamarindo, eight kilometers south of Huacas, is Nicoya’s most developed beach resort and is especially popular with backpacking surfers. The gray-sand beach is about two kilometers wide, and very deep when the tide goes out—perfect for strolling and watching pelicans dive for fish. It has rocky outcrops, good for tidepooling. There’s a smaller beach south of the main beach, with tidepools and relatively fewer people. Riptides are common, so ask locals in the know for the safest places to swim. The Río Matapalo washes onto the beach at its northern end, giving direct access to the Tamarindo Wildlife Refuge via the Estero Palo Seco; a boatman will ferry you for $0.50. You can also wade across at low tide, although crocodiles are sometimes present, as they are in the mangroves at the eastern end of Playa Tamarindo.

To the south, separated by a headland from Playa Tamarindo, is the rapidly evolving, more upscale Playa Langosta, a beautiful white-sand beach that stretches beyond the wide estuary of the Río Tamarindo for several kilometers.

Tamarindo has changed beyond recognition in the past decade, metamorphosing from a sleepy surfers’ hangout to a full-blown resort, with uncontrolled development in the past few years. High-rise condominiums have arrived, as have shopping malls. But most roads remain unpaved—dusty as hell in dry season and deplorably potholed with vast pools of mud in wet season. Fecal contamination of the ocean has reached dangerous levels. And prostitutes, drug dealers, and a serious crime wave are now part of the scene.

Entertainment and Events

Costa Rica’s annual International Music Festival is hosted in July and August at Hotel Cala Luna and Villa Alegre B&B.

The Monkey Bar, at Tamarindo Vista Villas (tel. 506/2653-0114), has Monday night football, with free shots at touchdowns; Wednesday is ladies’ night, with free cocktails for the gals; Thursday is all-you-can-eat pasta; on Friday, the Monkey Bar is still popular for tequila shooters night.

At last visit the no-frills open-air Pacifico Bar (formerly Mambo) in the village center was a happening spot on Sunday for reggae night; it has a pool table and music but has had a history of drawing hookers, druggies, and a raffish crowd. Babylon, an outdoor bar, hops on Thursday (reggae night), although reportedly it can get violent after midnight! Less salacious, the Rey Sol Disco Bar (tel. 506/8301-3609, Fri.-Tues.) is the happening dance scene for the surf crowd; it recently added a huge video screen; Monday is ladies’ night, Wednesday is martini night, and hip-hop fans should head there on Fridays. Across the street, the Voodoo Lounge (tel. 506/2653-0100, www.elvoodoo.com, 6 P.M.-1 A.M.) has Brazilian acoustic and carnavale nights on Monday and Wednesday, respectively. And if you expect the Copacabana Beach Bar to have live Brazilian music, you won’t be disappointed; go at sunset on Wednesday and Sunday. Meanwhile, La Barra Music Bar (tel. 506/2653-0342) hits the groove with Latin Night on Wednesday, and reggae and hip-hop on Saturday.

For details on TAMARINDO map, click here

beach massage, Tamarindo

I expect Bar 1 (tel. 506/2653-2586, www.bar1tamarindo.com, 6 P.M.-2 A.M.), which opened in November 2008 upstairs in Plaza Tamarindo, to rocket to popularity among martini-sipping city-slickers. Open-air, it has hip black-and-white New York styling. DJs spin on weekends, it shows movies on Tuesday, and it has ladies’ night on Thursday. It was adding a sushi restaurant.

And the opening of Aqua Discoteque (tel. 506/2653-2782. 10 P.M.-2:30 A.M.) raised the bar with its sexy styling; Monday is ladies’ night, with free drinks.

The best sports bar is Sports Bar Surf Club, in Playa Langosta, with several pool tables and a classy ambience.

There are casinos at the Barceló Playa Langosta (8 P.M.-3 A.M.) and Tamarindo Diría, in Plaza Colonial (6 -11 P.M.).

You can surprise your significant other for his or her birthday by hiring any of several Nicaraguan mariachi trios that solicit customers on the beach and main boulevard.

Sports and Recreation

Tamarindo Adventures (tel. 506/2653-0108, www.tamarindoadventuras.com) specializes in ATV tours and kayaking.

Blue Dolphin Sailing (tel. 506/2653-0446, www.sailbluedolphin.com) offers day and sunset cruises, plus snorkeling aboard a 12-meter catamaran, as do Mandingo Sailing (tel. 506/ 2653-2323, www.tamarindosailing.com) and Seabird Sailing (tel. 506/8381-1060, www.seabirdsailng.com).

Fishing outfitters include Tamarindo Sportfishing (tel. 506/2653-0090, www.tamarindosportfishing.com) and Papagayo Excursions (tel. 506/2653-0227, www.papagayoexcursions.com), which also has ATV tours, horseback trips, kayak trips, windsurfing and scuba diving, plus surf tours.

A dozen or so other outlets cater to surfers. Blue Trailz (tel. 506/2653-1705, www.bluetrailz.com) is considered the best. Iguana Surf (tel. 506/2653-0148, www.iguanasurf.net) rents surf boards, offers surf-taxi service to out-of-the-way surfing spots, and has surf lessons, as does Witch’s Rock Surf Camp (tel. 506/2653-1262, www.witchsrocksurfcamp.com), which also offers weeklong and nine-day surf packages.

For diving, contact Agua Rica Diving Center (tel. 506/2653-0094, www.aguarica.net), which has dives and snorkeling from $50.

You can rent horses ($10 per hour) at Hotel Capitán Suizo, which offers guided rides, as does Painted Pony Guest Ranch (tel. 506/2653-8041, www.paintedponyguestranch.com), at Portegolpe.

Off Road Adventures (tel. 506/2653-1968, www.offroadcostarica.com) offers day trips in open-air Toyota four-wheel-drive vehicles.

Tennis buffs can get in the swing at the Tamarindo Tennis Club (tel. 506/2653-0898, www.tamarindotennisclub.com, 7:30 A.M.-9 P.M. daily), which has lessons and clinics.

There’s even a skateboard park now, opposite Villas Macondo.

Shopping

There’s no shortage of boutiques and roadside stalls selling quality souvenirs. For something unique, check out Tamarindo Beach Cigar Lounge (tel. 506/2653-0862), where Nicaraguan rollers produce superb-quality cigars, including a robust “Espresso” brand, made of Cuban leaves aged with espresso beans, and “La Flor de Palmar,” sold in a box in the form of a traditional Costa Rican ox-cart ($178 for 25 Churchills). It has a smoking lounge.

Accommodations

Tamarindo has dozens of options; those listed here are recommended in their price bracket. There are many more hotels than can be listed here.

UNDER $25

Backpackers are spoiled for choice. My favorite place is Hostel La Botella de Leche (tel. 506/2653-2061, www.labotelladeleche.com, $10 pp dorm, $20 s, $35 d private room low season, $12 pp dorm, $30 s, $36 d high season), one of the most popular surfers’ and backpackers’ spots in the country. It is run to high standards by a delightful Argentinian woman, Mariana “Mama” Nogaro; her son Wences offers surfing tuition. The place (now in its third location) is painted like a Holstein cow! It has a laundry, a delightful lounge, a large common kitchen, plus surf rental, Internet and Wi-Fi, and lockers. It has three dorms, plus six private rooms for up to four people.

Another great bet is the beachfront Witch’s Rock Surf Camp (tel. 506/2653-1262, www.witchsrocksurfcamp.com, from $1,100 for seven days), a lively place with great ambience. It has clean, colorful, nicely appointed oceanfront rooms, plus a swimming pool, game rooms, thatched restaurant, lockers, a surf shop, and surfing lessons. It specializes in one-week surf packages.

The equally impressive Blue Trailz Surf Camp (tel. 506/2653 -1705, www.bluetrailz.com) and Tamarindo Backpackers (tel. 506/2653-2753, www.tamarindobackpackers.com) compete.

$25-50

Readers rave about Villas Macondo (tel. 506/2653-0812, www.villasmacondo.com, $25 s or $30 d with fan, $45 s or $50 d with a/c, $70-105 apartment low season; $35 s or $40 d with fan, $55 s or $65 d with a/c, $105-140 apartment high season), run by a German couple. This delightful spot has five colorful albeit simply appointed double rooms with ceiling fans. Four larger rooms have air-conditioning. Or, choose spacious, fully equipped, two-story one- or two-bedroom apartments. There’s a community kitchen, and you can cool off in a kidney-shaped pool.

$50-100

French-run La Laguna del Cocodrilo Hotel (tel. 506/2653-0255, www.lalagunadelcocodrilo.com, $45-90 s/d low season, $60-115 s/d high season) has a unique location: the natural back garden merges into the adjacent lagoon with crocodiles. The hotel remodeled and went more upscale in 2008 and has added a restaurant and lounge. It has 12 air-conditioned rooms and two ocean-view suites, all with cable TV and minimalist but charming decor including terra-cotta tile floors, batik wall hangings, ceiling fans, and beautiful glazed bathrooms with hot water. Some rooms have stone terraces facing the beach. It has a bakery.

In the center, Hotel Zully Mar (tel. 506/ 2653-0140, http://zullymar.com, $41 s or $46 d low season, $56 s or $61 d high season) has raised itself from shoestring status and is now a well-run property with 27 clean rooms (eight with a/c, refrigerator, and safe) with private baths, though most still have cold water. The old wing is still popular with backpackers (despite being overpriced), though a newer wing has metamorphosed Zully Mar into a simple albeit stylish hotel with a pool.

The attractive Hotel/Bar/Restaurante El Milagro (tel. 506/2653-0043, www.elmilagro.com, $67 s or $72 d low season, $87 s or $92 d high season) has charm. The 32 modern conical cabinas—set in soothing, breezy, landscaped grounds with a swimming pool—have air-conditioning and private baths with hot water. A restaurant serves seafood under the watchful guidance of European management. There’s also a kids’ pool. Rates include breakfast.

Domus Kahuna (tel. 506/2653-0648, www.domuskahuna.com, $50 s or $60 d rooms, $75 one-bedroom apartments, $115 two-bedroom apartments low season; $60 s, $75 d room, $115 one-bedroom apartments, $155 two-bedroom apartments high season) has three simply furnished one-bedroom and three two-bedroom apartments in a landscaped garden. Rough-hewn timbers add a nice note to the earth-tone structures, with classic Central American architectural hints. It has free Wi-Fi and a swimming pool.

I like the new beachfront La Palapa (tel. 506/2653-0362, www.lapalapatamarindo.com, $65 s, $75 d), tucked up to the beach in the village center. Its compact loft bedrooms are endearingly furnished and have cable TVs, minibars, and safes. It has an enviable location, and a pleasing restaurant with bar. Nice!

The exquisite, Italian-run, canary-yellow Luna Llena (tel. 506/2653-0082, www.hotellunallena.com, $75 s/d standard, $89 bungalows low season; $90 standard, $109 bungalows high season) has air-conditioned rooms and bungalows around an alluring swimming pool with swim-up bar and a raised wooden sundeck with a whirlpool tub. Stone pathways connect sponge-washed conical bungalows done up in lively Caribbean colors and tasteful decor, including terra-cotta floors; a spiral staircase leads to a loft bedroom, and the semicircular bathrooms are marvelous. There’s a small restaurant and a laundry. Rates include tax and breakfast (the seventh day is free).

Past guests who remember the old Cabinas Arco Iris won’t recognize the new Hotel Arco Iris (tel. 506/2653-0330, www.hotelarcoiris.com, $79 s/d bungalows, $89 s/d deluxe rooms low season; $89 bungalows, $99 deluxe rooms high season) under its new owner. The two highlights are the gorgeous wood-and-stone pool deck with lounge chairs, pool, and the superb Seasons Restaurant. Black stone pathways link the five bungalows and four upstairs deluxe rooms in sepia-toned units with timber supports. The lovely yet simple aesthetic combines chocolates and creams, and all rooms have TV, refrigerator, and gorgeous contemporary bathrooms with slate walls and stylish fixtures.

$100-200

Down by the shores, Hotel Tamarindo Diría (tel. 506/2653-0031, www.tamarindodiria.com, $182-230 year-round) ranks in the top tier with its quasi-Balinese motif and rich color scheme, although locals complain that it dumps waste matter directly into the sea. The lobby, boasting Guanacastecan pieces and elegant rolled-arm chaise lounges, opens to an exquisite horizon pool with fountains, with lawns and ocean beyond. It has 113 pleasantly furnished air-conditioned rooms (including 47 deluxe and 28 premium) with terra-cotta tile floors. Some have a whirlpool tub, and many are wheelchair accessible. A large and airy restaurant with a beautiful hardwood ceiling opens onto an expansive bar and outside cocktail terrace. It has a kids’ pool, tennis courts, a small casino, golf driving range, and a boutique, plus sportfishing and tours.

The Hotel Pasatiempo (tel. 506/2653-0096, www.hotelpasatiempo.com, $89 s/d standard $109 deluxe, $119 suites low season; $109 s/d standard $119 deluxe, $139 suites high season) has 11 attractive, spacious, well-lit, thatched, air-conditioned cabins around a pool in pretty grounds full of bougainvillea, bananas, and palms. Note the beautiful hand-carved doors and hand-painted murals in each room. It has a book exchange, table games, and snorkeling gear. The Yucca Bar hosts live music.

The overpriced, hillside, all-suite Tamarindo Vista Villas (tel. 506/653-0114, fax 506/653-0115, www.tamarindovistavillas.com, $144-194 s/d low season, $159-209 s/d high season) offers 32 handsomely appointed, oceanview, air-conditioned one- to three-bedroom suites with full kitchens and spacious verandas. The property has a swimming pool with waterfall, swim-up bar, open-air poolside restaurant, and disco.

Wow! That was my first reaction to 15 Love Contemporary Bed & Breakfast (tel. 506/2653-0898, www.15lovebedandbreakfast.com, $95 s/d room, $115 suite low season; $125 room, $155 suite high season), at the Tamarindo Tennis Club. Tucked in a courtyard with plunge pool, wooden deck, and sexily sinuous bar, this hip minimalist inspiration has just three rooms and a suite, each with lovely, clean, crisp, colorful, contemporary decor and orthopedic king-size beds, plus flat-screen TV and Wi-Fi. Stylish to the max! You can rent the entire place.

City-style sophistication is also a hallmark at Hotel Jardín del Edén (tel. 506/2653-0137, www.jardindeleden.com, $110 -150 s/d rooms, $190 suite, $140-170 apartment), on a bluff overlooking Tamarindo. Truly a hillside “garden of Eden,” it earns laurels for the chic and amorous tenor of its 34 rooms and two villas with gracious contemporary flair, and spacious terrace-porches offering ocean views. Rooms are themed in regional styles: Japan, Tunisia, Mexico. A stunning pool with swim-up bar, whirlpool tub, and a large sundeck with shady ranchitos are set in lush gardens floodlit at night in a quasi-son et lumière. The restaurant is one of the best in town. Rates include buffet breakfast.

Not quite as classy, but still a great bet, is the colorful Cala Luna Hotel and Villas (tel. 506/2653-0214 or 800/503-5202, www.calaluna.com, $170 s/d room, $345-465 villa low season; $205 s/d room, $410-520 villa high season), at Playa Langosta. Spanish tile and rough-hewn timbers add to the cozy New Mexico-Central American style. The 20 hotel rooms, 16 garden villas, and five master villas surround a pool in a small landscaped garden. King-size beds, cable TVs, and CD players are standard, and each villa has its own pool. There’s a boutique and tour desk, pool bar, plus an evocative candlelit restaurant. Tours, horseback rides, and fishing trips are offered.

I love the Sueño del Mar Bed and Breakfast (tel. 506/2653-0284, www.sueno-del-mar.com, $150-195 low season, $195-240 high season), a truly exquisite Spanish colonial house with four rooms cascading down a shaded alcove to a small landscaped garden that opens onto the beach. Each is cool and shaded, with rough-hewn timbers, whitewashed stone walls, terra-cotta tile floors, security boxes, screened arched windows with shutters, and tasteful fabrics. Most have exquisite rainforest showers. The huge upstairs suite is a true gem, with all-around screened windows, mosquito net on the four-poster bed made of logs, and a Goldilocks’-cottage feel to the bathroom with rainforest shower with gorgeous tilework. It also has a casita for four people. A small landscaped pool and wooden sundeck has been added, along with thatched shade area with hammock, perfect for enjoying cocktails and bocas. Complimentary snorkel gear, boogie boards, and bikes are available. I also love Villa Alegre (tel. 506/2653-0270, www.villaalegrecostarica.com, $150-195 low season, $170-230 high season), a contemporary beachfront bed-and-breakfast run by gracious hosts Barry and Suzye Lawson from California, who specialize in wedding and honeymoon packages. The main house has lofty ceilings, tile floors, lots of hardwood hints, a magnificent lounge with library, and four air-conditioned bedrooms with French doors opening onto a private patio. Two casitas—one sleeping four people—each have a living room, bedroom, and small but fully equipped kitchen. The rooms are individually decorated with the globetrotting couple’s collection of art, rugs, and miscellany. The Mexico and Russia rooms are wheelchair-accessible. A vast veranda overlooks a swimming pool, with a thatched bar serving bocas. Rates include breakfast.

If large-scale resorts are your thing, the handsome Barceló Playa Langosta Resort & Casino (tel. 506/2653-0363, www.barcelo.com, from $95 per person low season, from $130 high season), is Tamarindo’s first mega-resort. It sits above the river estuary. It has 240 rooms in three categories in nine two- and three-story blocks arrayed around a freeform pool, with a whirlpool for 30, set in lush landscaped grounds. It has a casino, boutique, tour desk, and tours. Rates include tax.

Seeking a self-catering rental? One of my favorites is Casa Cook (tel. 506/2653-0125, http://casacook.net, $150-250), about one kilometer west of town, with three one-bedroom casitas with a pool and patio. Other choices include two large bedrooms with private baths in the main house and an apartment added in 2007. Alternately, try The Surf House (tel. 506/2255-0448, www.thesurfhouse.com, from $140 per night) or look to Vacation Rentals of Tamarindo (www.vacationrentalsoftamaraindo.com).

OVER $200

My preferred place to rest my head is the Swiss-run Capitán Suizo (tel. 506/2653-0075, www.hotelcapitansuizo.com, $130-150 s/d rooms, $180-220 bungalow, $300-375 suite low season; $190-210 s/d rooms, $250-290 bungalow, $365-525 suite high season), a deserving member of the Small Distinctive Hotels of Costa Rica. Beach-loving cognoscenti will appreciate the resort’s casual sophistication. Even the local howler monkeys have decided this is the place to be! Pathways coil sinuously through a botanical Fantasia to a wide sundeck and large amoeba-shaped pool with a faux beach shelving gently into the water. The lovely 22 rooms and eight bungalows (some lack air-conditioning) have natural gray-stone floors and deep-red hardwoods, halogen lamps, and soft-lit lanterns for a more romantic note. Spacious bungalows have mezzanine bedrooms with king-size bed and huge bathrooms with “rainforest” showers and whirlpool tubs. The wood-paneled Honeymoon Suite has a king-size bed in its own loft. The bar and restaurant are among Tamarindo’s finest. Capitán Suizo has its own horse stable ($20 first hour, $10 each extra hour), plus kayaks, boogie boards, and a game room.

Yoga anyone? Panacea de la Montaña (tel. 506/2653-8515, www.panaceacr.com, $160 s or $240 d low season, $188 s or $260 d high season, including all meals) is a holistic yoga and wellness retreat in the mountains outside Tamarindo, with delightful Tuscan-style cabins and gourmet fare.

Alternately, the supremely deluxe Los Altos de Eros (tel. 560/8850-4222, www.losaltosdeeros.com, $395-495 s/d) graces an 11-hectare estate outside town. This Tuscan-style villa boasts six gorgeous rooms (four poolside), including a two-bedroom suite; all are done up in pure white and are exquisitely romantic. Dinners are served twice weekly. The inn specializes in yoga in a thatched ashram, plus health and beauty treatments in a full-service spa.

Food

Tamarindo is blessed with some of the most creative restaurateurs in the country, and the scene is ever-changing.

The French Panadería La Laguna del Cocodrilo (tel. 506/2653-0255, 6 A.M.-7 P.M. daily) offers an all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast in the garden ($5). It also sells delicious croissants, chocolate èclairs, fruit tarts, baguettes, and bread, plus enchiladas and empanadas at lunch. For hearty gringo breakfasts, you can’t beat the beachfront Nogui Bar/ Sunrise Café (tel. 506/2653-0029, 6 A.M.- 9:30 P.M. daily).

The Smilin’ Dog Taco Factory (tel. 506/2653-0658, 11 A.M.-10 P.M. Mon.-Sat.) sells tacos ($1.75), burritos ($3), veggie burritos, quesadillas, and soft drinks (no alcohol). Nearby, Iguana Surf’s Kahiki Restaurant (tel. 506/2653-3816, 11 A.M.-2 P.M. and 5-10 P.M. Wed.-Mon.) has a great setting under thatch; it makes great burgers ($7) and offers Asian fusion cuisine, such as coconut ceviche ($5) and oven-roasted, herb-rubbed pork tenderloin ($12).

For a cool, unpretentious open-air beach option, try Nibba (tel. 506/2654-0447, 7:30 A.M.-10:30 P.M. daily), with an eclectic menu ranging from salads and seafood to pizza and pastas.

The hip El Jardín del Edén (noon-10 P.M. daily, lunch $6-13, dinner $15-60), at the hotel of that name, serves fusion dishes such as jumbo shrimp in whiskey and tenderloin in black truffle sauce. Its sophisticated decor is perfect for singles (at the bar) and couples (in romantic thatched mezzanines).

El Coconut (tel. 506/2653-0086, 5-10 P.M. Tues.-Sun.) offers open-air gourmet fusion dining in hip and elegant surrounds. Typical dishes include mussels in creamy brandy sauce ($29.50) and jumbo garlic shrimp ($32).

Another winner for nouvelle dining is Capitán Suizo (tel. 506/2653-0075, 7 A.M.- 9:15 P.M. daily), where German chef Roland merges European influences into a tropical setting. The creative menu runs from a perfect tomato soup to tilapia with olives, fresh tomato sauce, and macadamia vegetables. I’ve also enjoyed a curried chicken ($6), corvina in mango sauce ($8), and tilapia in caper sauce ($10). The dinner menu changes daily.

The air-conditioned, glass-enclosed elegant Carolina’s Restaurant (tel. 506/8379-6834, 6-11 P.M. Thurs.-Tues.) offers a similar variety of superb nouvelle dishes, such as papaya-curry soup ($7) and tuna filet in fresh green spicy sauce ($15). And Chef Tish Thalman’s Dragonfly (tel. 506/2653-1506, www.dragonflybarandgrill.com, 5-11 P.M. Mon.- Sat.) delivers mouthwatering fusion dishes, such as Thai-style crispy fish cake with curried sweet corn. You dine beneath canvas, but the place exudes romantic elegance. It’s open for dinner only, closes for the month of October, and accepts cash only.

Cordon Bleu-trained Israeli chef Shlomy Koren serves up delicious Mediterranean dishes at Restaurante Seasons (tel. 506/8368-6983, 6-10 P.M. Mon.-Sat.), at Hotel Arco Iris. How about stuffed rigatoni with shrimp in a light creamy tomato sauce ($7.50) as an appetizer? And Middle Eastern-style chicken marinated in red wine and spices ($13)? It has a great wine selection and friendly service.

My favorite coffee shop is Olga’s Coffee Shop (tel. 506/8395-5838, 7 A.M.-7 P.M. Mon.-Sat., 8 A.M.-2 P.M. Sun.), named for the lively and erudite Russian owner. This modern café has walls of glass, free Wi-Fi, and World music. Olga serves granola with yogurt breakfasts, homemade sandwiches, banana bread, and organic salads. Another good bet is the elegant Coffee Navi (7 A.M.-10 P.M. daily), outside the Tamarindo Diría hotel, serving quiche, Caesar salad, panini, and cappuccinos. Somewhat simpler, and offering fabulous focaccia sandwiches is Buon Appetito (no tel., 6 A.M.-midnight daily).

For groceries, head to Supermercado Tamarindo (9 A.M.-5 P.M. daily) or Super Las Palmeras, 100 meters east of Hotel Tamarindo Diría.

Information and Services

For tourist information, head to the U.S.- run Costa Rica Paradise Tour Information (tel. 506/2653-2251, www.crparadise.com, 8 A.M.- 6 P.M. daily), in Plaza Conchal.

Jaime Peligro Bookshop (tel. 506/8820-9004, 9 A.M.-7 P.M. Mon.-Sat., noon-5 P.M. Sun.) sells used and new books and CDs and also has a book exchange.

a sign warns of crocodiles in Tamarindo

In medical need? Call the Coastal Emergency Medical Service (tel. 506/2653-1974). There’s a pharmacy (tel. 506/2653-0210) next to Hotel El Milagro.

The many Internet cafés include Cyber Bakanos (tel. 506/2653-0628, 9 A.M.-10 P.M. daily), which doubles as an international call center; and ILACNET (tel. 506/2653-1740, 8 A.M.-7 P.M. daily), in Plaza Conchal, which also hosts a bank, the post office, and public toilets.

The police station (tel. 506/2653-0283), near Tamarindo Vista Villas, was due to relocate to Plaza Tamarindo in 2009.

The Wayra Instituto de Español (tel. 506/2653-0359, www.spanish-wayra.co.cr) offers Spanish language tuition courses.

Getting There and Away

SANSA and Nature Air operate scheduled daily service between Tamarindo and San José. The SANSA office is on the main street. A $3 departure tax is collected at the airport.

Alfaro-Tracopa buses (tel. 506/2222-2666) depart San José from Calle 14, Avenidas 3/5, at 8:30 A.M., 11:30 A.M., and 3:30 P.M. ($5). Buses (tel. 506/665-5891) depart Liberia for Tamarindo six times daily 3:50 A.M.-4:10 P.M.; and from Santa Cruz at 4:20 A.M., 5:30 A.M., 8:30 A.M., 10:30 A.M., 1:30 P.M., 3:30 P.M., and 8 P.M.

Return buses depart Tamarindo for San José at 3:30 A.M., 5:45 A.M. (Sun.), and 2 P.M.; for Liberia six times 5:45 A.M.-6:30 P.M.; and for Santa Cruz at 6 A.M., 9 A.M., noon, 2:30 P.M., and 4:15 P.M.

Tamarindo Shuttle (tel. 506/2653-2727) charges $18 for “door-to-door” service from Liberia airport.

Grayline (tel. 506/2220-2126, www.graylinecostarica.com) and Interbus (tel. 506/2653-4314,, www.interbusonline.com), in Plaza Conchal, offer shuttles.

There’s no gas station, but the Ferretería, at the entrance to town, sells gas.

You can rent cars locally with Hertz (tel. 506/2653-1358) and Mapache (tel. 506/2653- 6363).

Getting Around

Bahéa Tamarindo Tours (tel. 506/2653-1987) rents scooters ($39 per day) and mountain bikes ($13 per day).

THE LEATHERBACK TURTLE

The leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is the world’s largest reptile and a true relic from the age of the dinosaurs; fossils date back 100 million years. The average adult weighs about 455 kilograms and is two meters in length, though males have been known to attain a staggering 910 kilograms! It is found in all the world’s oceans except the Arctic.

Though it nests on the warm beaches of Costa Rica, the baula (as it is locally known) has evolved as a deep-diving cold water critter; its great, near-cylindrical bulk retains body heat in cold waters (it can maintain a body temperature of 18°C in near-frigid water). The leatherback travels great distances, feeding in the open ocean as far afield as subarctic waters, where its black body helps absorb the sun’s warming rays. Like seals, the leatherback has a thick oily layer of fat for insulation. Its preferred food is jellyfish.

The females—which reach reproductive age between 15 and 50 years—prefer to nest on steep beaches that have a deepwater approach, thus avoiding long-distance crawls. Nesting occurs during the middle hours of the night—the coolest hours. Leatherback eggs take longer to hatch—70 days on average—than those of other sea turtles.

Whereas in other turtle species, the boney exterior carapace is formed by flattened, widened ribs that are fused and covered with corneous tissues resembling the human fingernail, the leatherback has an interior skeleton of narrow ribs linked by tiny bony plates all encased by a thick “shell” of leathery, cartilaginous skin. The leatherback’s tapered body is streamlined for hydrodynamic efficiency, with seven longitudinal ridges that act like a boat’s keel, and long, powerful flippers for maximum propulsion. Leatherbacks have been shown to dive deeper than 1,300 meters, where their small lungs, flexible frames, squishy bodies, and other specialist adaptations permit the animal to withstand well over 1,500 pounds of pressure per square inch.

The species is close to extinction. Contributions to help save leatherback turtles can be sent marked Programa de Tortugas Marinas to Karen and Scott Eckert, Hubbs Sea World Research Institute (2595 Ingraham St., San Diego, CA 92109, U.S. tel. 619/226-3870, www.hswri.org), or to the Leatherback Trust (161 Merion Av., Haddonfield, NJ 08033, U.S. tel. 215/895-2627, www.leatherback.org).