Nearby Beaches

PLAYA MALO to PLAYA HERRADURA

A series of coves and beaches, lines the coast south of Tárcoles, beginning with Playa Malo, a scenic bay fringed by a scalloped, 1200 foot-wide, white-sand beach. Little fishing boats bob at anchor and are rare roosts for pelicans. At the south end rises the headland of Punta Leona, smothered with forest protected in a 1,831-acre private nature reserve-part of a self contained resort called Punta Leona, with three beaches: Playas manta, Punta Leona, and Blanca. The beaches have been off-limits to the public for years, despite court rulings ordering that public access be granted. The resort owners never complied, but in April 2000, a court ordered removal of the fence and guarded gate on the public road that grants access to the beach (the club destroyed part of the public road to force visitors to use it's private road; access costs $20). The reception gate is roadside, one half mile south of Punta Malo.

South of Punta Leona the road climbs steeply before dropping down to Playa Herradura. At the crest of the rise is the entrance to Villa Caletas, a fabulous resort hotel.

About four and a half miles from both Tárcoles and Jacó, just south of the Río Caña Blanca, is a turnoff for Playa Herradura, which gained attention a few years ago as a film set for the movie 1492, starring Gerard Depadieu as Columbus. Filming lasted about 10 weeks and pumped an estimated $8 million into the local economy. The Pebbly, gray-sand beach is swarmed by Ticos on weekends and holidays. For now-but surely not for long-marine turtles come ashore to lay their eggs July-December. Playa Herradura hit the big time in 1999 with the opening of the mammoth Los Sueños Marriott Beach & Golf Resort.

PLAYA HERMOSA

Highway 34 south from Jacó crests a steep headland, beyond which Playa Hermosa comes into sight (the view is incredible, but don't get close to the cliff edge); the beach is 6 miles long and arrow straight with surf pummeling ashore along its whole length. Playa Hermosa is the setting for an international surfing championship each August and has been put on the holiday markers' maps in the past few years. A dirt road parallels the beach.

PLAYAS ESTERILLOS OESTE and CENTRO

Playas Esterillos Oeste is south of Hermosa, with craggy Punta Judas between them. It's another favorite with surfers and with Ticos on holidays and weekends (the Ticos leave it littered with trash). The 3 1/2 mile long beach has tide pools at its northern end, where a sculpture of a mermaid sits atop the rocks. Beware strong currents; you can swim safely in the lee of rocks at the northern end of the beach.Here, when the tide recedes, you can delight in treasures the earth has kept hidden for millions of years: an ancient mosaic of mollusk fossils embedded in the rock strata. Leave them for others to enjoy. The National Museum, organizes educational trips to Esterillos Oeste, a good trip for fossil hounds.

PLAYAS ESTERILLOS ESTE, BEJUCO, and PALMA

Playa Esterillos Este, separated by a river from Esterillos Centro, is identical to its northerly siblings: miles long, ruler-straight, with gray sand cleansed by high surf. There's a grass airstrip paralleling the beach at its northern end, accessed off Hwy. 34. The southern end of the beach is known as Playa Bejuco, reached via a separate access road.

Farther south, about 2 miles north of Parrita, a dirt road leads west from the coast road-Costanera Sur-and zigzags through the African palm plantations until you emerge at Playa Palma (also known as Playa Bandera), separated from Bejuco by yet another river mouth.

Much of the information on our site as it relates to Costa Rica is:

Courtesy of Christopher P. Baker and Avalon Travel Publishing.
© 2004 Christopher P. Baker. All Rights Reserved.

A2Z Languages highly recommends Christopher P. Baker's book: Moon Handbooks Costa Rica. Click on the image to visit his website where you can purchase this book or find out more about the author.

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