If you’re looking for an active beach destination with something for everyone in the family to enjoy, you’ll love Tamarindo, Costa Rica!
Tamarindo is one of the most popular places to visit in Guanacaste. This coastal town has a great nightlife scene and is close to several other key destinations in the province. Tamarindo beach is also the perfect place to learn to surf.
This post is all about the best places to visit in Tamarindo, Costa Rica.
Tamarindo is located on the northern Pacific coast of Costa Rica, in Guanacaste province. Located just a couple of hours from Liberia Guanacaste Airport, this busy town is a great base for regional travel.
With its beachfront location, Tamarindo is the perfect spot to visit if you love water-based activities. It’s a popular destination for surfers of all levels of experience, from those looking to learn to experts looking for a challenge.
And thanks to its popularity with younger travelers and expats, Tamarindo has a vibrant nightlife scene that will keep you busy all day long. Visitors can enjoy dance clubs, great restaurants, breweries, and music festivals in between time on the beach.
Here are five great reasons to visit Tamarindo on your next trip to Costa Rica’s Guanacaste Province.
1. Weather in Tamarindo
The great year-round weather in Tamarindo is one of the reasons it’s so popular with tourists.
The climate varies across Costa Rica, thanks to its diversity of ecosystems. It can also be quite different depending on time of year, whether you’re visiting during the dry season or the rainy season.
But in Tamarindo, the weather is consistent — and consistently great — all year round thanks to its tropical savannah climate. Temperatures only vary slightly during the different months of the year.
- During the coolest months of the year — September, October, and November — the average temperature is 84F or 29C.
- During the warmest month of the year — April — the average temperature is 93F or 34C.
Tamarindo also has the lowest amount of rainfall in Costa Rica! That means you’re more likely to see the sun all year round here than anywhere else in the country — even during the rainy season.
January, February, and March are the driest months of the year, with hardly any rainfall. October is the wettest month. However, even during the rainiest part of the year, Tamarindo still averages five hours of sunshine a day.
And if you want to spend your days at the beach, you’ll be excited to know the sea temperature in Tamarindo is suitable for swimming all year long.
2. Beaches in Tamarindo
Tamarindo Beach is one of the town’s most popular attractions, and for good reason.
Tamarindo is home to miles of golden sand beaches with clear waters that are safe and comfortable for swimming. The main strip of the town runs along the beachfront, making access easy at several points and from many hotels and resorts.
The beach is very popular with surfers. It’s also a great spot to enjoy other water activities like boogie boarding, windsurfing, kayaking, and sailing. Offshore, you can enjoy sport fishing and snorkeling.
If you prefer to enjoy beaches on the shore, Tamarindo is a great spot for sunbathing. You can enjoy a long stroll or a horseback ride along miles of sand. After supper, end the day watching a vivid sunset from the shore.
Access to a variety of other nearby beaches is easy from Tamarindo. During your stay there, consider day trips to:
- Playa Negra: Popular with surfers, this dramatic black-sand beach is a great place to observe tide pools.
- Playa Grande: Part of Marino Las Baulas National Park, this beach is a protected nesting site for leatherback turtles.
- Playa Langosta: This quiet beach has a great expanse of sand, where you can relax while watching the surfers in action.
- Playa Avellana: With a more laid-back vibe than Tamarindo, this white-sand beach is a great place for a quiet day by the water.
3. Resorts in Tamarindo
Tamarindo is home to some of Costa Rica’s best resorts. This makes it the perfect destination for travelers who love to stay on large properties.
No matter what you’re looking for in a resort, you can find it in Tamarindo! There are all-inclusive and a la carte options. You can find budget-friendly resorts and luxury properties. Golf, high-end restaurants, relaxing spas — it’s all an option here.
Here are some of the most popular resort properties in Tamarindo:
- Best Western Tamarindo Vista Villas: This downtown resort has ocean views from most rooms, with Tamarindo beach just across the street. It’s a great choice for travelers on a budget!
- Occidental Tamarindo: Overlooking Marino Las Baulas National Park, this all-inclusive resort is near Tamarindo but offers a quieter atmosphere.
- JW Marriott Hotel Guanacaste Resort and Spa: This hacienda-style oceanfront resort has a golf course, tennis courts, an equestrian center, and a spa.
- Wyndham Tamarindo: Located near the beach, every room at the Wyndham has a view of the ocean. Other features include an infinity pool and a partnership with the Langosta Beach Club.
4. Surfing in Tamarindo
With consistent, long, gentle waves and great weather all year round, Tamarindo beach is a great place to learn to surf.
Whatever your interest level for learning to surf, you’ll find something to fit your needs in Tamarindo. Visitors can opt for a short two-hour lesson, sign up for a lessons package, or even attend a surf camp with hours of instruction and practice time every day.
Beginner Surfers
Also, several outfitters offering family packages and all-ages lessons. This makes Tamarindo is a great place for the whole family to learn to surf together.
Here are a few options for surfing lessons in Tamarindo:
- Witch’s Rock Surf Camp: This beachfront surf camp has accommodations along with surf lessons for all experience levels, including packages for families and singles.
- Tamarindo Surf Academy: Based out of Casa Luna Boutique Hotel, this surf school offers individual lessons and packages for all ages.
- Tidal Wave Surf Academy: This surfing school offers lessons for kids and adults both, taught by ISA-certified surf instructors.
- Iguana Surf: With beachfront accomodations, this popular surf academy and outfitter offers lessons along with tours and surfboard rentals.
- Wave Riders Surf School: Surfers of all experience levels can take trips to surf destinations like Roca Bruja and Marbella Beach.
Experienced Surfers
If you’re already an intermediate or expert surfer, you’ll still find plenty of reasons to visit Tamarindo.
Check out a few of the options for experienced surfers:
- Witch’s Rock: Reachable only by boat, this stone outcropping near Playa Naranjo beach has an A-frame wave that breaks both left and right. It also offers a variety of wave sizes for all levels.
- Playa Grande: With consistent waves and great wind conditions, this beach offers some of the world’s most challenging waves.
- Ollie’s Point: Featured in the surfing documentary Endless Summer II, this surf spot is known for its large, powerful, long-riding waves.
5. Nightlife in Tamarindo
Restaurants
Tamarindo offers a vibrant restaurant scene and a great mix of bars and clubs. This makes it the perfect place to cap a day on the beach with a night on the town.
From traditional Costa Rican meals to other popular cuisines like Mexican and Italian, you can find a great place to eat in Tamarindo at every budget.
Here are a few of Tamarindo’s most popular restaurants:
- La Oveja Surf House: With great options for all three meals of the day, including fresh seafood, this casual beachfront spot also offers live music and great cocktails and mocktails.
- Mother Earth Restaurant: This stylish luxury eatery offers globally inspired vegan dishes with seasonal ingredients.
- HiR Fine Dining: Located at chef and artist Noam Mercedes Kostucki’s home outside Tamarindo, this intimate three-hour fine-dining experience is not to be missed.
- Little Lucha: This taqueria with delicious daily specials and top-notch margaritas is a great lunch spot. Make sure to pick up a bottle of their house hot sauce to take home!
- NARI Pizza and Pasta: Located in the Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort, this is the perfect place to refuel after surfing with homemade pasta and woodfire pizza.
Bars and Clubs
Once your belly is full, it’s time to hit the town! Whether you’re looking for live music and a relaxed vibe, or to dance all night to the latest hits, you’ll find somewhere to go in Tamarindo.
These are some of the best bars and clubs:
- Kinky Tamarindo: This LGBTQ+ bar has great dancing, stylish cocktails, and special events like drag shows.
- El Vaquero Brewpup: With live music most evenings, this beachfront bar is a great place to watch the sunset while enjoying a pint from Volcano Brewing Company, its on-site microbrewery.
- CATA Agave Bar: This cool and casual open-air bar specializes in tequila, mezcal, and agave spirits. Book a tequila tasting or cocktail class, or enjoy a drink while the sun sets.
- Crazy Monkey Bar: On Fridays, the Best Western Tamarindo Vista Villas pool deck becomes an open-air dance club with a fun light show.
Festivals
Tamarindo also plays host to a few popular festivals year round. Here are a few to plan your trip around:
- Independence Day: Every September 15, Ticos around the country celebrate Costa Rica’s independence. Events include a nighttime lantern parade, a daytime parade with dancing and color guard, and traditional foods, drinks, and music.
- BPM Festival: This leading international electronic-music festival brings dozens of leading artists to Tamarindo every winter.
- Mardi Gras: In nearby Flamingo Beach, the annual Mardi Gras festival raises money for local charities. There are a variety of events, including a parade.
- Ocaso Underground Music Festival: This five-day electronic music festival, held just after the new year, ensures at least half its acts are Central American artists.
This post shared just five of the many reasons to visit Tamarindo, Costa Rica on your next trip to the country.
