Tamarindo

IS BEAUTIFUL but got too many tourist and too many resorts, you can def find the gringo culture making a BUM as always in the Latino country! i m Latino and i hate it

too many tourists

It’s rather expensive for Costa Rica but worth the extra money. The beaches are very clean and the food it top notch. Tons of ex-pats and tourists so if you want to see true Costa Rican culture, this is not the place for you.

I stayed at a few hotels within Tamarindo…my favorite being El Diria ( for obviously high-priced reasons. It’s right on the beach with an outdoor restaurant and bar and a great atmosphere. Tamarindo has the atmosphere of a small beach/ surf town with the variety of people from all aroudn the world ( I met Russians, Italians, Americans, Comlombians, Australians, and, of course, Costa Ricans all working at their own little places there). Take the time to make friends with some of the locals, it’s worth it. Also, try the surf and a day trip out to the rainforest to take a zip-line canopy tour.

Gringo Central – A bustling beach town, catering primarily to tourists. Had a lovely time… although it was very commericial and a bit too tourist oriented for my liking.

It’s a small coastal town, and depending what you’re looking for, it has a lot to offer. There are a couple of good surf spots right off the road, some of the tastiest pineapple you’ll ever taste, loads of wildlife (monkeys, iguanas, wild boar, scorpions and other large bugs, and more), really good coffee, and abundant sunshine. To top it all off, with very few US $$$, you can eat like a king. You should probably know at least a little spanish though.