Home
Costa Rica
PLAN MY VISIT
Costa Rica Destinations HotelsThings to do Transport Maps Vacations Team
  • Top Destinations
PLAN MY VISIT →
  1. Home
  2. Costa Rica
  3. Destinations
  4. Nicoya Peninsula

Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

Jutting into the Pacific Ocean, the Nicoya Peninsula offers first-rate, beautiful beaches. The Peninsula's jagged and mountainous landscape, in effect, isolates many of the region's small costal towns, strengthening their unique allure and authenticity. Indeed, the sleepy villages that dot Highway 21 perpetuate a compelling laidback attitude, contributing to this region's overall tranquil vibe.

Nicoya Peninsula Costa Rica
Nicoya Peninsula Costa Rica
Nicoya Peninsula Costa Rica
Nicoya Peninsula Costa Rica
Nicoya Peninsula Costa Rica
Nicoya Peninsula Costa Rica
Nicoya Peninsula Costa Rica
Nicoya Peninsula Costa Rica
Nicoya Peninsula Costa Rica
Nicoya Peninsula Costa Rica
Nicoya Peninsula Costa Rica
Nicoya Peninsula Costa Rica
←→

The Nicoya Peninsula is full of natural beauty, and it maintains equally rich biodiversity. Dominated by mountainous terrain, the once volcanic landscape is now sheathed by dry and wet tropical forest. Wildlife lovers delight in what the Nicoya Region has to offer. Its national parks and reserves include: Barra Honda, Marino Las Baulas National Park, Curu National Wildlife Refuge, Cabo Blanco National Park.

Tourists seeking the country's coveted coastal scenery also gravitate to the Nicoya Peninsula, where luminous sunlight smiles on the radiant ocean. Within the last decade, a construction boom, fueled by tourism and a high demand for property, has produced many foreigner-owned beachfront properties and businesses. Indeed, in some small towns, visitors may be pressed to find the local Costa Ricans.

The Nicoya Peninsula stretches south, from the beaches of Guanacaste to the top portion of Central Pacific coastline. The Gulf of Nicoya comprises a shallow water body between the peninsula and Costa Rica's mainland. Access to the region is made easy, thanks to the country's modern public transportation services. Almost all destinations are accessible by bus. Ferries from the town of Puntarenas provide transportation between the Peninsula and central mainland. Additionally, Liberia's Daniel Oduber International Airport and several small airstrips in Nosara and Carrillo bring many visitors within short traveling distance of their final destination.

The region's well-paved Highway 21 allows access to all of Nicoya's towns, resorts, beaches, national parks and reserves. However, most roads leading from the highway to coastal villages are unpaved. Use of a four-wheel drive vehicle is often required, particularly during the rainy season. As a general rule when driving on the Nicoya Peninsula, roads get much worse the further south you travel. Torrential downpours, which have a tendency to wash away roads or simply make rivers of them, often obstruct journeys. Also, some of the region's rivers are still without a bridge, requiring cars to ford them. As hindering as this may seem, it is all part of the Nicoya experience and charm.

Gulf of Nicoya The Gulf of Nicoya (Golfo de Nicoya) lies east of the peninsula. Once mountainous terrain, the Gulf is a fascinating example of Mother Nature at work. Thousands of years ago, a volcanic fault line plunged the land into the sea, and only hilltops remained to form the Gulf's many speckled islands. Today, the aquatic wonderland is a stunning combination of marine habitat and coastal wetlands, dotted by its numerous islands.

The Gulf is made-up of shallow, yet nutrient rich water. It is an ideal habitat for mangroves, a unique tree found that grows in saline conditions along the Gulf's coast. Extensive mangrove forests play an essential role in the Nicoya Peninsula's ecosystem, and consequently, they have been established as protected territory by the Costa Rican government. These contorted, unique mangrove forests create incredible biodiversity found in few places outside of Costa Rica.

In the lower Gulf, by contrast, mangroves and estuaries are less prevalent. The water is deeper, saltier, and devoid of bottom feeders. Fish are more abundant, and the few locals that inhabit gulf islands live largely where they can depend on sustenance from the sea.

Of all the gulf islands, the largest is Isla Chira. It forms a nesting site for many exotic maritime birds including Roseate Spoonbills and other Long-Legged Waders. Vast mangroves and large estuaries support the island's extensive wildlife. The area is certainly off the main drag for tourists, and it offers few accommodations.

The uninhabited Tortuga Island receive the Gulf's most ecotourism visitors. Snorkeling and scuba diving are popular activities around these islands. The shallow Gulf radiates a transparent aquamarine, ideal for exploring the natural world beneath the water's surface. Private tours of the islands can be arranged from the port-town of Puntarenas. In Puntarenas, large ferries also provide transportation to the southern Nicoya Peninsula, either to Naranjo Beach (Playa Naranjo) or the hamlet of Paquera.

Personalized Trips for Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

A Delightful Adventure for Two, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
A Delightful Adventure for Two

Customer Reviewed Costa Rica continues to become a more expensive destination, but it is well worth it. An absolutely beautiful country with wonderful people.

17 days $$$View Trip
The Ultimate Nature and Beach Honeymoon, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
The Ultimate Nature and Beach Honeymoon

Customer Reviewed Costa Rica is a beautiful country and it's clear the people take pride in the sustainability efforts put forward by the local government.

14 days $$View Trip
Honeymooning by The Beach, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Honeymooning by The Beach

Customer Reviewed I am so happy that we had booked with Anywhere! You provided excellent service in both planning and during the trip. I loved that it was so easy to enjoy the trip as everything was booked and paid for in advance.

15 days $$View Trip
A Coast to Coast Family Adventure, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
A Coast to Coast Family Adventure

Customer Reviewed Our trip went very smoothly with all of our pick ups on time. The hotels, destinations and tours recommended by Roy Soto, our tour organiser were all of an excellent standard. For future reference, a lot of our trips were very early so we often missed breakfast at our hotels. ...

15 days $View Trip
Epic Coast to Coast Couple’s Journey, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Epic Coast to Coast Couple’s Journey

Customer Reviewed Costa Rica was awesome. We do a lot of travelling and this was one our best trips ever.

22 days $$$View Trip
See More Trips

Where to go in Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

Mal Pais- Santa Teresa, Costa RicaMal Pais- Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
Samara, Costa RicaSamara, Costa Rica
Nosara Costa Rica, Costa RicaNosara Costa Rica, Costa Rica
Montezuma, Costa RicaMontezuma, Costa Rica
Tambor, Costa RicaTambor, Costa Rica
Carrillo Beach, Costa RicaCarrillo Beach, Costa Rica
Playa Coyote, Costa RicaPlaya Coyote, Costa Rica
Paquera, Costa RicaPaquera, Costa Rica
Playa Barrigona, Costa RicaPlaya Barrigona, Costa Rica
Punta Islita, Costa RicaPunta Islita, Costa Rica
Manzanillo Beach, Costa RicaManzanillo Beach, Costa Rica
Guayabo Island, Costa RicaGuayabo Island, Costa Rica
Tortuga Island, Costa RicaTortuga Island, Costa Rica
Nicoya, Costa RicaNicoya, Costa Rica
Garza, Costa RicaGarza, Costa Rica
Hojancha, Costa RicaHojancha, Costa Rica
Cabo Blanco Absolute Reserve, Costa RicaCabo Blanco Absolute Reserve, Costa Rica
Curu National Wildlife Refuge, Costa RicaCuru National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica
Barra Honda National Park, Costa RicaBarra Honda National Park, Costa Rica
←→

Key Attractions

Barra Honda National ParkCabo Blanco Absolute ReserveCuru National Wildlife Refuge

Key Destinations

Santa TeresaMontezumaNicoyaNosaraPlaya ManzanilloSamaraTortuga IslandPaqueraHojancha
Excellent!
Trustpilot Rating
Based on 705 reviews
Trustpilot
Anywhere Designed a Fantastic Itinerary
The travel route was designed with great precision and it was a seamless experience from start to finish. Yahaira unders...
Dec 03, 2022
– JKen R
Trustpilot Rating
Will use them again!
Communicative, helpful and honest. They stuck to my budget and accommodated my changes. My kids and I had such a good ti...
Dec 01, 2022
– Kayla C.
Trustpilot Rating
100 Stars!!
If I could give 100 stars, I would wholeheartedly. All the booked activities were excellent and pricing was unbeatable. ...
Nov 30, 2022
– Ravi D.
Trustpilot Rating
Stress Free Vacation
Everything on our itinerary went according to plan. This saved anxiety about transportation and allowed us to experience...
Nov 29, 2022
– Catherine.
Trustpilot Rating
Best Travel Experience Ever!
Working with the Anywhere team was the best experience I have ever had with a travel agency. Every person we interacted ...
Nov 25, 2022
– Aaron B.
Trustpilot Rating
5 STAR service
All the planning, communication and ability to offer on the ground assistance was spot on, responsive and helpful. Could...
Aug 23, 2022
– Jessica H.
Trustpilot Rating
Everything was Perfect!
Our agent (Harold) was amazing. He was incredibly responsive, worked hard to make our honeymoon perfect, and even adjust...
Aug 22, 2022
– Maya & Ka.
Trustpilot Rating
We loved every minute of this trip.
Leonardo was great at tailoring our experience to suit our needs, temperaments and budget and the process of planning th...
Aug 04, 2022
– Andrew M
Trustpilot Rating
Friendly and Very Responsive
My kids think this is the best trip ever (we travels a lot as a family, so this is definitely a big compliment)
Jul 19, 2022
– Emily Y
Trustpilot Rating
Travel with Ease
Every aspect of our trip was well designed to make travel easy and fun. I will recommend Yahaira and this company to any...
Jul 17, 2022
– Maureen V.
Trustpilot Rating
Trip of a lifetime for my family
The task was to plan an exceptional experience for my complete family to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. My expe...
Mar 28, 2022
– Claude Ca.
Trustpilot Rating
Third time using Anywhere Costa Rica
I am writing to thank you for all of your help and expertise in assisting us, once again, in putting together a beautifu...
Mar 14, 2022
– Betty Kni.
Trustpilot Rating
Kudos for Anywhere
Harold was an amazing trip advisor. We had a complicated itinerary, and Harold managed to find us the right places and c...
Mar 13, 2022
– Julia B.
Trustpilot Rating
Anywhere.com is the Best!!!
We booked our trip to Costa Rica with Anywhere.com and it was nothing short of perfect! We told Harold the primary desti...
Jan 07, 2022
– Taylor Ka.
Trustpilot Rating
Amazing Costa Rica Vacation
Harold built a wonderful 11 day trip for my friends and I in Costa Rica. Between the hotels (Arenal, Monteverde, and Man...
Mar 07, 2022
– Christoph.
Trustpilot Rating

Let's Dream Together

Share your bucketlist to get inspiration and local connections.

We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy.

Costa Rica Vacations
  • Adventure
  • All-inclusive
  • Beach
  • Budget
  • Eco-tourism
  • Family
  • Group
  • Honeymoon
  • Luxury
  • Nature
  • Private
  • Rainforest
  • Romantic
Highlights
  • Top Destinations
  • Beaches
  • Rainforests
  • Cloudforest
  • Volcanoes
  • Waterfalls
  • Surfing
  • Leisure
  • Off the Beaten Path
  • Airports
Costa Rica Travel
  • Maps
  • Safety
  • Weather & Climate
  • Sustainability
  • Holiday Season
  • Currency
  • Driving & Car Rental
  • Getting Around
PLACES TO GO
  • Arenal Volcano & Hot Springs
  • Monteverde Cloudforests
  • Manuel Antonio Beach & Jungle
  • Tamarindo Beach
  • Santa Theresa & Malpais Beaches
  • Puerto Viejo Beach
  • Nosara Beach
  • Jaco Beach
  • Tortuguero Rainforest
  • Corcovado Rainforest
  • Rincon de la Vieja Volcano & Waterfall
  • Nicoya Peninsula
  • Guanacaste Beaches
  • Osa Peninsula
THINGS TO DO
  • Hot Springs
  • Zip Lines
  • Suspension Bridges
  • Horseback
  • Rappel
  • Wildlife
  • Hiking
  • Chocolate Farms
  • Whitewater Rafting
  • Coffee Farms
  • Butterfly Gardens
  • Surfing
  • Sport Fishing
  • Birdwatching
  • Scuba Diving
  • Catamaran Cruise
  • Indigenous Culture
  • Yoga
  • Wellness
  • Cave Exploration
Trustpilot 5 of 5 rated service
Trustpilot "Excellent"
Plan My Visit→+1 (888) 456-3212
MessengerContact AnywhereWhatsapp ContactCall USA: +1-888-456-3212

© 2023 Anywhere Inc. All rights reserved.Privacy Policy