Nicoya Peninsula

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.

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Cabo Blanco Absolute Reserve

Situated at the southernmost point of the Nicoya Peninsula, the Cabo Blanco Absolute Reserve encompasses 2,896 acres (1,172 ha) of pristine dry tropical forest famed for its biologically rich ecosystems, which consist of unique plant and animal species. Anteaters, coatis, margays, ocelots, sloths, spider, howler and capuchin monkeys and a variety of snakes call Cabo Blanco home, not to mention over 150 species of trees that makeup the animals habitat.

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Curu National Wildlife Refuge

Westbound on the road from Paquera is this small, yet biologically rich coastal refuge near the town of Curu. Before being purchased from the Pacific Lumber Company in the 1930's, the land that now makes up the Curu National Wildlife Refuge was used for small-scale cattle grazing and a sustainable development project consisting of agricultural production and selective logging endeavors.

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Barra Honda National Park

The cavernous monstrosity of limestone at Barra Honda offers some exiting challenges for the adventurous types. At its deepest, Barra Honda plunges 787 feet (240 m) into the earth. One attraction in particular is the glistening stalagmites and stalactites that fill the Hall of Pearls.

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Mal Pais- Santa Teresa

Some things just come in pairs — socks and shoes, milk and cookies, Santa Teresa and Mal País, Costa Rica… These twin beach towns are near each other, but offer you a very different vacation experience, balancing your need for excitement, activity, and infrastructure against your desire to enjoy a quiet, calm, uncrowded getaway. Discover why surfing in the dynamic Santa Teresa plus fishing in the charming Mal Paí equal a Costa Rica beach vacation that’s the total experience.

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Samara

The beautiful coastal hamlet of Samara is a paradise on the Nicoya Peninsula's western shore. Known as one of the prettiest and safest beaches in all of Costa Rica, Playa Samara radiates wonderful white sand in contrast to the aquamarine water. Tropical plant life and living coral encompass Samara's 3-mile (5 km) coastline, and the beach is a favorite among locals, foreigners, and wealthier Ticos- forming a quintessential beach community.

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Nosara Costa Rica

Nosara's beach town of Guiones is a tucked-away delight with lucrative real estate, vibrant flora, and a world-class white sand beach. The town, which has a sizeable population of ex-pats, presents no shortage of accommodations. Many of these accommodations are private, luxurious, and immersed in natural beauty.

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Montezuma

A favorite for young travelers and surfers, the bohemian town of Montezuma is a laidback beach town. While you're here, you can explore some of the mangroves and estuaries, as well as surfing beaches like Playa Grande.

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Tambor

The small fishing hamlet of Tambor sits not far from Curu National Wildlife Refuge. As a laid back, mixed-community of locals and foreign retirees, Tambor is nestled in an open volcanic valley, surrounded by forested hills. Its beach, Playa Tambor, is an exceptional location for swimming. The surf is calm, and the sea is a gleaming aquamarine. Golf, tennis, and other activities are available in and around the town of Tambor, making this a favorite destination for those seeking developed tourism facilities within a quiet town. Day trips to nearby Cabo Blanco Reserve or the Guayabo and Negritos Islands give visitors great opportunities to experience the Nicoya's remarkable wildlife.

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Carrillo Beach

Three kilometers south of Samara Beach is its sister beach, Carrillo. Similar to Samara, Carrillo is a laidback beach town, but on a much smaller scale than its larger neighbor. Here, visitors can indulge in some quality rest and relaxation as distractions are few and noise is minimal. This beach, which has stunning views and sunsets, is easily one of the best in Costa Rica. Instead of the development seen lining many of Costa Rica's most popular beaches, you'll see nothing but palm trees on Carrillo's empty shore.

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Paquera

Paquera is one of the quaint towns on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. There is a ferry between Puntarenas and Paquera.

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Playa Coyote

Playa Coyote is one of several pristine beaches along the relatively remote shores of the Nicoya Peninsula's southwestern edge. As one of the best beaches in Costa Rica, Playa Coyote is a long horseshoe-shaped bay with soft sand. It is fringed with tall coconut palms, and dissecting the bay, Rio Jabillo sustains a fascinating mangrove estuary that teems with birdlife.

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Playa Barrigona

Playa Barrigona is a stunning beach on Costa Rica’s glimmering Nicoya Peninsula. Because it’s not easy to find, the beach has a reputation for gorgeous, tranquil emptiness.

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Manzanillo Beach

Due north of the surfer's paradise, Santa Teresa, is the rural beach hamlet of Manzanillo, a late comer to tourism that is just now coming into its own. While tourism services are few, this tiny village overlooks a stunning white-sand beach that makes its way to the blue green waters of the Pacific.

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Punta Islita

A sun worshiper's paradise- with golden sunshine, brilliant sunsets, and breathtaking beaches- the quaint community of Punta Islita makes for an outstanding beach vacation. In addition to its pristine natural beaches, the tucked away village of Punta Islita contains a "bustling artistic community" and a lovely local arts museum.

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Hojancha

Visitors to Hojancha can expect beautiful scenery and a break from the noise and pollution of ordinary life. This rural town has made a strong commitment to the environment, and has won the Costa Rican government’s Ecological Blue Flag award.

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Nicoya

This town of some 25,000, including surrounding districts, plays a crucial role as the administrative center of the indigenous Chorotega heartland on the Nicoya Peninsula. Named after the Native American chief that first greeted Spanish conquistadores in 1523, Nicoya’s population is made up of mostly Chorotega descendents.

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Tortuga Island

The beautiful and peaceful Tortuga Island lies off the Southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. The tip of the peninsula is home to fabulous laid back villages, outstanding pristine beaches and gorgeous reserves and wildlife refuges.

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Guayabo Island

A prominent island sanctuary for frigate seabirds, Guyabo Island (Isla Guyabo) is located off the coast of Punta Gigante on the southern Nicoya Peninsula, near Playa Naranjo. This 17 acre (7 ha) protected island is home to the largest colony of brown pelicans in Costa Rica, a group of over 200. Although only members of the National Park Service may actually step foot on the island, the island can be observed by boat.

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Garza

Garza is a quiet beachside town on the coast of the Nicoya Peninsula, right next to the Pacific Ocean. At the local beach, palm trees and white sand border a bright blue ocean. Under the right conditions surfers can catch chest-high waves in Garza Bay, although the waves are usually fairly gentle. Large cliffs frame both ends of the beach.

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Costa Rica

A little more about Nicoya Peninsula

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.

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