CROSSROADS OF THE AMERICAS
Costa Rica, it appears, was a kind of mercantile and cultural crossroads of the Americas. Linguistic and cultural influences, not to mention a wealth of artifacts and materials, were being exchanged both within the country and outisde, from as far north as Mexico and as far south as Ecuador.
The native Costa Ricans were skilled in the arts of ceramics, of gold-work and metalwork, fine weaving, and stone carving. They were also enthusiastic traders and prized jade pieces and ceramics, as well as gold and stone carvings from Mesoamerica and South America. The Nicoya area, with its quiet Pacific bays and safe anchorages, provided pre-Columbian commercial ports. Merchant marines from ancient Ecuador, making ports of call all along the Pacific coast of Mexico, Central and South America, frequently stopped at sites in Nicoya, bringing with them the crafts and arts of places they had visited. The influence of the Olmecs was evident in the Pacific Northwest in the impressive range of pottery styles; utilitarian articles such as grinding stones; and the practice of filing human teeth into points.
The pottery of Nicoya developed into a vigorous hybrid style that for centuries would be traded around Central America and southern Mexico. A collection of such work, ranging from mysterious effigies of man-birds to haunting funerary masks, is on view at the National Museum.
During the long nesting season from August to February, you may see one or two turtles struggling up the beach to dig a nest. Visitors must join a guided group since beach access is strictly limited. On the beach at Playa Grande is Hotel Las Tortugas (www.lastortugashotel.com), a congenial, turtle-friendly hotel, with low lighting at night to avoid disorienting nesting turtles.
South of Tamarindo
Playa Langosta, immediately south of Tamarindo, is separated on the ocean side by a rocky headland that is impassable at high tide, but connected by the dirt road that runs south from Tamarindo. This beach is also frequented by surfers who ride waves just in front of the estuary at the southern end. The shore is rockier here and the surf crashes dramatically, sending sprays high into the air. More sedate than its noisy neighbor, Playa Langosta is home to two lovely bed and breakfast establishments and to the excellent Playa Langosta Beach Club (www.langostabeachclub.com), a French-run restaurant where you can lunch on lobster and fish carpaccios on the beach or dine in romantic splendor, poolside under palm trees twinkling with fairy lights.
Directly south from Tamarindo, along a bumpy, dusty road, Playa Avellanas and Playa Negra are popular surfers’ turf. So far, these two beaches have escaped the over-development of the Tamarindo area. At the popular Hacienda Pinilla Beach Resort and Golf Club (www.haciendapinilla.com), 10km (6 miles) south of Tamarindo, where golfers can tee off with ocean views, on a par-72, Mike Young-designed championship course.
Surf’s up at Playa Grande.
Corrie Wingate/Apa Publications
Playa Nosara
Nicoya is the gateway to the beaches of nearby Sámara and the more remote Nosara, both popular destinations for North American and European vacationers who prefer a calmer alternative to the high-octane tourist scene in northern Guanacaste. The road is paved south from Nicoya, until the turn-off for Playa Nosara · [map] . Then it’s a very bumpy ride along an alternately dusty or muddy road for 18km (11 miles), depending on the season. During the worst of the rainy season, this road is sometimes impassable, so many visitors fly directly to Nosara from San José. The star attractions here are idyllic Playa Pelada and Playa Guiones, two long white-sand beaches with excellent surfing waves and many kilometers of beach bordered by shade trees and tendrils of green sea grape edging the sand.
At the far northern edge of Nosara, the Nosara Biological Reserve is a private nature reserve with hiking trails leading down to the mangrove-lined shores of the Nosara River. It’s part of the Swiss-run Lagarta Lodge (www.lagartalodge.com), which occupies an eagle’s aerie, high above the ocean. There are guided nature tours daily or you can take a self-guided tour of the reserve. About 7km (4.5 miles) north of Nosara, the Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Ostional is an important turtle-nesting site for Olive Ridley turtles, which arrive by the thousands to nest on the beach. To witness an arribada, as it is called, you must join a guided tour organized by a village cooperative.
Playa Sámara and south
Playa Sámara º [map] is just an hour south of Nicoya along a beautifully paved, scenic road. Or you can take a regular flight from San José to Sámara. This is a beautiful white sand beach, with a reef that’s good for snorkeling, but more importantly, also protects the beach from direct waves. Swimming here is safe in crystalline, shallow waters with minimal surf. Off season, there is a feeling of dramatic isolation.
Diving, snorkeling, fishing, bicycle and horseback tours, and kayaking can be arranged by all the local hotels. The waves are small for surfing, but just right for beginners. To the north of the beach are some basic cabinas, small hotels, and some excellent restaurants. A block north of the beach, bougainvillea-draped Hotel Giada (www.hotelgiada.net) has a lot of Italian style, and excellent pizza. Walking west along the beach, you’ll find El Lagarto (www.ellagartobbq.com), a dinner-only hotspot right on the sand, famous for its of barbecued beef and seafood.
Tip
Riptides are a danger in Costa Rica and kill several visitors every year. Ask around first whether a beach is safe for swimming. If you are caught by a riptide, don’t panic and do not swim against it. Try to swim parallel to the shore, and eventually the breaking waves will carry you back in.
Central Pacific coast
If you are anticipating the white-powder beaches washed by gentle, clear waters of tourist brochures, then the beaches of the Central Pacific could be something of a disappointment (Jacó sand is a dirty gray). The lure of these places is their proximity to San José, their big waves for surfers and their lively nightlife, not their picture-postcard perfection. Still, with a bit of exploration off the main road, away from the density and hustle of the central beach scene, you will find some clean and appealing beaches.
Horseback tour, Playa Sámara.
Corrie Wingate/Apa Publications
Jacó Beach
Playa Jacó ¡ [map] , once famous for its year-round surfing waves and raucous, party-time ambience fueled by plenty of cold beer, has morphed into a concrete collection of high-rise hotel chains, condominiums, and outposts of trendy San José sportswear stores and restaurant chains. There are still a few inexpensive cabinas to rent near the beach, but most accommodations are in hotels, with swimming pools, bars, air-conditioning, and tour packages to other points of interest in this coastal province. Jacó has no shortage of amusements: horses, bikes, scooters, and kayaks are available for rent. Chuck’s W.O.W. Surf Shop (www.wowsurf.com) rents and sells surfboards, gives lessons, and posts a daily surf report. Along the coast some 3km (2 miles) from Playa Jacó is Playa Hermosa, a world-class surfing spot with very strong beach breaks.