Five Beaches in Puntarenas | Costa Rica
A view of Playa Punta Renas from the Paquera ferry.
Costa Rica is known for it’s beautiful beaches. So, if you’re anything like me, you’ll feel completely overwhelmed when trying to figure out which ones to check out. From family friendly to a surfer’s dream there are so many options. On our trip to Costa Rica, we visited five beaches and fell in love with one.
Here are 5 Costa Rican Beaches in Puntarenas:
- Playa Jaco
Playa Jaco – Playa Jaco was probably our least favorite beach. While it had pretty views and was very close to where we were staying, it was often crowded and there was a lot of trash in the sand. It had a definite party scene though, and if that’s your thing, you could fit right in with your radio and have pizza delivered straight to your beach towel.
2. Playa Manuel Antonio
Playa Manuel Antonio – A beautiful beach that was surprisingly crowded given it’s in a national park and you have to walk close to a mile just to get to the beach. It had a lot of hiking trails, a snack bar and bathrooms.
3. Playa Herrara
Playa Herrara – Playa Herrara was a quiet beach. It’s gentle surf was perfect for small children and there were boats lining the skyline.
4. Playa Puntarenas
Playa Puntarenas – This is the “locals” beach, full of ticos coming in for the weekend. It’s the closest beach to San Jose and is packed from top to bottom. The day we were there, they had an air show going on.
5. Playa Hermosa
Playa Hermosa – Our favorite beach from the trip. We often had Playa Hermosa to ourselves, but when we didn’t, we only shared it with a handful of surfers and couples walking their dogs. This beach is not a swimming beach, and the waves come crashing in all day long. It was the perfect place to go lay in the sun and read a book.
All of these beaches were beautiful and located on the Pacific Ocean. We stayed in Jaco and they were all within a short drive.
Have you been to another beach in Puntarenas? Tell me about it in the comment section below!