Last updated on August 16th, 2023 at 11:23 am GMT-6 (Costa Rica time)
Written by Nikki Solano
Nikki is the CEO of Pura Vida! eh? Inc. (Costa Rica Discounts), and the author of the guidebooks Moon Costa Rica (2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025 editions) and Moon Best of Costa Rica (2022 edition) from Moon Travel Guides. Together with her Costa Rican husband, Ricky, she operates the Costa Rica Travel Blog, created the online community DIY Costa Rica, built the Costa Rica Destination Tool, oversees the brand-new (summer 2023) Costa Rica Travel Shop, and designed the Costa Rica Trip Planning 101 E-Course. Also, Nikki wrote the Costa Rica cover feature for Wanderlust Magazine's sustainability-focused Travel Green List issue, showcased Costa Rica destinations and experiences on Rick Steves' Monday Night Travel show and podcast/radio show, and served as the Costa Rica Destination Editor for Essentialist, a luxury travel brand. Want to show your appreciation for her free article below? Thank Nikki here. ❤️️
Get the Costa Rica info you need by browsing our article's TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- Playa Tamarindo Photos
- Playa Tamarindo fast facts
- Playa Tamarindo beach details
- Development at Playa Tamarindo
- Playa Tamarindo safety
- Playa Tamarindo location and road conditions
- Parking at Playa Tamarindo
- Best reason(s) to visit Playa Tamarindo
- Beach-hopping from Playa Tamarindo (or alternative beach options in the region)
Playa Tamarindo Photos
Playa Tamarindo fast facts
- English name: Tamarindo Beach
- Distance from San Jose: 260km (approximately 4 hours)
- Closest Town: Villareal (small town), Santa Cruz (large town)
- Beach Status: Public beach
Playa Tamarindo beach details
Sand, shade, scenery, and unique features
Playa Tamarindo is a long beach with light-brown sand. The beach is loved for the stellar waves that break offshore which provide prime opportunities for surfing, stand-up paddling, and surf paddling.
Crowds and noise
Playa Tamarindo regularly entertains groups of beachgoers because it fronts the town of Tamarindo, which serves a high volume of residents and visitors. Due to the town’s popularity, social vibe, and abundance of establishments built right on the beach, crowds and noise can be an issue.
Cleanliness and Ecological Blue Flag rating
Costa Rica’s Programa Bandera Azul Ecológica (Ecological Blue Flag Program) promotes sustainability and public health. Every year, beaches in Costa Rica strive for top honors, which are bestowed annually according to strict ecological criteria. Beaches that participate in the program and meet 90-100% of the eligibility criteria achieve a 1-star rating. Further efforts invite beaches to earn additional stars (5 stars is the highest rating), including special colored stars. (To learn more about the program and discover what each blue flag rating means, see our related blog post: Award-Winning Blue Flag Beaches In Costa Rica: Photos & Map; Most-Recent Winners.)
Playa Tamarindo is not currently participating in the Programa Bandera Azul Ecológica. Therefore, it does not have a star rating.
Development at Playa Tamarindo
Hotels, restaurants, tours, bathrooms, etc.
The town of Tamarindo provides a range of establishments, including hotels, restaurants, tour offices, surf schools, and shops. Most line both sides of the town’s main drag, Calle Central, or are spread out along Avenida Central, a street that connects with and runs perpendicular to Calle Central. The majority of establishments are within walking distance of Playa Tamarindo, and several, mainly restaurants and bars, are located directly on the beach.
Playa Tamarindo safety
Swimming and water safety
Swimming is allowed at Playa Tamarindo. However, as a well-known surf destination, the water can be wavy and rough. As always, exercise caution in and around the water, especially if you plan to visit with children or inexperienced swimmers.
Do not swim at the north end of the beach near the estuary that separates Tamarindo from Playa Grande and the Las Baulas National Marine Park. Crocodiles reside in this area.
General safety
Never bring items of value with you to the beach and always keep an eye on your belongings. Remember to lock your rental car if you have one. Do not visit the beach before sunrise or after sunset.
Playa Tamarindo location and road conditions
Access to Playa Tamarindo and 4×4 requirement
Playa Tamarindo is located on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. It is the principal beach of Tamarindo, a popular beach town sandwiched between the beach communities of Playa Grande and Playa Langosta. More specifically, it sits due west of where Road 152 and Road 155 meet in the village of Villareal.
Playa Tamarindo falls on the west side of Calle Central, the main street that runs the length of Tamarindo center. Outside of Tamarindo center, Calle Central is called Avenida de las Palmas and provides a direct route to Villareal. A 4×4 vehicle is not required to reach Playa Tamarindo.
Map of Playa Tamarindo Costa Rica
Parking at Playa Tamarindo
There are a few small parking lots around Tamarindo, including a handful along the beach. You’ll need to pay a fee to park in them. Alternatively, locals park randomly along the sides of Calle Central, Avenida Central, and other side streets to save a buck. Several of Tamarindo’s many commercial centers provide parking spaces to shoppers, which aren’t meant to be used by visitors who wish to enjoy Playa Tamarindo for a few hours.
Best reason(s) to visit Playa Tamarindo
Playa Tamarindo isn’t worth traveling to purely to experience the beach. However, if you plan to station yourself in the Tamarindo area for a different reason, such as to surf, to stay at one of the town’s revered hotels, to shop, or to kick back at one of many great bars, Playa Tamarindo is a comfortable, albeit busy, beach that’s worth enjoying while taking in everything else that the Tamarindo area has to offer.
Beach-hopping from Playa Tamarindo (or alternative beach options in the region)
Recommended day trips from Playa Tamarindo include visits to Playa Grande, Playa Real, Playa Puerto Viejo, Playa Conchal, or Playa Flamingo, all to the north of Tamarindo, or Playa Langosta, Playa Avellanas, Playa Negra, Playa Blanca, or Playa Junquillal, all to the south of Tamarindo.
Not sure which Costa Rica beaches are the best to visit? Let the beaches in this article inspire you:
Want to learn about Costa Rica’s ecological blug flag beaches? Don’t miss our related blog post:
Award-Winning Blue Flag Beaches In Costa Rica (Photos & Map; Most-Recent Winners)
QUESTION TO COMMENT ON: Have you been to Playa Tamarindo? What did you think?
Pura vida!
Hey, Costa Rica Travel Blog reader, thank you for visiting and reading our blog! We're truly grateful for your time and preference.
Do you know that your spam-free reading experience is most important to us? Unlike some other Costa Rica blogs, we do not to sell your personal information, and we choose not to display ads, sponsored content, or affiliate marketing on our blog so we can keep your visit as distraction- and junk-free as possible. Because we prioritize your privacy, we don't earn money when you visit us, when you sign up for our e-course, or when you click on our links, which means the time and work we put into this blog—including its 300+ articles—is entirely voluntary! If you find our content valuable, and you'd like to thank us for making the trip-planning process easier and your Costa Rica vacation more enjoyable, please consider making a small donation ($1, $2, $3, or an amount of your choosing) to our blog. Doing so is a great way to pat us on the back if you feel we deserve it. 😊 Pura vida, amigos!
Click on the button above to donate through PayPal. (If you cannot see the PayPal button above, click here.) A PayPal account is not required to make a donation; credit and debit cards are also accepted. PayPal donations are confidential; we never see your payment details.
Love our blog? Check out our other Costa Rica-related projects, too:
