Playa Tamarindo on the Pacific coast in the isthmus known as Costa Rica. Costa Rica means Rich Coast but I prefer Tasty Coast. The food, the weather and the environment is incredible. Vacationers flock to this region to relax but Tamarindo in particular is a surfing beach.
We must have went there when the tide was out, there are rocks in the water along the beach so you would have to find somewhere else to surf. Plenty of restaurants and things to do are happening in this town, it's a regional hub of fun. Most people don't stay directly in Tamarindo unless they like to party. There are dozens of beaches in the area and many communities where foreigners stay for the winter.
Here are some families relaxing on Danta beach, about 20 kilometers north of Tamarindo. We were staying somewhere between the two beaches at Playa Flamingo. They're all great places for rest, relaxation, fun and sun.
This is in a billion dollar development called Los Catalinas, I'll write more about this place in the future. Costa Rica is getting very developed and quite expensive. I know dozens of Canadians who go down here and American's too. Half of my extended family has visited this country.
Asies from the beach, one can venture into the jungle. We did just that, spending half our time in Costa Rica on the beaches and half the time in the rainforest. There are so many things to do in such a small country and they really know how to cater to tourists. The photo above was taken at a hot spring eco spa.
The North Western region of Costa Rica has a dry season in the winter. It is quite rural with mostly farms, small towns and gated communities. There is a little bit of a cowboy culture going on as there are ranches up in the hills.
Costa Rica is known for its biodiversity. We were staying in a gated community called Mar Vista, or view of the sea. It was about a kilometer inland and you need a car as just walking out of this place would take you thirty minutes. The insurance on car rentals in Costa Rica is a real ripoff and people were shouting in the car rental place when discovering it is $40 a day or something crazy on top of a rental fee and they do not care if you have credit card coverage.
Such views from a private villa don't come cheap and the best places are not accessible by public transit. I could spend a month or two down here every winter. It is a great place for Canadian families to escape the cold.
Monkeys were relaxing in the tree right next to our place. There were thousands of birds flying by and we couldn't be bothered to go to the beach most days.
The best way to do Costa Rica is to rent a villa in a nice community, go to the grocery store and cook in an outdoor kitchen. When you eat like locals it isn't so bad and the beer is great. We would grill chicken, fish and make snacks with beans, rice and local cheese.
The views from the hills overlooking the sea were gorgeous. The main problem is it gets so hot and humid, walking around in the sun for more than a few minutes is intolerable. This is why you really need a car when visiting Costa Rica, gotta make the most of your vacation.
This is what the main city of San Jose looks like, its the view from outside an airport hotel. The city isn't very nice but once you leave it, there are really nice communities up in the hills. The Central valley is the most populated part of Costa Rica but the city isn't really a tourist magnet. Just go to the airport and fly on to your next adventure.
The roads along the coast are filled with nice views. We are looking towards Playa Prieta and the new Marina near Playa Flamingo. This area is really going to be happening over the next few decades as they finally built a place for the uber rich to park their yachts.
Thank you for reading and have a nice weekend. All these photos were taken with an s24 or iphone 15 pro max and are unfiltered
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