Hotel Capitan Suizo
A boutique hotel at the quiet end of Tamarindo Bay, in gardens visited by howler monkeys, with a pool shaped like a natural pond and breakfast included.
4-starView hotel
Tamarindo Beach
Guanacaste's liveliest beach town: beginner surf, sunsets over the Pacific and restaurants you can walk to. Most of our clients spend 4 nights here.
- Fly into
- LIR
- Liberia 1 to 2 hours
- Stay
- 4 nights
- What most of our clients choose
- Best weather
- Dec to May
- Dry season
- Region
- Guanacaste
- Surf, estuary, Gold Coast
- Pairs with
- Arenal
- Private transfer, about 4.5 hours
Why go
Surf, sunsets and a real town
Tamarindo takes its name from the tamarind trees along the shore. The waves suit beginners, and Costa Rica's first surf school opened here, right on the main beach. Across the estuary is Playa Grande and Las Baulas National Park, where leatherback turtles come to nest, and every evening the town turns to watch the sun go down over the Pacific.
SurfingLessons for beginners on the main beach
The estuaryBoat tours for crocodiles and birds
SunsetsBest from a catamaran
The map
Every hotel we book in Tamarindo
8 hotels, our favourites numbered.
Hotels we know personally
3-star and above only, chosen by our team in Costa Rica.
Tamarindo Diria
On Tamarindo beach, in three villages for every kind of trip, oceanfront, adults-only and family, with 4 pools including a lagoon pool with a swim-up bar.
4-starView hotel
What our clients book most in Tamarindo
Ranked from the trips we planned in the last 12 months.
- 01Catamaran sail with snorkellingShared, 4 hours
- 02Tamarindo estuary by boatShared, 2 hours
- 03Rincón de la Vieja hike and Oropéndola WaterfallTour
- 04La Leona Waterfall hikePrivate, Half day
- 05Palo Verde by boat and Guaitil potteryShared, Full Day
- 06Half-day sport fishingTour
When to go
Dry and sunny December to May
The dry season is Tamarindo's busy time, so it pays to plan early. May to November is greener and quieter.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Dry seasonGreen season, more rainSemana Santa, 21 to 28 March 2027: plan early
Fly into Liberia
From Liberia (LIR)1 to 2 hoursPrivate transfer, with a meet and greet at arrivals
From Arenalabout 4.5 hoursPrivate transfer, our most planned route here
From Monteverdeabout 3.5 hoursPrivate transfer down from the cloud forest
Where to go next
Where our clients go after Tamarindo
Good to know
Tamarindo questions we answer every week
How many nights do I need in Tamarindo?
4 nights is what most of our clients choose: enough for a surf lesson, a catamaran sail and an easy day on the beach.
Is Tamarindo good for learning to surf?
Yes. The waves on the main beach suit beginners, and Costa Rica's first surf school opened here.
How far is Tamarindo from Liberia airport?
Between 1 and 2 hours by private transfer. Your Specialist times it around your flight.
Can I see turtles near Tamarindo?
Leatherback turtles nest at Playa Grande, across the estuary, in Las Baulas National Park. Ask your Specialist about the season for your dates.
Your Costa Rica, planned by people who live here
Tell us what you love. A Costa Rica Specialist builds a custom itinerary around it, with private transfers, hotels we know and our team on call 24/7 while you travel.
Since 2004 in Costa RicaOver 25,000 clients1,200+ five-star reviewsICT licensed, Declaratoria Turística