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Playa Carrillo Costa Rica

Guanacaste province in Costa Rica is well known for its lovely pristine beaches and Playa Carrillo is no exception. Located on the Nicoya Peninsula this tropical paradise offers a palm lined beach with chalk colored sand. Playa Carrillo's shores are usually not crowded except for the holidays when visitors to spend the day. A few years ago camping was permitted throughout the beach. Nowadays campers only have the option to use a designated camping site. Playa Carrillo is less developed than its neighbor Samara, so if you visit Playa Carrillo you will not see many restaurants, resorts or hotels on the beach. The nearest restaurant to the beach is located on a cliff where you can take in the spectacular view. Playa Carrillo and Samara are connected by a recently paved road: from Samara you need to travel southeast on this road for about 5 miles (8 km), then when you enter town you will see the stretch of palm trees to the right and to the left the airstrip where daily charter flights land. All along the beach you can park your car and just a few steps away from your parking spot you can sit under the shade of a palm tree or take the sun out on the open beach. If you keep driving on this road parallel to the beach you will cross a small bridge over a river where a few crocodiles live. The uphill road will take you to a restaurant that offers one of the best views of the Pacific Ocean. Its main road offers a few restaurants and cabins for rent and a pulperia the typical Costa Rican village grocery store for your shopping needs.

This secluded destination is set in a small bay about 5 miles southeast of Samara. The beach ends at Punta Del Indio (The Cape of the Indian), named that way because when it’s seen from the opposite side of the bay the cape resembles someone lying face up. The waters that lap this beach are crystal clear, perfect for snorkeling around the coral reef or enjoying the water, since Playa Carrillo is good for swimming. This town bases part of its economy on fishing, and some days you can buy fish or lobster from fishermen when they set foot on shore after a day at the sea: practice your Costa Rican haggling skills and have a tasty meal while the sun sets.

Lush mountains serve as backdrop to this dream location. The serene waters are inviting and you can practice snorkeling and water sports such as kayaking, jet skiing and water skiing. One of the other great options here is that you can also book a sportfishing trip that will take you to the best fishing spots in this Costa Rican area. This beach has received the Bandera Azul (Blue Flag) award for its effort to maintain the place as one of Costa Rica’s cleanest beaches. Visit this wonderful area and enjoy the solitude and tranquility away from all the other tourist, major hotels and resorts.