A locally-written guide to the surf breaks, the wellness spots, the best things to eat, and the adventures that make Nosara feel like home.
Guanacaste's Pacific shore is one of the most consistent surf zones in the Americas — warm water year-round and a wave for every level, all within an hour of the property. Dry season brings clean offshore mornings; green season trades crowds for bigger swell.
Dec – Apr
Offshore winds, head-high beach breaks, sunny mornings
May – Nov
Bigger swell, fewer crowds, afternoon storms
80 – 84°F
Trunks year-round, optional rash guard
The region's most consistent A-frame beach break, fronting Las Baulas National Park and a long stretch of empty sand. On a clean swell, expect powerful, hollow shoulders that hold their form for long rides.
Park at the Las Baulas ranger station and walk fifteen minutes south to find the cleanest, least-crowded peaks of the morning.
The friendliest learner's wave in Guanacaste — long, soft and forgiving, with a sandy bottom, a permanent surf-school scene and a low-tide sandbar that lets you stand up on your very first morning.
Cross the estuary by water-taxi at high tide and aim to be in the water two hours before the high — the inside reform stays clean longest then.
Four distinct breaks inside a five-hundred-meter walk: a punchy beach peak at the parking lot, a long left point at the river mouth, and the reef they call Little Hawaii. The most variety on one beach.
Surf the reef on a mid-to-high tide only, and finish lunch at Lola's before driving back — the road in is dusty but the day is worth it.
Heavy, hollow, right-hand reef that draws the region's best surfers and the occasional pro. Cameoed in The Endless Summer II and unchanged since — a slab over volcanic rock that rewards patience.
Strictly for confident reef surfers. Sit on the beach and watch a full set roll through before paddling out; the takeoff zone is smaller than it looks.
The two most mythologized waves in Costa Rica, both tucked inside Santa Rosa National Park and reachable only by boat. A full-day charter out of Tamarindo: long ride out, perfect peaks, no crowds.
Book the charter the day before based on the swell forecast; bring two boards, reef-safe sunscreen, and cash for the park entry fee.
The home break — a three-minute walk from your door and one of the most reliable beach breaks here. The sand is long enough that peaks spread out, so there's almost always an empty shoulder.
Mid-to-high tide on a small morning swell is the sweet spot for longboards and learners; low tide on a bigger day gets punchy and fast toward the south end.
Start at Tamarindo's river mouth or Playa Brasilito on a soft-top with an instructor. Mellow whitewater, sandy bottom, easy paddle-outs, and rentals on the beach. Two or three sessions and you'll stand up.
Playa Grande is the local proving ground — fast, hollow, and lined up on a clean swell. Avellanas offers four breaks within a 500-meter walk including the reef at Little Hawaii. Playa Negra rewards an early dawn drive with a heavy right-hand reef.
Right of way to the surfer closest to the peak. Don't drop in. Don't snake the lineup. A smile and a nod in Spanish goes further than you'd think — ¡pura vida!
Rip currents are common on all beach breaks. If caught, paddle parallel to shore. Never surf alone at sunrise or sunset. The Guanacaste sun is brutal — reef-safe SPF 50 and a long-sleeve rash guard, always.
The longest-running surf school in Tamarindo, kept by the same family for three decades. Group and private lessons on the main beach, soft-top rentals by the hour, and instructors in four languages.
Book the 7am private lesson for the cleanest water and emptiest lineup — the school will hold a board and rash guard for you on the beach.
Tucked in behind Playa Grande inside Las Baulas, the quieter alternative to the Tamarindo crowd. Small-group lessons, a respected board-shaping room on site, and instructors who read the tide well.
Pair a sunrise lesson with breakfast at the Frijoles café next door — the gallo pinto fuels three hours in the water.
Full-service camp on the Tamarindo beachfront with lessons, rentals, video coaching and charter trips out to Witch's Rock and Ollie's Point. The open-air café is a fine town breakfast on rest days.
Their multi-day packages bundle lessons, charters and breakfast — easily the best value if you're staying more than a long weekend.
Boutique private-lesson school based in Playa Grande, with a one-to-one cap and a fleet of high-performance boards. Built for repeat sessions and intermediates pushing into the next level of surfing.
Ask for Carlos if you want technique feedback — his video debriefs over coffee afterward are the real value.
When you want to leave the coast for a day — volcanoes, jungle canopies, and waterfalls all within a couple of hours. These are the trips worth the early start.
One of Costa Rica's longest zipline circuits — eleven cables strung ridge-to-ridge across a river canyon high above Nosara. Two and a half hours in the canopy, with howler monkeys for close company.
Book the 8am tour for the coolest air and the chance of monkeys on the platforms; wear closed-toe shoes and tie back long hair.
Sunset rides along an empty stretch of black volcanic sand, run by a third-generation family of campesinos with calm, well-trained criollo horses. Ninety minutes out and back along the water line.
Ask at the stables across from Coco Loco the morning of for a 5pm slot — book through the concierge if you want a guided private ride.
Ten zipline runs across the canopy, an animal sanctuary, ATV trails, and Costa Rica's longest dual-line superman zipline, ending down at the beach. A full-day affair, with a buffet lunch included.
Book the morning slot to beat the heat and the bus tours; bring a GoPro chest harness if you want clean footage off the lines.
Active-volcano national park with fumaroles, bubbling mud pots, jungle waterfalls and a half-day loop hike through cloud forest. One of the most varied day trips you can make from the coast road.
Leave at 6am to make the trailhead before park rangers close it at 3pm — bring 3L of water per person and closed-toe trail shoes.
A twelve-meter-wide curtain of water spilling into a wide swimming pool with a soft sandy bottom. An easy fifteen-minute walk in from the parking lot, and the prettiest swimmable falls in Guanacaste.
Go on a weekday morning before the tour buses arrive, and bring water shoes — the path down to the pool is short but rocky.
Two-hour boat trip down the Tempisque River, through one of the great wetlands of Central America. Crocodiles on the banks, howlers overhead, scarlet macaws and more egrets than you can name.
Book the early-morning departure for the most active wildlife and request the smaller-boat operator rather than the big tourist barge.
Half-day sail out of Flamingo Marina, with snorkel stops at hidden coves, ceviche and rum punch on board, and the Pacific sunset from the bow. Several outfits run it; Lazy Lizard is the most reliable.
Book the afternoon-into-sunset slot; bring motion-sickness tablets if you're sensitive, and stake out the bow netting early.
The rocky cove just north of Guiones, where low tide opens warm tide pools and a blowhole that fires spray straight up through volcanic rock. A twenty-minute walk, with iguanas sunning the whole way.
Check the tide chart and go an hour either side of low tide; stay on for sunset drinks at one of the two beach bars above the cove.
One of a handful of beaches on earth where olive ridley turtles nest en masse. During an arribada, thousands come ashore over a few nights on dark volcanic sand — a genuinely rare thing to stand near.
Access is guided-only and arribadas cluster around the last quarter moon — ask the concierge to watch the reports and book a certified local guide the day it starts.
Boutique eco-lodge on the bluff above the Nosara river mouth, with a private 90-acre reserve threaded by boardwalks through mangrove and dry forest. Trópico's terrace is the quietest cocktail here.
OrderReserve boardwalk at dawn · Trópico sunset cocktails · Estuary kayak
Non-guests can visit the reserve and stay for sunset drinks at Trópico — reserve a terrace table a day ahead for the best light.
The Pacific shelf drops off fast past Playa Flamingo, putting yellowfin tuna, sailfish, marlin and dorado within an hour of the marina. A short list of charters we trust, from half-day inshore trips to serious offshore runs.
Flamingo's deepwater shelf drops off less than an hour from the marina, putting yellowfin tuna, sailfish and marlin within a single morning. A polished 32-foot charter with two decades of local reading.
OrderYellowfin tuna run · Sailfish release · Roosterfish inshore
Sailfish peak Dec–Apr, blue and black marlin May–Sep, tuna run all year — tell the captain what you'd rather catch and he'll set the spread to match.
Family-run charter out of Tamarindo with a 35-foot Cabo Express, an air-conditioned cabin, and a captain raised on this coast. The friendliest first charter around, plus a half-day inshore option.
OrderRoosterfish on light tackle · Half-day inshore · Sunset return
Take the half-day inshore on a rising tide for roosterfish and dorado close to the rocks — the full-day offshore is the move if anyone on board wants tuna.
Two-boat fleet out of Flamingo Marina built for serious offshore work — runs to the FAD buoys for yellowfin, overnight charters chasing the marlin bite, and a rare group-of-six setup for friends.
OrderOffshore FAD run · Overnight charter · Mahi on the troll
Pick the dawn departure to run to the FAD before the breeze comes up; the overnight option is unusual for the area and worth booking weeks ahead.
The day starts slow here — a paddle, a salutation, a long breath before the heat. These are the studios and quiet places we send guests to most.
Open-air teak shala set inside the Reserva Conchal grounds and ringed by primary forest. Daily vinyasa at sunrise, gentle yin at noon, and a candle-lit sunset class as howler monkeys move overhead.
Drop-in spots fill fast — reserve through the Reserva concierge a day ahead and arrive ten minutes early for the herbal tea.
Full-service spa with a five-stage hydrotherapy circuit, jungle massage cabanas suspended over the forest floor, and a couples' suite facing the gardens. The best half-day reset within walking distance.
Order90-min lomi lomi · Hydrotherapy circuit · Coconut body scrub
Book the 90-minute lomi lomi paired with the hydro circuit — give yourself an hour after to lie down in the relaxation cabana.
Donation-based beach yoga most mornings at 7am near the Brasilito pier, led by a rotating cast of local teachers. Bring a mat or a towel and arrive as the fishermen push their boats out for the day.
Check the chalkboard outside Nordico Bakery the night before for the schedule — Sunday classes are the largest and the most lively.
Glassy morning paddles inside the protected Flamingo bay, with turtles, rays and pufferfish passing under the board. Rentals and guided tours leave from the south end of the marina at first light.
Paddle out by 7am before the offshore wind picks up; the south point usually has the calmest water and the best wildlife.
The northern rocky outcrop at Playa Conchal is the best inshore snorkel on this coast — parrotfish, sergeant majors, the occasional eagle ray, and a shell beach that crunches like sugar underfoot.
Go at the top of high tide for the clearest water, and bring your own mask and fins — the rentals on the beach are tired.
Guided nighttime walk on Playa Grande in leatherback season, to watch one of the largest reptiles on earth lay her eggs in the sand. Quiet, slow, profound — and run ethically by park rangers.
Book through the ranger station the day of, wear closed shoes, and bring a red-filter headlamp if you have one — no white light is allowed.
Where to find a real flat white, a cold-pressed juice, and an açaí bowl deep enough to share. Post-surf fuel and slow mornings, all within a short walk or drive.
Açaí bowls served on a driftwood bar with your feet in the sand and a cold green coconut already opened beside you. The post-surf staple for everyone within walking distance of the Brasilito sand.
OrderAçaí bowl, extra granola · Coconut-pineapple shake · Cold-press ginger shot
Order before you go in the water and they'll have it waiting on a shaded picnic table by the time you towel off.
Cold-pressed juices, protein shakes built on local fruit, and the most consistent espresso in town — pulled on a La Marzocco serviced every quarter. The morning crew is half the river-mouth lineup.
OrderBeet-ginger juice · Peanut butter banana shake · Double flat white
The chalkboard juice rotates daily; ask for whichever blend has watermelon and lime if it's available.
Plant-forward menu of Buddha bowls, raw desserts, kombucha on tap and bright smoothies blended with whatever fruit the farm dropped off that day. Tiny garden patio, slow service, very Tamarindo.
OrderSpirulina bowl · Mango chia smoothie · Raw cacao brownie
The lunch bowl special changes daily — ask what the kitchen recommends rather than ordering from the menu.
Scandinavian-Tico bakery in the heart of Brasilito, run by a Danish couple who pull sourdough from a wood oven each morning. Cardamom buns, oat-milk lattes, and fruit bowls brighter than the coffee.
OrderCardamom bun · Tropical fruit bowl · Oat-milk cortado
Get there before 9am or the cardamom buns are gone; weekday mornings the corner table is the quietest seat in town.
Tiny walk-up window doing turmeric lattes, layered açaí bowls and savory grain bowls topped with whatever is in season that week. There's no seating — take it to the beach two blocks over instead.
OrderTurmeric latte · Quinoa grain bowl · Off-menu breakfast burrito
Cash only, no card reader. The breakfast burrito is off-menu but worth asking for if you see a friendly face at the window.
The Guiones breakfast institution — a shaded open-air deck a few steps back from the sand, doing deep açaí bowls, cold-pressed juice, huge breakfast plates and proper coffee after the dawn patrol.
OrderPitaya bowl with almond butter · Huevos rancheros · Cold-pressed green juice
Go before 9am for a garden table and the fastest kitchen; the pitaya bowl with almond butter is the local order.
Seven addresses — from a pigs-on-the-sand institution to a quiet candlelit Italian and the only soda we'd send our parents to.
A Guanacaste institution: pigs roaming the sand between tables, ceviche served on driftwood, and a long lunch that bleeds into sunset and a second bottle of rosé. Worth the drive south, every time.
OrderTuna sashimi · Whole grilled red snapper · Watermelon-mint mojito
Cash only, no reservations — arrive by 12:30 for a beachfront table, or push lunch to 3pm and hold for the second seating.
Brasilito's quiet Italian, hidden behind a hedge of bougainvillea. Wood-fired pizza, hand-cut pasta, a small but considered wine list, and a chef who came down from Florence years ago and never left.
OrderTruffle tagliolini · Margherita with bufala · House tiramisu
Book the corner two-top for the candle-lit dinner; the kitchen will do an off-menu tasting if you ask politely in Italian or Spanish.
Long-standing Tamarindo seafood institution with white tablecloths, candlelight, and a bouillabaisse the chef has refined for thirty years. The dressy dinner of the week, worth the half-hour drive.
OrderBouillabaisse · Lobster thermidor · Tres leches
Reserve a corner table on the upper deck and arrive in time for the sunset over the river mouth; the wine list is deeper than the menu suggests.
Tamarindo's stylish beach club, with tables set out in the sand under loops of string light and a polished Latin-Asian menu. Dressy without trying — the place to celebrate something on this coast.
OrderTuna tataki · Coconut-curry catch of the day · Passion-fruit cheesecake
Sunset reservations book out two weeks ahead in high season — go for the early seating and stay through dessert with toes in the sand.
A Flamingo classic since the eighties, kept by the same Tico-American family and easy to spot by its open thatched roof. Generous plates, easy prices, and the best casado within twenty minutes of us.
OrderCasado with grilled fish · Banana pancakes · House lemonade
Breakfast is the locals' meal here — order the gallo pinto with eggs over-easy and a fresh orange juice that arrives in a pint glass.
Open-air resort restaurant facing the Reserva Conchal forest, with a kitchen led by a chef who moved down from San José. Elegant, polished, and the safest of safe-bet date nights nearby.
OrderChef's tasting menu · Catch of the day a la talla · CR wine flight
Sit on the garden side of the patio, order the tasting menu paired with the Costa Rican wine flight, and let the meal stretch.
A true Tico soda — handwritten chalkboard menu, plastic chairs in the shade, and the platonic ideal of a casado for under ten dollars. Doña Lucia will remember your usual order on the second visit.
OrderCasado con pollo · Gallo pinto breakfast · Agua de sapo
Show up between 11:30 and 1pm for the freshest casado, and ask whatever's pictured on the day's whiteboard — that's what was caught that morning.
Elevated Costa Rican cooking on the hill above Playa Guiones — open-fire proteins, garden vegetables, and one of the better wine lists in town. The room opens to the treetops; the crowd is half local.
OrderWood-fired catch of the day · Chimichurri short rib · Guanacaste corn
Book the last seating and stay for a mezcal after — the terrace lights come down and the jungle takes over the soundtrack.
The best sushi in Nosara — a small omakase-leaning room by a chef trained in Tokyo, working almost entirely off the day's Pacific catch. Cuts change with the tide; hot dishes keep everyone else happy.
OrderChef's omakase · Yellowfin tuna nigiri · Miso black cod
Sit at the counter and let the chef guide the order — walk-ins are hard, book a day or two out on Instagram.
A short list — sunset hour at the marina, dinner under string lights, and the occasional late night in Tamarindo. Low-key, no clubs, just the good ones.
Tamarindo's late-night live-music bar: rotating local bands, cold Imperials, and a wooden dance floor that fills after midnight. Loud, warm, and the kind of room where strangers leave as friends.
OrderImperial draft · House margarita · Plate of patacones
Music starts around 10pm; arrive at 9 for a seat and the two-for-one happy hour at the bar.
Loud, large, and the only place in town with every Premier League and NFL game running across a dozen screens. Cheap drinks, two pool tables, and the after-after for everyone leaving the beach bars.
OrderBucket of Pilsens · Loaded nachos · Frozen mojito
Thursday's trivia night packs out by 8pm — claim a high-top early or settle for standing by the bar.
Microbrewery rooftop overlooking Tamarindo Bay, with craft IPAs brewed downstairs, wood-fired pizza, and a noticeably mellower scene than the beach bars. Perfect for the night before a dawn surf.
OrderWitch's Rock IPA · Wood-fired margherita · Beer flight
Arrive forty-five minutes before sunset to claim a rail seat — order the flight to taste before committing to a pint.
Sunset cocktails on the sand, with the best playlist on the beach and a bartender who will make whatever you want, on or off menu. The transition spot from a beach day to a dinner reservation.
OrderSmoked-pineapple mezcal · Passionfruit caipirinha · Spicy margarita
Tip the bartender well on the first round and the second one will be poured noticeably stronger.
The cliffside bars at Flamingo Marina catch the most photogenic sunset on the coast — calm, quiet, deliberately expensive, sailboats drifting in from the day's charters. A grown-up alternative in all.
OrderPassion-fruit gin sour · Ceviche mixto · Coconut creme brûlée
Book ahead at the rooftop and request the western corner table for an unobstructed view down to the horizon.
Friday-night beach bonfires at Coco Loco — guitar, mezcal, no shoes, and no plan at all. The bar lights its torches at sunset and the music carries until the staff start pouring water on the fire.
OrderRum punch pitcher · Grilled fish skewer · Mezcal-pineapple
Bring a sweatshirt for after midnight, and order the rum punch by the pitcher if you're with a group.
We'll arrange the surf lessons, book the restaurants, send the driver, and have a chilled bottle of something waiting when you return.
concierge@noma-estates.com