If you’re flying into Liberia (LIR), you’re already in the right place. Guanacaste is home to some of the best beaches in Costa Rica — and the best part is how different each one feels from the last. Within a 60-minute drive of the airport you can find a calm fishing village, a black-sand snorkeling bay, a car-free luxury town, and a surf scene that draws people from around the world.
This guide covers five beaches worth putting on your itinerary, each with its own vibe, its own crowd, and its own reason to visit. Whether you’re planning a week-long trip or trying to cram three beaches into a long weekend, this is where to start.
Playas del Coco
Coco is the closest beach town to Liberia airport — about 30 minutes by car — and it works well as a base for exploring the wider Guanacaste coast. It’s not the most dramatic beach on this list, but that’s part of the appeal. The water is calm, the town has restaurants and bars within walking distance, and you’re positioned to reach Ocotal, Hermosa, Las Catalinas, and more within 20 minutes.
There’s a Sunday market, decent snorkeling just offshore, and a laid-back atmosphere that suits longer stays. For first-time visitors to the region, Coco is a reliable starting point.
Playa Hermosa
A few kilometres south of Coco sits Playa Hermosa — not to be confused with the Hermosa near Jacó. This one is quieter, wider, and worth the detour. It’s a long curved bay backed by green hills with calm-ish water and far fewer people than Coco. There’s no real town here, which means no crowds, no vendors, and no noise — just beach.
Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste — wider and quieter than Coco, just a few minutes south.
It’s also a decent surf spot at certain times of year, though beginners should check conditions before paddling out. If you’re basing yourself in Coco, this is an easy half-day trip.
Playa Ocotal
Ocotal is one of the most underrated beaches in Guanacaste. It’s small, tucked into a cove about 10 minutes from Coco, and the water is a different colour entirely — clearer, calmer, and better for snorkeling than most beaches in the area. The bay is sheltered enough that the water stays flat even when surf is up elsewhere.
The shoreline is rocky in places and the beach has some black sand underfoot, so water shoes will get real use here — both for walking the rocky edges and for wading in without slipping. The snorkeling just off the point is genuinely worth it.
Las Catalinas
Las Catalinas is unlike anything else on this list — or most places in Costa Rica. It’s a purpose-built pedestrian town on a hillside above a calm bay, with no cars allowed inside. The architecture is Mediterranean-influenced, the streets are paved with stone, and the restaurants are actually good. It feels expensive because it is, but you can visit the beach and walk the town without staying at one of the hotels.
The bay is calm enough for paddleboarding and kayaking, and the hiking trails behind town give you some of the better coastal views in Guanacaste. It’s a busy tourist area with plenty of people around, so a lockable cross-body bag is worth having — something that sits in front of you and closes securely while you’re walking the market and restaurant strip.
Tamarindo
Tamarindo is the biggest surf town in Guanacaste and one of the most visited beach destinations in the country. The main beach is long and wide, the surf is consistent year-round, and the town has enough restaurants, bars, and tour operators to keep you busy for a week. It’s also more international than Coco — you’ll hear as many languages as Spanish on the main strip.
It’s a full-sun beach town with long hours on the sand and in the water. The equatorial sun in Guanacaste is far stronger than most people expect on day one — reef-safe sunscreen is worth packing before you leave home, since the stuff available locally is expensive and limited.
Santa Teresa
Santa Teresa is the furthest from Liberia on this list and the most effort to reach — it’s on the Nicoya Peninsula and requires either a ferry crossing or a long drive around the gulf. But for surfers and anyone looking to escape the more polished tourist circuit, it’s worth the trip. The beach is exposed, the waves are powerful, and the town still has the feel of somewhere that hasn’t been fully packaged yet — even if it has.
The hostel and surf school scene is strong here, and the sunsets from the beach are some of the best in Costa Rica. If you’ve already done the main Guanacaste circuit and want to push further, Santa Teresa is the natural next stop.
Which Beach Is Right for You?
If you want a calm, easy base close to the airport, start at Coco and day-trip to Hermosa and Ocotal. If you want something more architecturally unique, Las Catalinas is worth the drive just to walk the stone streets and swim the bay. For surf and nightlife, Tamarindo is the go-to choice in Guanacaste. And if you want to go properly off the main circuit, Santa Teresa rewards the extra travel time.
Guanacaste has more coastline than most visitors ever get to. This list covers five beaches — there are easily a dozen more worth knowing about.