Hotels in Tamarindo — prices, reviews & booking

Guanacaste's main beach town — consistent surf, walkable streets, sunset restaurants, and the closest of the surf towns to Liberia (LIR) airport. Popular with first-time Costa Rica visitors and surf schools at every block. Expect wind and dry sunshine December through April.

Overview

Guanacaste's most developed beach town — easy surf, easy access, and easy nightlife.

Tamarindo grew from a fishing village into Costa Rica's most accessible Pacific resort town — a 75-minute drive from Liberia airport, with beach-front restaurants, surf schools, and sunset bars lining a long crescent of golden sand. It's the easy first stop on a Guanacaste itinerary.

Tamarindo Beach — beginner-friendly waves at high tide, longer rides at sunset
Playa Grande — a 10-minute crossing, leatherback turtle nesting Oct–Mar
Sportfishing — sailfish, mahi-mahi, and marlin out of a busy marina
Day trips — Rincón de la Vieja volcano, Witch's Rock, Palo Verde NP
Sunset cocktails — Pangas, El Vaquero, Surf Shack

Best time to visit

December through April for guaranteed sun and lively peak season. May through November delivers cleaner swells, deep-green hills, and softer crowds, with brief afternoon storms and warm nights.