Where to stay, eat and go in Tamarindo, Costa Rica
Last September I left my job of 7+ years and bought a one-way plane ticket to Costa Rica with my boyfriend.
Then we realized the morning of our flight that they wouldn’t let us on the plane until we bought a return ticket (lol)!
We spent time in Tamarindo, La Fortuna and San Jose which were all amazing, but also very different from each other. Below I wrote up my recommendations on where you stay, eat and go in Tamarindo, a super casual beach town located on the northern Pacific coast.
Where to stay
Since it was off-season, we rented an ocean front airbnb for the month at a huge discount. It was in Playa Langosta, a more residential area located about a mile from downtown Tamarindo. There are so many airbnb and VRBO options in condo buildings that have ocean views and pools.
There are also tons of hotels - Cala Luna’s property looked great from our visits for dinner and Diria seemed to dominate the town so could be a good option for people who want to be right downtown.
Where to eat
Costa Rican food is so good. I miss all the gallo pinto, plantains and ceviche I was eating every single day! Below are some of the restaurants we frequented during our 3 week visit.
Nogui’s - located directly on the beach, Nogui’s is great for authentic Costa Rican food. A popular dish here is called a Casado which usually contains rice, beans, salad, plantains and your choice of a meat or fish. It’s delicious.
Bamboo Sushi Club - I am a sushi lover and just couldn’t go three full weeks without it. Not surprisingly, this ended up being one of my favorite meals of the trip. After we went, one of our neighbors told us you can request the locals menu which has cheaper options that are equally as delicious.
Cala Luna - located in the Cala Luna Resort, this restaurant had a great menu and very friendly staff. We really enjoyed our meal…. Until a raccoon tapped me on the back at the end of our meal (yes, I freaked out), but the locals weren’t bothered and the staff shooed them away. It was definitely memorable :)
La Palapa - located directly on the beach, this restaurant had the best seafood. The service was great and the atmosphere was fun. There was live music both times we went and its a great spot to watch the sunset.
Lola’s - located in Playa Avellana, this beach restaurant has amazing views and great food. Worth the drive, it’s a great place to grab lunch before and after hitting the beach
Where to go
There are so many towns around Tamarindo that are fun to visit and there are lots of activities to partake in. Below are some of my recommendations on what to do and where to go when you’re visiting Tamarindo.
Diamante Eco Adventure Park - just over an hour drive from downtown Tamarindo, we went here to experience the Superman zipline. After ziplining we also did the quick fall bungee jump, walking bridge over crocodiles and then checked out the animal sanctuary and botanical gardens. It was a great place to spend a day.
Surfing Lessons - Tamarindo is known for surfing, so you have to at least give it a try. I honestly wasn’t that into it, but happy I took a lesson to get the experience. I prefered laying on the beach while my boyfriend surfed in the afternoon :)
Estuary Tour - you jump on a boat and cruise through the calm waters while a guide points out the wildlife around you. You will see lots of birds and iguanas, but we also had crocodiles come about a foot from our boat and howler monkeys were climbing the trees above us! Really cool experience
Marlin del Rey Catamaran Sunset Cruise - this half-day cruise is a great way to spend an afternoon. You depart from the beach in downtown Tamarindo, cruise on the water for awhile and then they let you jump off to swim and snorkel. They serve unlimited drinks and a homemade meal. Watching the tropical sunset from the ocean is the best part of this cruise which happens just before they drop you off.
We had the best time in Tamarindo and can’t believe we ever made the decision to leave Costa Rica.
If you are planning a trip and have any questions on Tamarindo or Costa Rica, leave them in the comments below!
Xo, Katie
