An Overview of the Town, the Beach, the Amenities, and Tamarindo Real Estate.

Tamarindo is the largest town in the area covered by Flamingo Beach Properties, though smaller than Liberia, the capital of the Guanacaste Province. If you like a wider variety of choices for your nightlife and dining, or just prefer the bustle of a town, then Tamarindo might be the perfect choice for you to live. It is also a great place for a vacation whether you want a surfing adventure, a honeymoon, a family beach holiday, or to use as a hub for you eco-adventures and activity holidays (golf, ATV, horse-riding, diving, jungle boat rides, rain-forest canopy tours, golfing, nature‑watching … and a lot more). The region’s airport at Liberia is about a one-hour drive. Tamarindo actually has its own local airport where you get book a flight from the Juan Santamaría International Airport at San José. This would be about 4 hours by road.

THE BEACH AT TAMARINDO

Tamarindo Beach is one of the biggest tourist destinations of Costa Rica. The sand of Tamarindo beach is of pale yellow and of course, warm blue water. The beach is about about 3.5 km in length in a curved bay with a sandy bottom with some reef outcrops. As you’d expect from a tourist beach, all kinds of water sports activities are available – and day tours to go diving, sport fishing, or whale and dolphin watching. Tamarindo beach is bordered by the Baulas National Marine Park to the north and to the south. Here you can observe the turtles nesting. It is home to three species: the endangered Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea); the Green turtle (Chelonia agassizii); and the Olive Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea). The Baulas National Park also has many plant, bird and animal species. Among them are: the Hairless fox (Didelphis marsupialis); deer; Howler monkeys; Coyote; Raccoons; and marine life and reptiles: the Tajalin crab; the Boa constrictor snake; the Garrobo (Basiliscus basiliscus); and Crocodiles.

Ref: Las Baulas Marine National Park on Wikipedia

TAMARINDO SURF

Tamarindo has some spots for advanced surfers when the swell is large. The waves are normally gentle here, and it is a good place for swimmers and for novice surfers. Experts use Tamarindo as a base to surf the more powerful waves at Playa Grande to the north, or to Playa Langosta, Playa Avellana, or Playa Negra to the south. Playa Grande is in the Baulas National Park. It is best accessed by boat from Tamarindo as it is not recommended to cross the river at Estero de Tamarindo because there may be crocodiles here.

LIVING AT TAMARINDO

Tamarindo has permanent foreign residents from America, Europe, Argentina, Colombia and other nations. Until the 80’s, when the tourism boom began, Tamarindo was not a town, there was a tiny fishing village. It is now a bustling tourist town. The town has a population of over 2,000, which rises to 3,500 during the day when people from outlying towns come to work. With visitors accounted for, the population can rise up to 6,000. Because there are a lot of foreigners, a high proportion of the population speaks English. When planning to purchase property I always recommend staying in the area on a trip or two so that you know what you are getting yourself into. If you want advice about this, contact me, Lindsey Cantillo, or someone else from the talented team at Summer Coast Realty and start a conversation. Contact details are on every page of this website. If you prefer tranquility and social isolation except for when you choose to go to a local quiet restaurant, then Tamarindo is not the obvious choice for your new life. For others, Tamarindo offers the perfect balance between having access to tropical paradise and a having a vibrant social life. There is a ‘suburb’ at the south end of the town of Tamarindo, Playa Langosta, that is a quiet residential area and the beach is also quiet and great for a peaceful walk or swim. Tamarindo and Langosta Beach (Playa Langosta) share this listings page, and there is detailed information in the accordion section just below this. There is a place just north of Tamarindo that is really for nature lovers. That is also mentioned below and has its own information and listings page, Playa Grande.

AMENITIES AT TAMARINDO

Tamarindo is a lively tourist town. It has international restaurants, bars, night-clubs etc. It also has boutiques, art galleries, artisan craft shops, spas, and of course, beach and water sports equipment and surfboard sales and hire. The town has numerous bakeries, supermarkets, deli’s, and is host to the Volcano artesenal brewery. It is a regional hub where people call in to visit supermarkets, mechanics, doctors, vets, etc. At Tamarindo, you can book all the tours available in the region. Of course, there is the beach and the surfing and Tamarindo also has a skateboard park. There are many facilities and amenities in the region that are all within easy traveling distance: international schools; golf courses; outdoor activities; and sports facilities . It is a healthy place to bring your family.

A busy town just around the corner, but a more tranquil pace.

Sitting just south of Tamarindo, the small beachside community of Playa Langosta is an exotic locale with excellent surfing conditions. The sprawling sandy beach at Playa Langosta is much quieter than its neighbor, and is one of the best places in this region to let your hair down and relax. Although it tends to get crowded during high season, Playa Langosta is commonly less crowded than Tamarindo and it sits right next to Marino Las Baulas National Park.

THE BEACH AND SURF AT PLAYA LANGOSTA

One of the most common reasons for visiting Playa Langosta is its unbelievable surf. At the southern end of the sandy shoreline, the mouth of an estuary has an excellent surf break that often attracts boarders who prefer to hit the waves in a low-key, quiet area. The rivermouth waves are short and fast, and are ideal for experienced surfers. Boasting both right and left breaks, Playa Langosta’s waves typically peak at the same place, but surfers should still keep an eye out for rocks and coral here. Most of the coral head is exposed during low tide and sits just below the surface during high tide.