within the country. I can tell you that while there definitely are families on vacation and couples on their honeymoon, there is a huge population of solo travelers - both male and female.
Tamarindo is known for its awesome surfing, gaining popularity after being featured in surf legend Robert August’s movie Endless Summer II. A residential beach community of about 500 full-time residents, the town swells to over 5,000 during peak holidays like Christmas and Easter. This friendly little village has absolutely everything you need for a perfect vacation. An abundance of sun, beautiful beaches and unlimited activities for all tastes. But, if a little sweltering heat does NOT appeal to you, then this may not be the destination for you.
When to go - NOW. High season is Thanksgiving to Easter and a few weeks in the summer. The holiday weeks see a surge in tourism and prices. What the guidebooks won’t tell you is that the rainy season is a great time of year to visit. Temperatures are down a bit and rain in this area, the Guanacaste Coast, is much lighter than the interior more densely tropical regions. Tamarindo is an arid jungle, so don’t be surprised by the lack of lush vegetation especially during the dry months of March & April. May, September and October are the absolute best times for deals.
What to do for fun -
Beach - YES. Start your day with a morning walk along Playa Tamarindo. Walk left and hike around a rocky outcropping to the quieter strip of white sand and volcanic rock with tide pools, passing by spectacular luxury villas (aptly called millionaire row) to Langosta Beach. Just past the Barcelo Hotel is the Langosta estuary, home to numerous water fowl, the occasional Howler Monkey (did you know monkeys swim?) and a more intermediate surf break. When the tide is out it’s an easy stroll across to an endless and often times empty stretch of pristine velvety sand and shell collectors dream. Or turn right and cross the “River Mouth” or Tamarindo estuary (by 2 minute water taxi to avoid the crocodiles) and walk/jog a glorious stretch of sand for miles along Playa Grande. A popular surf spot with the locals, there have been a couple of croc incidents so heed the signs warning “Peligroso - Cocodrilo.” Or just enjoy the local action in Playa Tamarindo as this is the center of town where you’ll find water sport rentals, beach restaurants and plenty of surfing to watch or try.
Activities - Endless options. Ziplining (aka canopy tour), scuba diving, ATV tours, sport fishing, or my favorite sunset sail aboard the Blue Dolphin catamaran www.bluedolphinsailing.com, where you can enjoy an entire afternoon of sailing, swimming, snorkeling, great food, an open bar and a spectacular sunset. But the top activity is definitely surfing. While there are a number of highly qualified surfing outfits in town, I’m partial to Iguana Surf https://youtu.be/Mtc6msY7eNc. They have been around forever, have great equipment and the instructors really know how to get me in the water, on the board, riding the wave, all safely and with a smile. Thanks to popular instructor Tommy, I stuck with it and caught that magical long wave. After an active day, the perfect antidote for your tired and waterlogged body is a candlelight restorative yoga class at Mermaids and Sailors Yoga Studio & Specialty Boutique http://mermaids-and-sailors.com/ or an afternoon honey & coffee spa pedicure or massage at Coco Beauty Spa http://cocobeautyspa.com/. If you’d prefer to just relax, the must do chill activity in town is to stroll down to the beach for sunset … locals and tourists alike gather together for the breathtaking fiery ball to drop.
Nightlife - Pick your poison. Each night in town has one or two options to entertain you and because it’s such a small village, you’ll start to see familiar faces right away. There’s Salsa at Maluco Caipirinha Lounge, House music at El Garito, Reggae at Pacifico and Karaoke or Beer Pong Tournaments at Sharky’s. I spent my first solo night out in town sitting at the bar at Sharky’s watching a major UFC fight. People were friendly and welcoming. You can also find live music at several restaurants in town or visiting DJ’s for heart pumping late action. The latest addition to the scene is the glittery bottle service nightclub and restaurant Sky Bar - one of the few places in town that does require you to wear shoes and shirt and turns your dog away at the door. With many other solo travelers, it’s very easy to meet people. The key is to just get out there and not be glued to your phone.