PicsArt Monthly April Issue 2014 | Page 81

Tamarindo On the west coast of the Nicoya Peninsula, Tamarindo welcomes travellers from all over the world to its luscious white sand beaches. What was once a small fishing town has now grown to be one of the most accessible and enjoyable tourist areas in the region, and the chilled-out manner of the place is so strong that you’ll feel your cares melting away the minute you step off the bus. @aniemcghie Tamarindo National Wildlife Refuge is in easy reach of the town, as is Playa Grande, an excellent surfing and watersport beach that you can take in by horseback if you’re not so inclined to get wet. The incredible thing about Tamaraindo, however, is that it lies just beneath Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas, where intrepid wildlife photographers will be afforded the unique opportunity to see the world’s largest reptile, the leatherback turtle, crawl ashore to lay its eggs. Between May and October you might even see the creatures on Playa Grande. Take a zoom lens and remember not to get in the way of this ancient birthing ritual; take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints. 81| PicsArt Monthly