Playas del Coco is one of the more well known beach towns in the country for both locals and tourists. Although it is one of the smaller beaches in the Guanacaste region, it is still full of nightlife and activities to do such as scuba diving, sport fishing, and snorkeling along with many bars and restaurants.

During the main holidays such as New Year and Easter, Playas del Coco becomes packed with Ticos (nickname for Costa Ricans) from the city, getting away for the weekend. Located in the Golfo de Papagayo, visitors can see whales, dolphins, stingrays,and turtles and equally as much wildlife on land. The beach is full of fish that you can see jumping from shore, a good indicator of a healthy ocean. It is a small beach town with good roads close to other places, the next beach is just a mere five minute drive away.

Many tourists use Coco as their anchor location as lodging is cheaper and it is still in relatively close proximity to all the attractions and then venture off to explore the rest of Guanacaste. In the past decade, Playas del Coco has become a radically popular place for expatriates or retirees of the United States and Canada as it offers a relaxed and easy living style with highly agreeable weather year round. Coco beach is a great place for all kinds of people looking to kick back and have a fun time.

Want to know how Playas del Coco looks like, check out this video

Playas del Coco location

Playas del Coco is located on the pacific side of Costa Rica in the Guanacaste region. Guanacaste is the northwestern province of the country bordering Nicaragua.

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How to get to Playas del Coco

The closest airport to Playas del Coco is the Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport in Liberia, about a thirty minute drive. There are plenty of taxis you can take from the airport to Coco which costs about $40 each way. There is a bus called Pulmitan de Liberia that runs from Liberia to Coco multiple times a day which costs 550 colones one way, (a little more than 1 dollar) and takes about one hour. The local bus from Liberia will stop in the airport instead of the main road and costs about the same.

But if one is coming from Juan Santamaría International Airport in San Jose, it’s about a 4 hour drive. The Pulmitan buses also service to Playas del Coco from San Jose daily. The cost of a one way ticket from San Jose to Playas del Coco is around $8 dollars or 4,095 colones and takes around 5 hours.

You can book a local shuttle companies such as Interbus or Grayline that can pick you up from the airport and bring you to the airport which costs around $42 one way.

Playas del Coco weather

In Costa Rica, there are no seasons like fall or winter. Being so close to the equator, the country is classified as tropical and experiences rainy and dry season with sun all year round. Dry season is from December to April and rainy (green) season is from May to November generally speaking. Sunrise and sunset stays the same, around 6AM and 6PM everyday. In Playas del Coco on the north pacific side of the country, the weather is dry with lots of tropical dry forests in the area. During dry season, the sun is quite strong and intense and it is the time of the year when most of the tourists and snowbirds come. It can consistently stay at 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) and above for weeks. The months of rainy season make the air very humid as it can rain all day and very hard accompanied with thunder and lightning storms. The rainiest months are September and October and it is not uncommon for it to rain for two or three weeks straight. The temperature can go down to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius) during the day and cools off at night. Compared to San Jose which lies in a valley that has an average temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit (26 degrees Celsius), Playas del Coco is quite a bit hotter.

Here is a short video of when it rains in Playas del Coco

Playas del Coco Local People

The people from Playas del Coco are very friendly like any other Costa Rican. They are very proud to be Gunacastecos (residents of the Guanacaste province) and they call themself “coqueños” (from Coco). They are normally dark skinned and very strong workers but due to the increased immigration lately you can see a white blue eyed person and she or he might be a Playas del Coco local.

The locals love to hangout at the beach, especially the park where they usually all meet up. Normally on the weekends you can see families enjoying the sun, having lunch on the beach, or walking with their kids.

Most of the locals work in the tourism industry since there are many hotels around the area or in the fishing industry because the ocean is very healthy and is easy to catch good quality fish to sell or trade.

Restaurants in Playas del Coco

There are plenty of restaurants in Coco so you’ll never go hungry in this small beach town. Many bars double as restaurants that serve typical bar food – burgers, nachos, fried chicken, taquitos and enchiladas but you can find many typical restaurants and sodas in Coco as well. If you’re looking for to try some traditional Costa Rican food, the list below depicts the main places that sell local food in Playas del Coco.

Traditional Costa Rican food consists of a lot of rice, beans, and meat and they are very adamant about using only fresh and local ingredients which is easy to do as their vegetables and fruit are readily available and incredibly tasty!

Sodas are very common in Costa Rica. They are like a mini-restaurant that sells traditional food and usually have outside seating.

You can find all these sodas except the last one along the main strip of Coco.

1. Soda Los Pelones

2. Soda La Teresita

3. Restuarante Mar y Tierra

4. Soda Papagayo

5. Jardin Tropical

6. Astillero

Some examples of traditional food are gallo pinto (rice and beans), casado (variation of rice, beans, meat, plantains, and salad), and arroz con pollo (rice with chicken).

For more yummy pictures of Costa Rican food, check out our food post here!

All these other restaurants sell food other than typical Costa Rican food. They have Italian, pizza, mexican and barbecue but if you’re looking for authentic Indian, Asian, or any other exotic foods, you’re a little out of luck in Playas del Coco. However, if you go to San Jose, it’s incredibly easy to find much more authentic international cuisine.

The list below depicts the most popular places to find international food.

1. Villa Italia – Italian

2. AsiaTica – Asian fusion

3. Taste of Texas – barbecue

4. Holy Guacamole – Mexican

5. La Caveja – Italian

6. Cafe de Playa– International

7. Hotel Coco Palms and Restaurant – International + sushi

8. Claudio y Gloria – International

9. Papagayo Steak and Seafood – steak and seafood

10. Pollo Crispy- fried chicken

11. Las Olas – seafood and steak

12. Luna de Plata – French

13. Andre’s Beach Bar and Pizzeria – Pizza

Additionally, there is a bakery called Tico’s bakery which makes delicious empanadas and tasty treats. A few smoothie places: Cosechas, Juice House and Mandarin. On the beach there are lots of vendors selling copos (shaved ice with syrup and condensed milk) and pipa fria (coconut milk). Delivery is almost non-existent here except for a few private vendors. Subway is the only fast food restaurant in the town.

Some restaurants in Playas del Coco may not look the nicest from the outside or you might have to drive onto some unpaved roads, but they do have some very good places to please your taste buds. Many businesses open and close quickly in Coco so if you know one restaurant has been around for awhile, that one is open for a reason – good quality tasty food!

Lodging in Playas del Coco

In Playas del Coco specifically, there are no big resorts or luxury hotel chains. All the hotels consist of locally owned businesses but still have respectable accommodations to fit your needs. It ranges from hostels to cabinas to condos to hotels, from prices as low as $20 a night up to $150 depending on the season. One will find that most hotels are smaller in quantity of rooms and include simple living quarters but still offer comfortable lodging and excellent hospitality. Many people that come for a longer vacation period rent a vacation home or a condo since there are quite a number of them in Coco, is more private and would be cheaper than to stay in a hotel. Backpackers might feel frustrated with the lack of hostels since hostels aren’t as common in Coco as Playa Tamarindo. However, the price difference between a hostel and budget hotel is not that drastic, so those who prefer hostels will have limited options.

Many of the snowbirds (mostly Canadians) own a condo and stay there for the dry season when it is winter in their home country and go back during rainy season when it is summer up there. Timeshares are also available and a good option for those looking to have a place but just stay just a week or two.

Here is a list of the main hotels in Coco

Hotel Coco Palms: restaurant, a bar and a 24 hour mini market.

Hotel La Puerta del Sol

Laura’s House Bed and breakfast

Toro Blanco

Coco Dreams Hotel: restaurant and bar.

Coco Beach Hotel and Casino: casino and restaurant.

Hotel M&M: beachfront

Rancho Armadillo

Hotel Villa Casa Blanca

Hotel Pato Loco Inn

Hotel Chantel

Hotel La Flor de Itabo

For those looking for long term rentals, there are quite a few choices that offer condos, apartments or cabinas to provide comfortable and secure accommodations.

Las Palmas, east of the main road and a ten minute walk from Coco beach, is one of the biggest complexes that houses hundreds of retirees every year. Within Las Palmas are multiple different types of condos, apartments and studios welcoming both foreigners and locals. Most complexes contains 8-15 units with their own pool, private parking, and laundry along with a security guard and the neighborhood also has houses, restaurants, and a Realtor’s office to help you find your perfect vacation home. Plenty of units are for sale or rent, long term from 6 months to a year and short term, by weekly or monthly basis.

Pacifico is another beautiful complex, newer than Las Palmas but further from Coco beach. It is situated inside a locked gate with guard so you must be a resident to enter the property. These are more for vacationers with heavier pockets as these condos are two story and equipped with very modern furniture and amenities. These are considered luxury condos but they offer many extra features such as airport transportation, limo/car service, and complimentary high speed internet and cable.

Activities and tours in Playas del Coco

In Playas del Coco there are plenty of things to do for all kinds of tourists. You can find activities for those seeking adventure and thrills and ones for families with kids and seniors. You can enjoy motor sport activities such as jet skiing and snorkeling, you can go hiking in national parks, take boat trips around the gulf, go zip lining, horseback riding, ride atvs, enjoy natural hot springs, go kayaking/canoeing, and that’s just a taste of the abundance of fun activities to do in Coco. Coco is well known for excellent scuba diving and sport fishing and there are many places in town that offers these activities with equipment and transportation included. Additionally, there are many boat tours in Coco that offer morning snorkeling or a sunset cruise and they take you around the gulf and show you different beaches such as Hermosa and Panama. Playa Hermosa, Playa Buena and Playa Panama, a few popular and lovely beaches are only a fifteen minute drive away. You can try your hand at surfing at Playa Tamarindo and marvel at the shells instead of sand beach, Playa Conchal, both about an hour drive away. When tourists come to Coco, they usually explore town and enjoy Coco beach for a day and the other days, go on tours. Playas del Coco is in very close proximity to many landmarks such as Palo Verde, Rincon de la Vieja, and Volcan Tenorio, even Nicaragua!

There are many local travel agencies such as Shaman tours that offer over twenty different tours in Guanacaste ranging from white water rafting to bird watching to visiting Nicaragua. International companies exist here as well such as Swiss travel that can help you quench your adventurous thirst. If you book with a tour company, they offer transportation if you don’t have a car and when needed, a tour guide. Most hotels work with the local tour companies so you can easily book your your through them. Tours are either half day or full day and some are only offered during dry season.

Bars and nightlife in Playas del Coco

The three biggest bars are located on the main street of El Coco: Lizard Lounge, Coconutz and Zi Lounge.

Lizard Lounge is the bar where most of the locals hang out, it also has the loudest music and a dance floor. Most young people like to come here to dance and watch the soccer games. Zi Lounge displays a modest look, with a small stage for DJ’s and live musicians and offers free Wi-Fi. You can find a mix of locals, families and tourists of all ages there. Coconutz is usually filled with older gringos and if you are missing your Monday night football, don’t worry! As a sports bar, Coconutz usually plays American football games on their big screen. Each bar offers a different entertainment or feature every night such as live music on Wednesday nights, ladies night on Thursday, karaoke on Tuesday nights and more.

All the bars are open with counter seating along the perimeter so you can have a drink, eat, and people watch to your heart’s content.

Andre’s beach bar and pizzeria is also on the main street of El Coco and they offer free Wi-Fi and free calls to the US and Canada.

For those wanting to relax on the beach and have a drink, there is one bar called La Vida Loca where you have to walk across a small bridge near the basketball court to get there. This bar has live music, hosts events and like Coconutz, is usually filled with gringos. Another bar near the entrance of the beach is a popular local hangout spot and they sell local food and play lots of salsa music with a sand volleyball court right in front.

The nightlife in Coco is limited to the main street as it is where the majority of the restaurants and bars are. There is a small park and boardwalk by the beach where one can sit and watch the stars, listen to live music or the crashing waves and enjoy a drink.

On the main street there is one casino, part of the Coco Beach Hotel and Casino if you are feeling up for a little gambling. It is a small casino with the first room filled with slot machines and one roulette table. The next room has three tables for poker and blackjack but they are not always open as it depends on how many people are playing and they have tournaments on some nights.

One common thing to see is locals hanging out in the street, sometimes drinking and sitting by their cars. Ticos love spending time with their friends and family and they’re pleasantly satisfied with just sitting outside, enjoying the night.

The diversity is incredible in Playas del Coco, especially during dry season. You can find people from every continent in the world on this one street in El Coco and everyone is very friendly. The food is delectable, happy hour is most of the day and drinks are not that expensive, but the fun atmosphere is the reason why people love to hangout at downtown Coco.

Playas del Coco Beach

Coco beach lies within the Golfo de Papagayo and stretches 3 kilometers from point to point. The sands are more of a dark grey-brown and the water is not quite as blue one normally sees in other beaches in Guanacaste and it seems more blue-grey than blue-green. The tide is not suited for surfing since it has a low tide but does house many different species of fish which makes it an excellent fishing spot. Swimming and bathing are perfectly suitable for Coco waters and the waters are very kid and adult friendly. Three islands can be seen from shore where many divers go to swim with sharks, octopus, turtles and stingrays. Many hills and cliffs surround the horseshoe shaped beach and it is a beautiful view to see with green mountains and hills and striking blue water.

Living in Playas del Coco

Costa Rica is known for its laid back living style and that is certainly proven in Playas del Coco. Living at the beach, one has to have an easy going attitude about life and leave the stress behind, completely opposite of other places in the world who are used to a go go go fast paced lifestyle. An important concept one has to get used to in order to adapt to life in Costa Rica is learning how to deal with Tico time, they aren’t exactly the most punctual people. They don’t like to rush and instead, take their time to get things done, even at work. However, life is not necessarily easy in Coco, jobs are limited and cost of living is high compared to the rest of the country but Ticos care more about quality time than materialistic things to make them happy. Driving down the street, you see locals hanging out in front of their houses and in the streets, riding their bikes or chatting with neighbors. It is normal to visit someone’s house without calling first and popping by on a whim.

Some downsides to life in Playas del Coco is that it is a small town and if one is looking for a particular item, a trip to Liberia must be made. Something simple like bed sheets do not exist on the store shelves in Coco and the closest place is a 25 minute drive to the home department center. A law exists in Costa Rica that a gas station cannot stand within a certain distance from the water so the nearest and only gas station is in Sardinal, a community about 20 minutes away and the cost of gas is considerably more expensive (about $5 a liter). Since there are so many foreign tourists that come to Coco, the cost of living is considerably higher than the city. Prices are very similar, if not more, to the states and rent is high as well. Many foreigners come to Coco with the intention of opening a business such as a bar or hotel, but they find that business is very difficult in a small tourist town and many places close soon after they open.

The cost of electronics and cars is also very high, especially when you compare it to the cost of living and the average monthly salary. Laptops are almost twice as much than the states and cars are astoundingly more expensive. Costa Rica is very environmentally friendly, they care more about how much gas the car emits, gas mileage, and a smaller engine size to protect the environment than a big engine and fast cars. Every year, each car has to go to Reteve which is a government sponsored company that checks and inspects your car and your car must pass all inspections to be allowed on the road. One example of the tests they do is checking your car’s gas emissions: carbon monoxide has to be less than .30%.

Meanwhile, cleanliness in Coco has improved but there is still much to be done. Trash can be seen on the streets and in rivers but this is due to their system. It is not normal to see trash cans on the road, but they do a great job taking care of their beach. If you get caught driving your vehicle on the beach, you can receive a huge ticket of at least a few hundred dollars. Recycling is not a common practice either but some places are starting to sort out between trash, glass and cans.

But if you are a nature lover, look no further! That is what makes Costa Rica the amazing country it is. Nature lovers flourish here, there is much to be seen and done in Coco. You can go offshore fishing, hiking, snorkeling, scuba diving, watch monkeys, run on the beach and much more. Wake up in the morning to several different types of birds chirping and congo monkeys howling and go to sleep with cicadas humming and more monkeys howling. You can see many types of vibrant birds and giant colorful butterflies everywhere and the flora is a treat for the eyes. Lime, mango and coconut trees grow like weeds providing the freshest and most luscious fruit. There is a reason why so many people move down here post-retirement as it is perfect for someone looking for a relaxed and slower paced life embedded in nature. It’s an attractive place to get away from the cold or for someone who needs to leave their stresses of life behind. Costa Rica has been named as the happiest country in the world and has been in the top ten happiest countries for many years and that’s why so many people migrate to this country- to live a full, happy, and enriched life.

Health & Security in Playas del Coco

Playas del Coco has a public clinic run by the government called Ebais that anyone can go to. It doesn’t matter where you are from, whether you live in Costa Rica or are a tourist, they have to take care of you. There is a law that even if you have no money or insurance, the doctor must attend to you (what a great healthcare system!). They provide attentive care and are open Mon – Fri, 7AM to 4PM. My brother is the head doctor of the Ebais clinic in Coco and he gives excellent care and his staff is very helpful. On busy days, you might have to wait in line but for those who cannot afford private care, this clinic helps them in many ways and gives them options that they otherwise wouldn’t have. If there is an emergency during the night or weekends, there is a private clinic called Coco medical clinic you can call and of course there is also 911. If you end up needing to go to the hospital, they will take you to the nearest hospital in Filadelfia, about twenty minutes away.

There is a police station right in front of the beach and they always have cops watching the town. They know that Coco is a touristic town so they make sure to keep it safe. You will see security guards at the hotels, restaurants, and even the supermarket. Costa Rica has no army so they rely heavily on their police force to keep the country safe.

Since Coco has such great weather and so many activities to do, you can find many facilities for sports and working out. There is a local gym, Coco gym that offers evaluations and free trainers, open seven days a week. There is a club called The Club at Coco Bay that also has a gym, a pool, a sauna and tennis courts to enjoy.

Coco is a very family oriented town so it is incredibly safe, not much crime happens but being a very touristic town, tourists just need to be smart and use their common sense. Everybody is there for the same reason, to have an awesome vacation and relax!

Shopping in Playas del Coco

Shopping in Playas del Coco consists mainly of small businesses as the nearest mall is in Liberia but there are plenty of souvenir shops and boutiques if you’re looking for gifts to bring back home or a little something for yourself.

Souvenir shops line the main street of Coco and near the entrance of the beach. The shops boast a huge stock of handmade wood-carved sculptures, jewelry, handbags, clothes, hammocks, and a plethora of trinkets. You can find traditional coffee makers and clothing, Pura Vida signs and all sorts of animal statues.

There are a couple boutique shops, Keep it Classy and Ciao Bella for the women looking for cute clothes, swimsuits or accessories. All the jewelry is handmade by local artisans which range from simple beautiful teardrop or chandelier earrings to seashell bracelets, made from local materials straight from the beach.

The Congo Arts and Crafts Cafe in Pacifico is part cafe part boutique where shoppers can find more high end pieces and sophisticated art.

If you’re interested in buying snorkeling gear, beach wear or surf equipment, you can find them at the dive shops. Rich Coast Diving has snorkeling gear such as fins, masks and breathing tubes and additional scuba diving equipment. For those wanting to browse a surf shop, go to Arenas next to the Auto Mercado. This store has sunglasses, board shorts, swimsuits and flip flops for those who forgot their beach necessities. If you compare the prices of the clothes, you’ll notice that it is more expensive than buying the same brands in the states, however they have a vast selection of popular brands such as Roxy, O’Neil, and Billabong.

Need to buy snacks or shampoo? Coco has got you covered. Four major supermarkets reside in this small town, all within a few miles of each other (two are across the street from each other). Megasuper, Super Luperon, Auto Mercado and Super Compro have all the food and goods you need. Megasuper is tucked away inside a plaza off the main street and it’s a bit smaller than the rest but they have good sales every month and good quality meat. Super Luperon has a flower shop and a gift/book store on the second level. Auto Mercado has the best produce and Super Compro has a small deli inside. Each market displays similar prices, there is not one market that has all their inventory cheaper than another.

You’ll never have trouble finding that perfect souvenir to take home to friends or hang on your wall to remind you of your fabulous vacation to Playas del Coco.