We made our arrival in the land of surfing, yoga and good smoothies. Guanacaste is a true paradise!

We made our first stop in Nosara, the 6th district of the Nicoya region. The weather was nice and hot, and before we went looking for Guiones beach, we wanted get to know the town and have some of the famous smoothies or milkshakes that we’d heard so much about. They come in every color and flavor, so you know where if go if you want to cool down with a refreshment.

Guiones is the main beach in Nosara, with 7 km of bright white sand, and is adjacent to the Garza and Pelada beaches.

We left our car near the beach by one of the entrances, and put on plenty of sunblock since it was 10 in the morning and the sun is super strong at that time of day. The beach is very quiet so you can just take a dip or enjoy a nap with the sound of the waves. Another feature of the area is that there’s a lot of environmental consciousness. We didn’t see any garbage and the water is very clear - in fact, this beach has an Ecological Blue Flag (Bandera Azul Ecológica) because it’s one of the cleanest.

We let ourselves get whisked away by the surrounding paths and we took advantage of the morning to get acquainted with the beach.

An aerial view of a beach and ocean.

For surfing junkies

If you’re looking for a jackpot surfing spot, you’ve come to the perfect place to enjoy this marine activity. You’ll run into tourists hanging onto their surfboards around every corner. At low tide, beginners like us can practice and try their luck, while the most experienced surfers can enjoy the big waves to the max.

Here, you can find a number of schools and instructors to finally get yourself standing on a board.

We highly recommend this beach if you’re thinking about going on a trip with your friends, family or partner. It’s a quiet and relaxing spot. Also, if you get there early and are lucky, you can set yourself up in one of huts close to shore.

A couple of women sitting in a hammock.

Turtle nesting territory

We left Guiones to go to the birthplace of the Lora, Baula and Verde turtles: the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge. We strolled around the beach and the surrounding area. The sheer size of the turtle population nesting in this area makes it the second-largest sea turtle migration in the world. According to the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC), the number of turtles that come to nest here can range from one thousand to 200,000 depending on the period. Impressive! Best of all, this wonder of nature lies within our borders, so if you’re thinking about visiting this part of Guanacaste to see this phenomenon, keep in mind that you can only go into the wildlife refuge with an accredited guide so as not to disturb the nesting in progress.

The guides told us that the greatest number of turtles arriving to nest is during the winter (from July to November) but September and October is when the biggest arrival of the year is expected - no less than 7 km of beach, full of turtles. We hope to witnesses this arrival soon to fill you in on all the details.

Guanacaste offers beach, sun, good food, tours, sunsets and much more. What are you waiting for?

A man and a boy riding a bike on a beach.

Everything you need to know.

  • Playa Guiones: White sand. It’s a gravel road but there’s good beach access. Waves are medium-strong Pets allowed.
  • Ostional beach: Gray sand, protected area, accessible gravel path and strong waves. Pets not permitted.
  • Vehicle: preferably 4x4.
  • Car and ATV rentals: yes
  • Bathrooms: yes
  • Restaurants: Yes, some are quite far away so take that into consideration.

How to get there?

  • Drive to Puntarenas and then take the highway to Liberia until you reach Limonal, continue to La Amistad bridge, keep going until Nicoya, then drive towards Sámara and Nosara. From Guiones beach, drive for about 13 km until you reach the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge.
  • You can also choose the Santa Cruz-Ostional route.

What to bring? 

Swimsuit, shorts, sunscreen, sunglasses, sandals or sneakers, towel, water, hat or cap, a beach blanket to lie down on, a camera, and your enthusiasm.

For turtle nesting tours, contact:

  • Local guides from the Ostional Integral Development Association (ADIO):  2682-1229 / 6038-1957.
  • Association of Local Guides of Ostional (AGLO): 2682-0428 / 8971-2442.
  • Independent guides from Sinac: 6005-4207 / 8564-9215 / 6103-4966 / 8522-5572.