Costa Rica Beaches: First Discovered by Columbus And Now You
June 7, 2009 by Victor C. Krumm
Filed under Destinations
Costa Rica is one of the most beautiful countries on the planet, world-famous for its beaches, tropical mountains, and volcanoes. Beaches in Costa Rica are unbeatable in their beauty. There are white, brown, and black sand beaches, coral beaches, and rugged boulder strewn beaches with magnificent surf, along two oceans.
The Caribbean beaches were first discovered and explored by Christopher Columbus, who was so taken that he named his discovery Costa Rica, the rich coast. The Spanish were soon followed by English sea captains like Sir Francis Drake (he is the same fellow who defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588). Indeed, Drake Bay along the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica is named for this captain who docked there on his explorations.
Fortunately, Columbus and Drake left a lot of places to discover for yourself. With nearly 800 miles of coastline, you’ll find some special place for you. There are popular beaches with beautiful girls and mile-after-mile of virtually deserted beaches for peace and quiet. The Caribbean has a reggie, Bob Marley, feel to it while the Pacific has attraction after attraction close at hand, not to mention places where the magnificent tropical forests nearly come to the beach.
With year-round warm weather, a great tourism infrastructure, and friendly folks who like Americans, Canadians, and Europeans (and everybody else) tourists flock to Costa Rica. They take advantage of warm, clean waters, two fantastic coastlines, and almost limitless attractions close-at-hand. Fishing, surfing, rafting, hiking, ecotourism, swimming, adult nightlife, volcanoes, and tropical mountains are just a few of the attractions.
There are so many beaches to explore that you could spend months, even years, in Costa Rica and still not manage to see them all. Many tourists and expats travel to or live on the magnificent Nicoya Peninsula along the country’s north-central coast. It is filled with spectacular beaches and the area is replete with non-beach attractions.
One of the more famous beaches on the Nicoya Peninsula is Playa Grande. It is said to be haunted by the spirits of an ancient people because it is situated on the site of their burial ground. It is a great beach for surfing, and there is camping in the area, though you may find some clothing optional folks.
It is impossible to name or describe all the wonderful beaches in Costa Rica. This little country is dedicated to sustainable development and takes pride in what it calls its Blue Flag beaches. In a country filled with great beaches these are the cleanest, most pristine of them all. For those who like to be alone on the beach, Playa Grande, Mal Pais, Bahia Ballena, and Hermosa (not to mention hundreds more) beckon like a siren. For those who like the beach and an active adult nightlife, Jaco and Tamarindo are very popular.
Regardless of which beach you choose, whether Tamarindo, Flamingo, Conchal, Tambor, or some beach without a name, if you enjoy beach life, a wonderful experience is awaiting you. Some of the beaches are easy to reach by car or bus. Others require more unconventional means, like flying into nearby areas or boating or even hiking. But the trouble of getting to them makes the stay all that much more worthwhile.