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Beach Photos – Central Pacific

Costa Rica’s central Pacific beaches alternate between developed and undeveloped starting in the north with the condo towers of Jacó followed by the little beach bars and wildlife refuge at Playa Hermosa, the scattered cabinas and rental houses of the Esterillos, and the long deserted near island at Palo Seco.  The development picks up again at Manuel Antonio where boutique hotels and mini resorts are nestled up against the famous national park.  South from Manuel Antonio Playas Savegre, Matapalo and Barú are nearly deserted until you reach the surfing hangout at Dominical.  Still further south the people disappear again on Ojochal, Ventanas and Tortuga.

Click on the thumbnails for a more detailed description, location and larger images.

Playa Hermosa sunset with striated clouds
Playa Hermosa sunset with striated clouds
Quepos Harbor
Quepos Harbor
Surfing playa Hermosa national wildlife refuge south of Jaco on the central Pacific coast
Surfing playa Hermosa national wildlife refuge south of Jaco on the central Pacific coast
Camping Playa Dominical
Camping Playa Dominical
The public beach at Manuel Antonio (Playa Espadilla Sur with the National Park in the background)
The public beach at Manuel Antonio (Playa Espadilla Sur with the National Park in the background)
Pelican flying at sunset, Playa Hermosa south of Jaco
Pelican flying at sunset, Playa Hermosa, Jaco
Playa Baru from the mirador trail above the wildlife refuge
Playa Baru
Semi-private and nearly deserted Barú beach (all beaches in Costa Rica are public, but the Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge owns much the land backing this area so it's never crowded)
Semi-private and nearly deserted Barú beach (all beaches in Costa Rica are public, but the Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge owns much the land backing this area so it’s never crowded)
surfer playa dominical
Surfer playa dominical
Life guard Playa Dominical
Life guard
Playa Matapalo
Playa Matapalo
Punta Dominicalito
Punta Dominicalito
View towards Manuel Antonio from Quepos
View towards Manuel Antonio from Quepos
Whale tail and the long beaches of Uvita, Marino Ballena National Park
Whale tail and the long beaches of Uvita, Marino Ballena National Park from the air on a flight to the Osa peninsula
Camping by the mouth of the Baru river just outside Dominical
Camping by the mouth of the Baru river just outside Dominical
Jaco beach from the tower road
Jaco beach from the tower road
Portalon where playa Matapalo meets playa Savegre
Portalon where playa Matapalo meets playa Savegre
Tortuga del Mar beachfront boutique hotel on Playa Hermosa
Tortuga del Mar beachfront boutique hotel on Playa Hermosa – Highly recommended!
Richard invinted us for watermellon poolside...we'd always wondered what it was like to be part of the 1%
House above Jaco – Richard invinted us for watermellon poolside…we’d always wondered what it was like to be part of the 1%
Playa Dominical
Playa Dominical
Playa Palo Seco
Playa Palo Seco
Playa Uvita - the tire tracks are from trailers. This is the official boat launch for Marino Ballena National Park
Playa Uvita – the tire tracks are from trailers. This is the official boat launch for Marino Ballena National Park
Driftwood
Driftwood
Playa Hermosa (Jaco)
Playa Hermosa (Jaco)
Sunset over Playa Espadilla Manuel Antonio
Sunset over Playa Espadilla Manuel Antonio
Playa Puntarenas
Playa Puntarenas – the “board walk” or Paseo los Turistas
Playa Dominical and the little surf town of Dominical from the mirador at Baru Wildlife Refuge
Playa Dominical and the little surf town of Dominical from the mirador at Baru Wildlife Refuge
Lone egret on Playa Uvita
Lone egret on Playa Uvita
Semi-private and nearly deserted Barú beach (all beaches in Costa Rica are public, but the Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge owns much the land backing this area so it's never crowded)
Barú beach
Foghata waiting for a match
Foghata waiting for a match on Playa Palo Seco
Playa Puntarenas with the municpal dock and Puerto Caldera in the background
Playa Puntarenas with the municpal dock and Puerto Caldera in the background
Surfing playa Hermosa national wildlife refuge south of Jaco on the central Pacific coast
Surfing playa Hermosa national wildlife refuge south of Jaco on the central Pacific coast
Playa Dulce de Vida northwest of Espadilla Manuel Antonio
Playa Dulce de Vida (Sweetness of Life) northwest of Espadilla Manuel Antonio
Playa Matapalo
Playa Matapalo
Mouth of the Río Barú from the wildlife refuge mirador
Mouth of the Río Barú from the wildlife refuge mirador
Playa Dulce de Vida in front of Arenas del Mar boutique resort hotel northwest of Espadilla Manuel Antonio in front of Hotel Arenas del Mar
Playa Dulce de Vida in front of Arenas del Mar boutique resort hotel northwest of Espadilla Manuel Antonio – it’s pretty to look at but they strongly discourage swimming because of submerged rock formations and dangerous waves and currents
Esterillos Este meets Playa Palma at Bejuco
Esterillos Este meets Playa Palma at Bejuco
Encinada
Encinada on the north shore of the gulf of Nicoya

 

Ray & Sue

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Photos
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