Semi-Secret Beaches
Semi-secret beaches are our favorites. They aren’t totally deserted – some of them even have a few little houses, some residents and maybe a bar, soda, or restaurant but if you ever see more than ten people per mile of sand on any of these playas that would be considered a crowd.
The list of super deserted beaches is at the bottom of the article.
Un-named Beach, Gandoca Manzanillo, Southern Caribbean
Playa Rio Claro aka Pavones, Burica Peninsula
Piscina Natural, Cahita, Southern Caribbean
Playa Caletas, central Nicoya Peninsula
Playa Carate, southern Osa Peninsula
Playa el Hachal, far northern Guanacaste
Sand Dollar Cove Playa San Miguel, central Nicoya Peninsula
Playa Bahía Junquillal, far northern Guanacaste
Playa Cuevas, far southern Nicoya Peninsula
There are almost a hundred beaches in Costa Rica that appear on better maps and receive mention in one guidebook or another, but there are over two-hundred more that don’t! I’ve got about fifty more favorites my list of “Deserted and Secret Costa Rica Beaches” and another fifty two to see before I’ve visited them all.
Print out the whole list and start checking them off!
If you started walking south along the Pacific coastline at the Nicaraguan border you’d pass by the beaches in the following order. When you reach Panama in about ten years (you’re likely to get distracted…) you can start up the Caribbean.
Bold are the ones you might know. Normal text are some you might not recognize.
There are a lot of repeats. These are not errors, they’re just beaches with the same name. For example there are 4 beaches named Playa El Coco, 1 named Playa Coco, and 1 named Playa Del Coco but none of these are included in the famous “Playas del Coco” which is the name for the little cluster of beachlings west of the village of El Coco north of Ocotal between Punta Centinela (playita Blanca) and Punta Cacique.
| Playa Copal Playa El Coco Playa La Coyotera Playa Mostrencal Playa Pochotes Playa Rajada Playas Papaturro Playa Blanca Playa Carrizal Playa Danta Playa Gringos Playa Guarumo Playa Mariquita Playa Morritos Playa Morros Playa Respingue Playas Coloradas Playa Potrero Grande Playa Escondida Playa Guaria Playa Penque Playa Toyosa Playa Nancite Playa Naranjo Playas Del Coco Playa Hermosa Playa Ocotal (Playa Matapalo) Playa Blanca Playa Blanca Playa Calzón de Pobre Playa Grande Playa Guacamaya Playa Guacamayita Playa Jícaro Playa Matapalito Playa Matapalo (Playa Ocotal) Playa Nacascolito Playa Pedregosa Playa Penca Playa Venado Playita Blanca Playita Manzanillo Playa Panamá Playa Iguanita Playa Monte del Barco Playa Sombrero Playa Cabuya Playa Honda Playa Nombre de Jesús Playa Pedregosa Playa Real Playa Roble Playa Ventanas Playa Zapolital Playa Azucar Playa Brasilito Playa Conchal Playa Flamingo (Blanca) Playa Potrero Playa Blanca (Flamingo) Playa Danta Playa Guachipelin Playa La Penca Playa Las Playitas Playa Prieta Playa Avellanas Playa Grande Playa Lagartillo Playa Langosta Playa Negra Playa Tamarindo Playa Bajo Grande Playa Callejones Playa Majagua Playa Mansita Playa Róbalo Playa Arbolito Playa Blanca Playa Pochotes Playa Azul Playa Coco Playa Junquillal Playa Lagarto Playa Manzanillo Playa Ostional Playa Aguas Playa Blanca Playa Cementerio Playa Cocal Playa Cuajiniquil Playa Frijolar Playa Honda Playa Pitahaya Playa Rosario Playa Curazao Playa Bonita Playa Calera Playa Camerita Playa Lagarito Playa Lagartero Playa Roble Playa Bajo Piñuela Playa El Coco Playa Guiones Playa Nosara Playa Pelada Playa Garza Playa Sámara |
Playa Bote Playa Barco Quebrado Playa Barrigona Playa Buenavista Playa Pavones Playa Camoronal Playa Carrillo Playa Islita Playa Bejuco Playa Corozalito Playa Vuelta del Sur Playa Bajo Negro Playa Barrigona Playa Bellavista Playa Blanca Playa Buenos Aires Playa Cañablancal Playa Chanchera Playa Chino Playa Coronado Playa El Coco Playa El Inglés Playa Gigante Playa Gringo Playa Guaitilar Playa Hacienda Vieja Playa Langosta Playa Leona Playa Limón Playa Lisa Playa Lombricera Playa Lorenza Playa Mango Playa Mango Playa Manzanillo Playa Matapalo Playa Naranjo Playa Negra Playa Pájaros Playa Palomo Playa Panamá Playa Pilitas Playa Pradera Playa Sontolar Playa Tamarindo Playa Tumbabote Playa Doña Ana Playa Boca de Barranca Playa Caldera Playa Corralillo Playa Icaco Playa Pirata Playa Terciopelo Playa Tivives Playa Arío Playa Caletas Playa Coyote Playa Manzanillo Playa San Miguel Playa Pencal (Bongo) Playa Cocal Playa Tambor Las Playitas Playa Cocalito Playa Pochote Playa Quizales Playa Camarón Playa Cuchilla Playa Curú Playa El Coco Playa Las Muertes Playa Organos Playa Pencal Playa Punta Blanca Playa Quesera Playa Ventanas Playa Viudites Playa Bajamar Playa Blanca Playa Caletas Playa Agujas Playa Azul Playa Carrizal Playa Coyol Playa Higuerón Mocho Playa Limoncito Playa Mantas Playa Tárcoles Playa Hermosa Playa Santa Teresa Playa Peñón de Arío Playa Balsitas Playa Carmen Playa Malpaís Playa Montezuma |
Playa Peñón de Arío Playa Balsitas Playa Carmen Playa Malpaís Playa Montezuma Playa Cabo Blanco Playa Cabuya Playa Cedro Playa Colorada Playa Cuevas Playa Malpaís Playa San Miguel Playa Matapalo Playa De Jacó Playa Hermosa Playa Herradura Playa Balsal Playa Punta Mala Playa Esterillos Este Playa Esterillos Oeste Playa Bejuco Playa Palma Playa Palo Seco Playa Cocal Playa Isla Damas Playa Escondido Playa Espadilla Playa Espadilla Sur Playa Manuel Antonio Playa Espadilla Sur Playa Macha Playa Playitas (Playa Silvia) Playa Savegre Playa Silvia (Playa Playitas) Playa Barú Playa Dominical Playa Matapalo Playa Guápil Playa Hatillo Playa Hermosa Playa Dominicalito Playa Bahía Playa Ballena Playa Piñuela Playa de Arco Playa Pedregosa Playa Uvita Playa Ventanas Playa Garza Playa Tortuga Playa Boca Brava Playa Bocachica Playa Caletas Playa Cocalito Playa Ganado Playa Blanca Playa Colorada Playa Guaromal Playa Violín Playa Bejuco Playa Chal Playa Isidora Playa Islotes Playa Palma Playa Animas Playa Saladero Playa Llorona Playa Pedrillo Playa San Josecito Playa Corcovado Playa Blanca Playa Sándalo Playa Cativo Playa Ciénaga Playa Gallardo Playa Mono Playa Ñeque Playa Nicuesa Playa Nicuesa Playa Platanares Playa San Josecito Playa Tigre Playa Zancudo Playa Cacao Playa Madrigal Playa Sirena Playa Carate Playa Piro Playa Matapalo Playa Sombrero Playa Tamales Playa Zapote Playa Matapalo Playa Río Claro de Pavones Playa Bonita CARIBBEAN Playa Colorado Playa Tortuguero Playa Parismina Playa Cocal Playa Westfalia Playa Bonita Playa Cahuita Playa Negra Playa Vargas Playa Cocles Playa Negra Playa Chiquita Playa Pirikikí Playa Uva Playa Manzanillo Playa Gandoca |