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TAMARINDO December 2014 N.1 www.tamarindomag.com

TOURISM GASTRONOMY COMMUNITY H E A LT H

TAMARINDO AND SURROUNDING AREAS | GUANACASTE | COSTA RICA

THECOASTALINSTITUTE

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Double

Your Fun!

Combine Spanish & Surf Lessons in one place!

Study Spanish at Coastal Spanish in the morning and take surf classes in the afternoons!

Also scuba diving, yoga lessons and more!

Surf & Yoga School www.costaricasurfinstitute.com

Spanish School www.coastalspanish.com

Tamarindo, Costa Rica. Call: (506) 2653-2673 / 2653-2674

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

Welcome! We hope you’ll have a great vacation! To help you get acquainted with our town, we present this Guide as a general orientation. Feel free to take home a copy or leave it in your room for the next visitor.

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Everyone these days is concerned about how to save money, so no doubt you did some rate-checking to find the best deals on your accommodations. Now that you’re here, we’d like to help you save even more.

Visit our web site for the “Deals of the Day” for discounts on restaurants, tours, etc. You can save from 20-50% and enjoy your vacation even more!

Visit www.famouspoints.com for savings and links to even more vacation information.

Wayne Geddings, Publisher

12-year resident, Official Tripadvisor Destination Expert for Guanacaste and Tamarindo

Disclaimer – This guide contains many personal opinions and observations. Some of which have not been completely thought through. So we cannot possibly be responsible for what we write or for that matter any information supplied by our advertisers. We especially urge using your own judgment and caution especially with large purchases.

WELCOME TO PARADISE! 8 What and where is Tamarindo? 11

Publisher: Wayne Geddings Special writing assistance: Suzanne Crane Photographers: Thornton at Studios Tamarindo Toh Goutennoire at Bi-Drop.com Alain Esquivel Graphic Design: PrismaPublicidad.com Gratitude and acknowledgements must be extended to the many other folks who tirelessly and passionately participated in the creation of this guide.

Printed at MasterLitho, San José

INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING WITH US?

Please contact (506) 2653-0103

All rights reserved ©2014 by Tamarindo Publishing.

The entire content including designed advertising may not be reproduced or reprinted either in whole or in part without permission of the manager.

Tamarindo Publishing is not responsible for errors or omissions. Advertisers are responsible for legal permission to use their photos.

Derechos reservados ©2014 Tamarindo Publishing.

El contenido completo, incluyendo el diseño publicitario, no podrá ser reproducido o reimpreso total o parcialmente sin el permiso del editor.

Tamarindo Publishing no se hace responsable por errores u omisiones. Los anunciantes son responsables por el permiso legal para usar sus fotografías.

Interesting cultural differences 12 Seasons and climate 14 Important personal security advisories 14

AREA ACTIVITIES 15 Surfing 16 Local Tours 19 Golfing 20 Sport Fishing 20 Catamaran Sailing 22 Scuba diving and snorkeling 22

PLAYA TAMARINDO 23 Tamarindo Restaurants 25 Surf ing and Surf Lessons 35 Spas, Manicures and Pedicures 39 Local Activities 39 Night Life 43

SURROUNDED AREAS 46 USEFUL INFORMATION 51 Air Travel 52 Churches 52 Money Machines and Banks 52 Telephone Communications 52 General Information 53 Transportation 53

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

PRODUCTION AND ADVERTISING OFFICES Tamarindo de Santa Cruz, Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

Ph. (506) 2653-0103 • 2653-0779 famouspoints@gmail.com www.famouspoints.com

CONTENTS

GUANACASTE MAP 6

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Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

Guanacaste Map

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WELCOME TO PARADISE! Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

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NORTHERN GOLD COAST OF COSTA RICA Lured by the scenic splendor, geographic diversity and the MAGIC of this idyllic Latin American nation, Costa Rica attracts more than a million visitors each year. Defined by lush rainforests, majestic volcanoes, incomparable beaches, and opulent wildlife, Costa Rica—bordered by Panama in the south and Nicaragua to the north—is indeed deserving of its international reputation as an eco-

tourism oasis, adventure-seeker’s haven and spiritual rejuvenator.

Gleaming most brightly amidst the country’s many and varied treasures is a region in the province of Guanacaste known as the Northern Gold Coast.

Our coast… where the emerald sea is embroidered by an endless expanse of

beaches, where world-class waves attract neophyte and world-class surfers alike, where golfing and sport fishing are first rate and lounging on the beach is all in a day’s work. Boasting modern amenities, inspired cuisine and shopping options desired by our discriminating and valued guests, it is still a semi-remote sanctuary with nearby Tico villages.

WHERE IS TAMARINDO? Located on Costa Rica’s Northern Pacific Coast in the Guanacaste Province there’s a region known as The Northern Gold Coast.

It’s not actually represented on maps and its boundaries are imprecise and open to debate among those who like to debate such things.

WELCOME TO PARADISE! Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

E M O C L WE

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WELCOME TO PARADISE! We know which towns fall under the aegis of this spectral area—Playa Tamarindo, Playa Flamingo, Playa Grande, Potrero, and Playa Negra, charming seaside enclaves peppered with locals and sprinkled with a healthy dose of assimilated expatriates.

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

While its physical borders are in question, the previously mentioned magic that suffuses the area is irrefutable—an invisible magnet that draws throngs of returning visitors and hordes of foreign transplants… We can’t explain it and we don’t try.

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In the middle of the Gold Coast is a magical town called Tamarindo. A little town compared to some standards, but never the less it is where our legend begins.

MAGIC There is more to Tamarindo than its discernable attributes. Infused by a certain indefinable yet palpable essence, visitors and residents alike regularly report transformational experiences.

Perhaps it’s the laid-back vibe of the place, the enchanting multihued sunsets, the verdant

virgin jungle or the warm Pacific water that caresses the body and regenerates the soul… or possibly it is the resonant spiritual legacy that distinguishes this fecund land. Whatever it is, the indigenous people also believed in its nature-induced magical energy that deepens love, passion and friendship and often recounted tales of inexplicable occurrences that they simply accepted as part of their daily lives.

During your vacation we hope to put you in touch with this local magic by mentally escaping into this culture. Consider our insights as you embrace the unknown and uncover your hidden passions. After all, the figurative monkey on your back may actually be a monkey on your back! We share this land with our ancestors and all of God’s creatures. And from that, the spirit guides us. Leave your worries behind and believe in the powerful energy of the Gold Coast. It will carry you to a wonderful state of mind!

A BIT OF HISTORY Most of the native people are descendents of the Chorotega Indians who for many cen-

the area now known as the Gold Coast, was severed from the more burgeoning societies—and remained so for many years subsequent. The first successful colonization of Guanacaste occurred when Gil Gonzales Davila from Spain converted the Corobicis to Catholicism in the mid Sixteenth century.

TURNING CATTLE INTO GOLD While the cultivation and export of coffee and bananas has long fueled most of Costa Rica’s economy, this region stands apart.

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

When Columbus discovered Costa Rica during his fourth voyage to the “New World,”

WELCOME TO PARADISE!

quivel Photo: Alain Es

turies were isolated by the challenging surrounding terrain. At that time, as throughout much of the region’s history, the Gold Coast belonged to neighboring Nicaragua, which impacted the cultural lexicon of the early Guanacaste people. Further, the civilizing influences emanating from the Mayan Empire of Guatemala spawned additional tribes, including the more technically advanced—and ultimately more prolific—Corobicis.

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work and play. “Work to live”, not “Live to work.”

While not necessarily an evil, work is deemed but one ingredient in life, rather than the entire dish. Perfectly expressing the sentiment is the popular, national expression “Pura Vida.”

Literally meaning have a “pure life”, it often pops up in conversation and means “whatever, don’t worry about it!” A life of “Pura Vida” is measured in terms of family, friends and plenty of time to just lay back and do nothing.

LIVING ON THE GOLD COAST

As increasing numbers of people are vacationing and moving here, there is a trend towards accommodating the needs of discerning arrivals. Lately, modern supermarkets, a small movie theatre, paved roads, cable TV, high-speed internet and cell phone service have been added. May not sound like much, but it wasn’t so long ago we had none of these services!

Being flexible and adjusting to the slower lifestyle greatly helps one’s spirits. Practicing patience is essential to understanding the local magic. Otherwise, the process of accomplishing seemingly simple tasks can lead your tolerance and serenity in the wrong direction.

Consider the Gold Coast’s philosophy towards

n Esquivel Photos: Alai

WELCOME TO PARADISE! Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

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Due to its drier climate and sprawling geography, the Gold Coast long ago instead developed a prosperous cattle industry. Dating back to Colonial times, the proud ranching tradition fostered a Hacienda System of land ownership which enabled the local Indian population to share in the region’s economy.

Nowadays, although the cattle trade still flourishes, tourism is now Guanacaste’s most thriving industry.

WELCOME TO PARADISE! Photo: Alain Esquiv el

A CUSTOMER SERVICE DESK Think of the person sitting behind the desk holding a position of power akin to the bouncer at an exclusive night club with good service being synonymous with doing you a favor. You’ll find this especially true at a government office or bank. So, always be polite and your request will be eventually honored, lose your temper and you may be waiting forever.

SHOWING APPRECIATION GARNERS DESIRED RESULTS Expressing gratitude, either through a smile, a gracias or most specifically a gratuity, will be not only appreciated but remembered smoother sailing ahead once you known as a friendly person.

EVEN WHEN YOU’RE RIGHT, SOMETIMES YOU’RE WRONG Another important cultural distinction: Being “right” doesn’t mean you’ll win the battle.

Costa Ricans from this area seldom express anger, so being upset always alienates them for it is perceived as manifestation of an ugly personality. Remain “tranquilo” and your holiday spirits will rise.

GETTING DIRECTIONS “Dónde esta la tienda por favor?” “Where is Bar1 please?” “It’s across from El Coconut Restaurant mi amiga.” “Ah, but where is El Coconut?” “It’s across the street from Witch’s Rock Surf Camp” “But please señor, where is this surf camp?” You get the picture.

Since streets are not signposted, locals are accustomed to giving directions based on landmarks which may not even still be there!

To make life – and navigation – easier, it’s a good idea to always carry a map.

INTERESTING FAMILY LESSONS Watch and learn. In observing the native, especially those from Guanacaste, you will note some interesting cultural distinctions.

For instance, family is so important and most extended units are extremely close. There doesn’t appear to be much of a “generation gap” as kids, parents and grandparents exhibit mutual respect and even enjoying going to a dance or partying together! Imagine that!

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

UNDERSTANDING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

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WELCOME TO PARADISE!

SECURITY ADVISORIES:

SEASONS AND CLIMATE

(Courtesy of Kelly’s Surf Shop)

January: hot, dry, off-shore winds getting strong in the afternoon.

February: hot, dry, off-shore winds sand-blasting you on the beach.

March: hot, dry, off-shore winds blowing limbs off of trees.

April: scalding hot, dry, winds die down, switch this way and that, sky begins to cloud over and feel heavy.

May: hot, either very dry or very humid depending on whether or not it begins to rain, off-shore mornings and evenings.

June: hot, humid, green, afternoon rains, off-shore mornings.

July: hot, humid, lush green, occasional thunderstorms, usually a 2-week “minisummer” with consistent off-shore winds.

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

August: hot, humid, rainy afternoons, off-shore mornings.

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September: hot, humid, rainy afternoons or could rain all day.

October: hot, humid, rainy afternoons or could rain all week.

November: hot, clear, season begins to change, less humid, off-shore wind begins.

December: hot, clear, sunny, morning and afternoon off-shores, cooler evenings.

All popular, international beach towns attract a few bad people and experience tells us that walking around in jungle fatigues pretending to be tough and looking for a fight won’t scare them away.

The best advice is to be aware of your surroundings and keep an eye on your things at all times.

The thieves around here don’t like to be caught, not from fear of the police, but they just don’t like all the yelling that goes on.

1. When you park your car in a public area, especially a deserted beach, don’t leave anything important in your car, whether locked or unlocked. If a parking guard looks halfway official pay him to watch your car. Just think of it as reducing the odds or cheap insurance.

2. Do not walk on the beach at night, especially alone or in unlighted areas.

3. Don’t drink and drive! Don’t consider this a warning, but a plea! The shoulders of the roads are so unforgiving! If you drink, go to whatever lengths you need to not get behind the wheel.

4. If you buy illegal drugs, you’re playing with fire! Not from the police, but from unsavory people who don’t care about your personal health or fair deals!

5. Save the biting for your “Significant Other” and show a healthy respect for the danger of mosquitoes by wearing bug spray. Worldwide, every year, they kill many more people than African lions! Anywhere and anytime you find mosquitoes buzzing around… leave! It’s not worth the risk!

6. Often near the beach the smaller sand flies want some of the action, while annoying, their bites are not normally a health risk.

Again, apply bug spray.

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Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

AREA ACTIVITIES

AREA ACTIVITIES

AREA ACTIVITIES

If you were to think of the Northern Gold Coast as a single city, its size would be similar to many better-known, international destinations. In this Section, we’ll tell you about activities local and out-of-town tours.

SURFING

hit the waves again. We want you to have a fun time, not a bum time!

Internationally known as a surfing Mecca, wave-riders from all over the world visit.

And, no matter what your experience level there is a surf spot for everyone! The area offers beach, reef, river mouth and point breaks with many days of highly desirable offshore winds during the dry season.

Optimal surfing conditions occur from December through July.

Hint: Most local surf spots are south of Playa Grande. Further north, the beaches are too rocky and the bays too sheltered from the swells. For insight on how Tamarindo and Playa Negra first got world-wide recognition, rent the surf cult classic movie “Endless Summer II” on DVD.

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

For men or women wanting to learn to stand up and ride waves, there is no better or more popular place in Costa Rica than Tamarindo Beach.

Lining the streets are quality surf shops and instructors. So, walk around and say hello if you’re interested in learning to surf. You’ll find all of them super-friendly!

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Even if you haven’t boarded a board in years, if surfing was once in your blood, the waves will provide a transfusion. If you can’t quite slash and splash as you once did or fear you’ll break on the breaks… no problem. Taking a refresher course at a local surf schools is a good idea before you

AREA ACTIVITIES ORE SEE M

SURFING ETIQUETTE 6 BASIC RULES *Parts taken from “Surfos Magazine” Surfing is a sport for free spirits, but there are well-established rules that promote safety, common sense, and courtesy. The law of the land-less and the camaraderie of the sea dictate that experts and students alike get a fair shake on the waves, that everyone emerges from the water unharmed, that boards remain undamaged and a great time is had by all.

Respect and adhere to the following guidelines: 1. If you come as a large group, don’t make your arrival seem like an invasion.

Reduce the shock and enter the water a few at a time.

2. Wait your turn. Don’t paddle straight out to where the best waves are breaking, but rather hang on the side and join the lineup in order.

3. Once in the queue, do your best to say “Hi.” Even if you don’t get a response, it’s your friendly intention that counts.

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4. Share the waves and don’t be too aggressive. If it appears that you’re hogging the swells and are disregarding the rights of other surfers, don’t be surprised if a fellow rider drops in right on top of you!

5. When you paddle for a wave… catch it! If you back out of a perfectly good wave, the locals may not let you have another.

6. Even if you stand up first, the right of way belongs to the surfer closest to the peak. If you “drop in” accidentally… apologize.

7. When paddling back to the lineup, a surfer riding a wave has the right-of-way.

When you can, paddle behind the surfer so you do not interfere with his ride.

SURF SPOTS Ollie’s Point is a famous point break located an hour’s boat ride north of Playa del Coco.

It was once a secret military base built by the USA to provide logistical support to the Contras in Nicaragua. During the secret war local surfers named it for its secret commander, American Colonel Oliver North. It is a rightbreak featuring a friendly, long ride. It is featured in the famous cult movie “Endless Summer II”. To get there, it is best to travel by boat.

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

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AREA ACTIVITIES

Witch’s Rock

Witch’s Rock is another famous beach breaks and is a remote spot located to the north in the Santa Rosa National Park.

Although it is possible to access with a four-wheel drive vehicle, most people opt to take a boat from Playa del Coco, a much easier option. Camping is permitted, but no facilities exist. If you do decide to rough it on the beach, make sure you pack a mosquito net! Beach access is closed during the rainy season (July - November). Expect very strong offshore winds from December to March.

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

Playa Grande is a very popular spot located only 30 minutes from Tamarindo. It boasts some great breaks which can get epic!

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Tamarindo Beach is widely favored by both beginners and experts and ocean gridlock can sometimes ensue. Because it often has more surfers in the water than other spots, proper etiquette most definitely applies.

Hint: If you are not a confident swimmer or have children in tow, the safest waves are in front of Hotel Capitan Suizo.

Playa Avellanas is distinguished by quality beach breaks and a notable reef break just north dubbed “Little Hawaii” - which is just

a few minutes walk north along the beach.

When the waves are big, this is a prime surfing spot. Hint: This is the beach immediately in front of Lola’s Restaurant.

Playa Negra is just south of Playa Avellanas, this is an excellent right reef point break with solid tubular waves. Waves hold up even during large swells. Not a spot for beginners!

Advice: While sometimes some places have lifeguards, your first safety plan should be to take care of your self.

Buy the Book - If you’re here to surf, split the cost among your surf buddies and buy a copy of Jonathan Yonkers Chavarria’s, “H2O- Surf Travel Guide of Costa Rica.” You’ll find it at the tour desk of many hotels and operators. Written by a local, native surfer, he gives you the details about every surf spot, including the best swell directions and tides, crowds, places to stay, local color, etc. You’ve spent a lot of money to get here to surf and he spent a lot of time and money putting it together. Just in case you’re down to your last taco, here is a very general overview.

The Northern Gold Coast is considered a “hub” for many tours, and yet has many great local tours. Get to know the local ones before you take off on a long, road-trip! The trade-offs may or may not be worth it. This Guide will point out some of them and go to www.tamarindocosta-rica. com for a more comprehensive listing.

POPULAR PLACES TO VISIT Rincón de la Vieja National Park (1.5 hours) is a protected forest sitting at the mouth of a volcano and is distinguished by bubbling mud pools, natural hot springs, and geothermal steam rising from beneath the earth. A dramatic, nearby waterfall enveloped in lush jungle teeming with wildlife, a cacophony of nature provides an aural backdrop to the scenic marvels of the area.

Ostinal Beach is a Ridley Turtle and Leatherback nesting area that awes many visitors with a spectacle of turtle making their way up the slopped beach to lay their eggs. Because this phenomenon follows lunar phases, be sure to confer with a guide to ascertain exact dates and times. It’s a real drag to make the

AREA ACTIVITIES

LOCAL TOURS

trip and miss it because you didn’t confirm the nesting schedule. Tours generally depart in the afternoon and arrive on Ostinal Beach in time for dinner, which is followed by turtle patrol in the evening.

Palo Verde National Park is a scenic drive through Guanacaste’s beautiful cowboy (Sabanero) country will lead to a dock from where you embark on an equally scenic two-hour boat trip on the Tempisque River to Palo Verde National Park. The river once served as the route for transporting sugar cane, fruits, beef and people and is still crucial to the local economy. Relax as nature paints a vivid portrait of jungle foliage and tropical birds: egrets, ospreys, flycatchers, kingfishers and many more. It is a great trip for both bird-watching enthusiasts and those who

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

Palo Verde National Park

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AREA ACTIVITIES

just want to kick back on a tranquil journey that evokes a sense of the golden olden days.

Arenal Volcano National Park (5 hours) is favored by those want to soak in hot pools of volcanically heated waters and enjoying an unobstructed view of the constantly erupting Arenal Volcano.

Later, over dinner, if the skies are clear, relish the Technicolor spectacle of molten lava dancing down the side of the active volcano. During your return trip, we suggest that you stop at the famous artisan village of Guatil where the Chorotega Indians maintain the pottery tradition of their Pre-Columbian ancestors in crafting their distinctive and prized ceramics.

Santa Rosa National Park is perched near the Nicaragua border where the tropical dry forest hides the remnants of a storied past.

Santa Rosa, an old fort which is now a national monument, marks the spot where Juan Santa Maria and his men stopped an armed invasion by the USA. Maybe you never heard the story?

William Walker’s and his “army” were defeated in a colorful, bloody, pathetic story.

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

Hint: Have on hand good walking or hiking shoes, as it seems anywhere in the world nature must be viewed from an incline. Drink lots of water, pack insect repellent and perhaps most importantly—don’t overdue it physically!

Remember, the effects of the heat and humidity of the tropics can sneak up on you!

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GOLFING Renowned as a golfing Mecca, the Gold Coast possesses some of the world’s best courses and all of them are set in magnificent natural setting. You may not be Tiger Woods, but the local residents (howler monkeys, parrots and macaws, among others) will cheer you on nonetheless as you putt your stuff. Here are the local courses:

Arenal Volcano

Hacienda Pinilla - Ph: 2680-7000 Garra de León Golf Course at Paradisus Playa Conchal - Ph: 2654-4123 ext 8805 Diria Hotel Driving Range is on the road entering the Tamarindo airport. - Ph: 2653-0031

SPORTFISHING A FISH TO CROW ABOUT The sea was calm and was a shiny emerald green, and the only movement was a school of shiny sardines flickering on the surface.

They would appear at random and suddenly disappear only to re-appear close by.

But suddenly an army moved in! With dorsal fins of combs cutting the surface on top of zebra-striped bodies, a school of roosterfish attacked the sardines, sending them into a panic! Seconds later, a group of sea birds sensed the opportunity and joined the assault!

Roosterfish are the wolves of the western tropical Pacific waters. They roam the inshore waters, near the coasts and in the gulfs, normally hunting solo, but at times running in pacts. Found only between southern Mexico and Ecuador, roosterfish can be found yearround in Costa Rica.

Named after their rooster-like seven-point combed dorsal fin, the average size is about

Zip Lines

ATV Tours

Sport Fishing

Sunset Sailing

Rincon de la Vieja

White Water Rafting

Buena Vista Combo Tour

Guachipelin Mega Combo Palo Verde Croc Safari

Horseback Riding

Airport Transfers

Arenal Volcano

Scuba Diving

Snorkeling

...and more!

Subway Plaza - Playa Tamarindo Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Tel: (506) 2653-4130 or 2653-2439 Email: info@xplorecostarica.com Web: www.xplorecostarica.com

AREA ACTIVITIES

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CATAMARAN SAILING

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20 pounds. Fifty-pound fish are also common, and occasionally a fish over 75 ponds surprises a happy angler. How do you catch a roosterfish? They are dub as a rock to live bait, they are leery but can be fooled with an artificial like a popper, and it is extremely difficult to get them to eat a fly. They hunt close to shore, and if you release them, they have a high survival rate.

Hidden green valley with flowing river 8-zip lines • 10 platforms • Kid friendly Tour Times: 8:30 a.m 10 a.m. 11 a.m. 1 p.m. 3 p.m.

Silently gliding along the coastline, they pass exotic bays, white sand beaches, tropical jungles and rain forests. They are one of man’s greatest inventions for relaxing and getting in touch with nature.

Feel the power as the sails catch the wind, then skimmed along the shorelines of Playa Flamingo, Playa Conchal, Bahia Amore, Bahia de Las Pirates, Playa Grande and finally Tamarindo Beach. On board you’ll be treated to a feast of fruit, chips, dips, cerviche and salad.

From their spacious decks keep one eye out to sea to help spot dolphins, sea turtles, flying fish or even breaching whales! Enjoy following the shoreline as you head toward your destination deserted bay or reef. Once anchored, snorkel, kayak or just lazily float near the boat.

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

Close to sunset, notice the calmer winds seemed to inspire a more relaxed attitude, then weather permitting witnessed one of the best attractions an enchanting sunset from a sailboat.

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SCUBA DIVING AND SNORKELING Pinilla, Guanacaste

Call Phone: (506) 8889-5926 canopy.pinilla@hotmail.com

Please call us for reservations and pickup times ENGLISH, FRENCH, SPANISH SPOKEN

With an average water temperature of about 80 degrees exploring the area’s kaleidoscopic undersea universe is so comfortable. Most favorable diving and snorkeling conditions coincide with rainy season—between May and October, with November’s usually calm climate being the best month.

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Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

PLAYA TAMARINDO

TAMARINDO

An interesting way of looking at the area is to consider it one big resort with the conveniences of a major resort and a whole lot more interesting. Sure it has its amazing restaurants, surf shops, bars, hotels and shops, but it also located inside an interesting community.

One of the best parts of a visit is the ability to get most anywhere by walking along the beach or the road or renting a bicycle. For many, what a pleasure not needing to drive a car!

Tamarindo

Besides Tamarindo’s many land-locked conveniences, it has fairly consistent good surf and many spots. Also, it is a perfect jumping off point for the bigger waves of Playa Grande, Langosta and Playa Negra which are a just a short drive away.

Hint: Tamarindo became famous after it was featured in the classic surfing film “Endless Summer II”. Today, it still remains a surfing town at heart and hosts international, surf tournaments, houses certified Surf Legends, and has several surf schools.

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

SAVE TIME AND MONEY VISIT A LOCAL TOUR

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Did you know that we have many tours right here in the Tamarindo area? While some find a 5-hour drive to the Arenal area worth it, others may think a 20 minute drive to a local canopy tour and/or a horseback riding ranch a better use of time and money. Within our area we have canopy tours, surfing, horseback ridding, jeeps, an animal refuge center, spas, etc. While the Arenal area is surely majestic and the active volcano inspiring, just be sure and satisfy yourself that you really need to devote so much time and energy to travel.

Hint: If the volcano is not very active or there is moisture in the are, you won’t be able to see much.

Often a great compromise is the Rincon del la Vieja area which is only a 1.5 hour trip.

There you’ll find most everything you’d find in Arenal, except an active volcano.

VACATION RENTAL MANAGERS Your unpacking and realizing that you should have make a list of things to bring, not stuck at the moment making a list of the things you forgot. Often people have adventures (problems) getting here or they arrive tired and in a bad mood. Thankfully your property manager is there to help your vacation go smoothly.

Also, understand their plight! For often things that worked here half an hour before can suddenly and unexplainably stop working the minute you arrive. Here it seems to happen with uncanny regularity, especially anything to do with water. We think it must be a media for spiritual energy that only releases its corrosive power when it realizes there is a guest in the house. Property managers work very hard and appreciate your patience.

SPECIAL SECTION

TAMARINDO

RESTAURANTS

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

Saying Tamarindo has a great collection of fine restaurants is an understatement! In fact, it’s very hard to find a bad one!

Even the local eateries and coffee shops are outstanding!

You’ll even find visitors staying at all-inclusives hotels visiting them!

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TAMARINDO RESTAURANTS

TAMARINDO RESTAURANTS

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

SAVING MONEY

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While colons and dollars are accepted most anywhere, anytime there is a conversion, you’re faced with someone pulling out a calculator and manually plugging in some made-up exchange rate. Being unregulated, always it is below the rate which you would get at a bank or on your credit card. Not a big deal, until you find some businesses using an exchange rate, like 10% too low.

Suddenly, your $18 breakfast for two could be $20! In colons! What are you’re options?

Carry both colons and dollars, pay with a credit card, ask ahead of time for the conversion rate, or take your chances.

TIPPING Many automatically include a 10% Service Charge. However you should know that by

law only about 4% goes to your server. As a bare minimum, even if your bill includes a 10% service fee, add another 6% on top of the total bill for service and increase the percentage for good service. If your table setting and/or drinks arrive after your food, no tip!

HOW TO DRESS While dining is always casual, dress up if you want! To go out at night, it’s customary and practical for men to wear long-pants. If you’re thinking your on vacation and want to wear whatever you want, go ahead. Just remember to use mosquito repellent, especially around the feet and legs.

REDUCE FRUSTRATION Unlike restaurants in other countries which measure your dining experience with an egg-timer, here you can sit at your table “till the cows come home!” If your wondering why the bill never seems to come, it’s because you must ask for it! If you want to spend up the process, a good practice is to

The Local Dish is called a “casado” which is a hearty-sized meal of rice, beans, a vegetable serving, sweet plantano, and your choice of beef, chicken, or fish. It is a hearty meal that can be just right for surfers starving for carbs!

MATAPALO TERRACE RESTAURANT - Inside the Diria Hotel Watch the light filter between its leaves as you watch the waves breaking and feel

Photo: Carolina’s Restaurant

Hint: Try a frozen drink and ask for the Chef’s Specials. Also, having problems finding local dishes (casados)? Here is one of the few places you’ll find it on a dining menu.

THE SECRET DOOR In front of the Diria Hotel are some of the best stores in Tamarindo which are cleverly named the shops@diria. One has a little secret, the sideway café called the Cafeteria Nari. For it has a secret back door leading to the kitchen of the Diria Hotel. Normally a small café couldn’t afford to hire the type of cooking talent found at a major hotel.

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TAMARINDO RESTAURANTS

Ask for your bill in Spanish - “Regáleme la cuenta, por favor!” Literally this means, ‘give me the gift of the bill’. Or, just get their attention, by pretending you’re signing your check in the air, and say “cuenta”.

the gentle ocean breeze as you dine under the shade of a large Matapalo tree. During the evening, the restaurant lights take over and it becomes a romantic, ocean-front get-a-way.

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Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

ask for the bill when the food is served or at least after desert that way they can begin preparing the bill. Also, many restaurants make bills by hand, so give them extra time.

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• Seafood and Grilled Steaks • Fine Wine Selection • Superior Table Service • Weddings and Groups

On the road to Langosta, next to the 2001 Supermarket.

Ph: 2653-1946 / 8379-6834 Group Inquiries: restaurantecarolinas@yahoo.com

A FINE DINING

EXPERIENCE YOU CAN’T MISS!

Recommended On

Your Host: Carolina Paniagua F. Gastronomie Director, Graduate in Zurich Group Inquiries: restaurantecarolinas@yahoo.com

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BEACHFRONT HOTEL SURF SHOP RESTAURANT & BAR

You can't leave

without dining

HERE!!

The perfect beach front setting to have the best dinner International Cuisine with a Tropical Touch Great Wine and Cocktail List Specials Every Night Incentive Groups and Weddings welcome!

Open From Monday to Saturday from 4 pm to 10 pm Free transportation in Tamarindo Area

ph: 2653.38.97 / 8399.42.11. email: lalagunatamarindo@gmail.com Main road to Playa Tamarindo, across the street from Pueblo Dorado, inside La Laguna del Cocodrilo

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A surfing culture is deeply woven into Tamarindo’s culture. In fact, the sport is what turned this sleepy fishing village into an international surfing destination. An unusual aspect is the combination of the past history and present with both having respect for each other. Here, you’ll see long-boarders, short boarders, kayaks, paddleboards, bodyboarders, and board boards.

Since you’re here, why not take a lesson? If you are wondering if you’re able to learn, here is some advice: There are two main factors that determine whether or not a person can learn to surf; one is physical and the other is mental. People with back or knee problems sometimes cannot learn to stand on a surfboard because they are unable to bend properly. The other thing that prohibits people from learning to surf is fear. When you are afraid, your body locks and you end up in basically the same situation as the person who has back or knee problems! Never having tried it before is not a factor. Never having tried any board sport is not a factor. Being really strong is not necessarily helpful unless

Surfing blog from our web site - I was just sitting by the side of the road in Tamarindo reading a book about learning to surf and just trying not be stressed out when I first meet the Oracle of Tamarindo. He’s your stereotypical surfer dude, shuffling by in baggy board shorts and an untucked madras shirt, his beard bleached blond by the sun. I’m pale and encased in an industrialstrength tankini, my nose deep in a book on surfing. It’s true, most people don’t learn to surf by reading, but my first lesson has left me crabby—you try to jump from a prone position to a regal stance on a moving wave.

In anticipation of my afternoon tutorial, I’ve decided to pick up a few pointers by reading this book. You know, be more than ready for class so you can get a good grade!

The Oracle squints at me and then shakes his head. “You should work on not being so stressed out,” he says in tones of blissed-out benediction. “You look really stressed.”

As he ambles on, I have to admit he’s right.

I’m in this tiny town called Tamarindo, about ready to take a second surf lesson. Then he gives me some insight about how to find the “Holy Grail” of Tamarindo. He tells me the truth about learning to surf - “The best surfer in the water is the one having the most fun.”

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

TAMARINDO SURFING AND SURF LESSONS

you are strong because you are a competition swimmer. If you like the water and can laugh at yourself you absolutely CAN do it.

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Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

TAMARINDO

Whatever a surfer needs

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TAMARINDO • Sunrise Mall #4 • Tel (506)2653-0845 PLAYA GRANDE • Across Kike’s • Tel (506)2652-9227 e-mail:info@matossurfshop.com www.matossurfshop.com

TAMARINDO

LEARN TO SURF WITH US!

www.bananasurfschool.com • SURF SHOP • BOARDS RENTALS • DING REPAIR • TRIPS & ACTIVITIES • ORIGINAL T-SHIRTS

ISA

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Life

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Club Tamarindo Costa Rica

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

Local #1 Comercial Center Sunrise #8. Ph. (506) 2653-0130 Local #2 In front of Hotel Zullymar’s corner. Ph. (506) 2653-2463

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TAMARINDO “You got me on your skin” What would happen if that delicious cup of coffee, the freshly made pina colada, the aromatic essences that give flavor to your salad or even the fragrance of the wild rainforest flowers was massaged into your skin?

By using these ingredients within various health, relation and beauty treatments, it is now possible to treat yourself to a papering process that will make you look and feel like new. Many spas that strive to offer a holistic service done with warmth and personalized attention. If you add a never-ending source of certified natural local produce, creativity and knowledge, you will end up with an array of benefits to replenish any kind of skin or brighten your spirits.

Hint: If you get to Flamingo Beach drop in at the Famous Points Beauty Salon and Spa for a manicure or pedicure treatment. It’s inside the Flamingo Beach Resort Hotel on the ground floor.

LOCAL ACTIVITIES Just Walking or Running - Walking during the early morning or around sunset is a good time to get acquainted with the town and the exercise is a good justification for doing nothing the rest of the day. After 8:30 am the roads can get busy and dusty, so get off the roads whenever possible and walk on the beach. FYI, the distance on the road from one end of town to the other is a little less than 2 miles. On the beach it is 1 mile, plus the distance if you walk around the rocky point on the way to Langosta.

Spanning more than 1200 acres the estuary is home to hundreds of species of mammals and birds. Take the combo/restaurant night or day tour to see the alligators, howler monkeys, anteaters and a relative of the raccoons called pisotes. This is real nature magic that’s better than Disneyland!

If you are a bird lover, touring the estuary is “a must”! Also, you can enjoy the sights and sounds of spectacled owls, a version of the quetzal referred to as a black headed Trojan, hawks, ospreys and numerous

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

SPAS, MANICURES AND PEDICURES

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TAMARINDO

other species living among the spectacular mangrove trees. They are all protected by the National Park System.

Ride the best!

If you take a day tour do it as early as possible to experience the sights and sounds of nature coming to life. As you enter Tamarindo on the right side you will see a shack just off the road with a sign for the Baulas National Park Tours. It is manned by some Costa Ricans who’ll act as informal sales agents for the boat people just down the slope toward the estuary. Hint: Ask the price before you commit for it can ranged from $5 to $30 per person!!! Consider $4-6 normal.

TRAIL RIDES AND EQUESTRIAN VACATIONS DESIGNED JUST FOR YOU! Visit and enjoy Casagua Ranch, a fifty-acre family owned horse ranch.

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

• Just minutes from Gold Coast Beaches • Tours and Trail Rides, “Cantina” Tours, Traditional Fiestas & Tope Horse Parades.

• Come and stay at The Painted Pony Guest Ranch.

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Casagua Horses TOURS & EQUINE CENTER Located just outside Tamarindo

Ph.: (506) 2653-8041 www.paintedponyguestranch.com info@paintedponyguestranch.com

“One of the World’s 10 Best Guest Ranches” Gayot 2009, 2010

Hint: If you walk on the roads at sunrise or sunset, stay on the road and head for Langosta where often you can often see and hear Howler monkeys perched high up in the trees just off the road. Don’t forget to bring your camara.

Rope a fish! - If you see a fisherman standing in the surf spinning a line overhead as if he is going to rope a steer, see if you can find a translator and ask if he will give you a lesson for a few dollars, and a bonus if you catch something.

As a preview, they first catch their live bait swimming around their waists with nothing more than a line and hook, once caught they transfer the little fish to a bigger hook, then cast it out as far as they can, like they are roping a steer. It is a real challenge and after an hour the surf will beat you up! However, you’d be surprised how many big fish right in the surf! Best fishing is when the surf is calm!

TAMARINDO

Foundation and Animal Rescue Center Refuge for wild animals • Explorer path through the shelter • Rehabilitation of animals into the wild • Butterfly Park • Camping area • Food service • Gift Shop •

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

Del cruce de Portegolpe 2 Km. este hacia Cartagena.

Phones: 2653-8032 / 2653-8127 E-mail: monkeypark@racsa.co.cr

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TAMARINDO E ONLINE

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Article courtesy of Bar1’s owner Matt.

Tamarindo has long been famous, if not infamous, for its carefree vibe and Pura Vida party atmosphere and has numerous bars, lounges and discoteques each with a multicultural flair. Tamarindo is not a big town, but it’s still a nightlife destination spot recognized regionally, nationally, and internationally as the place to party at the beach in Costa Rica. (Note: Of course, during low-season the action slows down, especially in October.)

On any night at any given spot you could be rubbing elbows with an eclectic mix of locals, international travelers, even revelers from the outlying communities of Playa Grande, Flamingo, Playa Del Coco, and Santa Cruz. Urbanites even make the trip from San Jose to party Tamarindo style! Also, if your lucky your might even spot a visiting celebrity as local spots have seen visits from Queen Latifah, Natalie Portman, Jah Rule to name a few. Recent years have even seen several additions to the nightlife scene that

cater to the more upscale partygoer with spots like Bar1 offering VIP services to a bit more sophisticated crowd than some of the more rustic party environments of Tamarindo’s past.

Having Fun & Staying Safe... Going out at night anywhere you will be faced with the typical security pitfalls of nightlife. Here are a few things to keep in mind when enjoying a night out in Tamarindo: Much of the real nightlife starts later than 9:30 pm, actually closer to 12:00 pm.

The national shot of choice, “Guaro”, has been the downfall of many a gringo partier.

This sugar cane based neutral spirit packs a punch and is also a very affordable alternative to more expensive rums or vodkas.

Enjoy as a shot with salt and lime or mixed with pineapple juice.

After one or two shots, it’s easy to make friends on a night out in Tamarindo. If you keep a smile on your face, respect the locals, and don’t play the role of “The Ugly Gringo”, you should have a great time and met new people.

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

NIGHT LIFE

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TAMARINDO

However, after one too many Guaros, the unsuspecting gringo traveler may become a bit too loose, and get lost and found in the crowd, so to speak... Just beware that they’re the workplace of several types of unsavory professionals. In other words, keep an eye on your purse, wallet, camera and yourself.

Pickpockets have been known to work the crowds, especially on very busy nights when there are many distractions.

“But, officer, I swear I just left my Passport in my room...” So you arrive in town, checkin to your room, lock up your valuables, including your passport in the hotel safe and head out for a few tropical drinks at tonight’s “Hot Spot.” It’s all good… right?

WRONG! Recently Documentation Sweeps

by Immigration Police targeting popular nightspots have netted many unsavory types and some unfortunate travelers. Don’t get caught in their net for not carrying identification (a passport copy will do). Without proper identification you can be brought to “La Cárcel” (Jail) until someone can produce your documents. So unless you want one of those unbelievable vacation stories that involves going to jail, it’s a good idea to have your passport or a copy with you.

Women and sex appeal (for men only!)

You’re a hot guy, dressed casually in a t-shirt and flip flops. A woman is checking you out… buzzing around like a bee to pollen. It is known that the Guanacaste women have an extra keen sense of smell. Clean up your act for the local ladies and you may clean up in the romance department.

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

HOT SPOTS

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There are plenty of places to go at night here are a few. Just remember everywhere the action starts late - around 10 pm.

BAR1 – With a casual sophistication, open air-setting, well-crafted drinks and reasonably price drinks, it’s a great place to relax and party. Owners Matt and Brian always make sure the service is personal and top notch. Stop in on Thursday’s for Lady’s Nights, Friday’s are Local’s Night, and

Saturday’s they offer live entertainment and DJ’s. Bar1 is a great place to impress your date, or find a new one to impress.

They also serve sushi which many consider the best in town. And, if you get hungry late at night, they serve till 1am. Can be a life-saver! They’re located on the 3rd floor of Plaza Tamarindo across from the Pacific Park Condo building.

MONKEY BAR - BEST WESTERN HOTEL A Tamarindo nightlife institution, it has long been known as the biggest party of the week. It happens every Friday night on top of a long stairway on the right side of the Best Western Hotel. Featuring two dance areas, one for Latin music complete with a live band and salsa dancing and the other for club/dance hits, it has music and dancing for everyone’s style. The action and music switches between each dance floor throughout the night. Get there early as the party usually wraps up before 1am.

VOODOO LOUNGE – They’re an easy walk from the center of Tamarindo, so stop by and pick up the latest flyers on what’s happening.

NIGHTLIFE SCHEDULE Where to go is constantly changing, so below are only some of the more popular ones. For more information ask around or visit us at www.tamarindocosta-rica.com.

Monday: Agua Discotheque Tuesday.

Voodoo Lounge – Salsa Night Wednesday: Voodoo Lounge – Open Mic Pacific Bar - Live Band El Beach – 9:30 - 11:30 Live Band Thursday: Voodoo Lounge – Ladies Night El Beach - 9:30 – 11:30 Live Band Friday: Monkey Bar – Best Western Pacific Bar – Ladies Nite Saturday: El Beach – 9:30 – 11:30pm Live Band

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Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

SURROUNDING AREAS PLAYA GRANDE PLAYA AVELLANAS PLAYA NEGRA FLAMINGO POTRERO

This beach is a wildlife sanctuary where from November to March where the famous big Leatherback turtles come to lay their eggs (Best viewing time is about 2:30 in the morning!). For the inspired often you can walk the beach about 10:00am and see the little baby turtles making their run into the ocean. Once we saved one from a hungry bird, and wave at us as he turned to resume his journey to the sea.

Interestingly, Playa Grande is ranked as the #2 nesting spot for the Ridley and Leatherback Turtles in the world. These magnificent animals can measure up to 2.5 meters and weigh around 700 kilos. Unlike other turtles, this species has no hard shell, but rather a black, leathery skin with ridges running lengthwise. For some time they have been an endangered species.

Take a mystical walk on the beach in Playa Grande. At low tide you can walk north around the rocky point to the north, and on the other side you’ll find a series of semiisolated beaches that’ll remind you of being stranded on a deserted island.

LOCAL FOLKLORE FOR YOUR WALK Located on the north end of the beach is a rocky point backed by beautiful bluffs the natives call El Encante. On many maps it is known as Cerro Morro or Cerro Hermoso. It is the most western part of Costa Rica. Riddled with caves, small coves, and white sand beaches you can walk along its beach at low tide pretending to be stranded on a deserted island. For some, its energy becomes too strong and has an irresistible urge to swim in the ocean naked. It’s said to have a power

El Encante even has an interesting legend. It is said that sometimes at sunset lights that seem to hover over the bluffs that overlook the beach. Supposedly, they are the signal that the duendes have returned. The duendes are elves or extra terrestrials that lure sleeping children out of their beds with promises of sweets. Then they follow the elves to El Encanto cliffs where they dance all night. No one remembers how they get back home in the morning, but they always returned… except for once.

SURROUNDED AREAS

A small surfing community along the coast and directly north across the Tamarindo Estuary, it has an ambience of being somewhere remote. Yet, it’s only a 30-minute drive from Tamarindo. Another option is to take a watertaxi across the northern Tamarindo estuary.

so strong that leatherback turtles use it as homing beacon to their nesting beach and it attracts sailfish so they swim closer to shore.

One night after the dancing lights, the son of Don Eusebio did not return for breakfast.

So, he went looking for him, but couldn’t find him anywhere. The entire village searched for the boy, but he was nowhere to be found. The next day people in the village saw Don Eusebio head down the hills toward the beach. When neighbors called out to him, “Hello, how did you sleep”, he didn’t stop to answer or even acknowledge their greeting; he appeared to be in a spell and on a mission. Witnesses report his body seemed to float across the sand and then scale the vertical face of El Encante, straight up the mountain on no known path, until he too disappeared.

MATOS SURF SHOP AND INTERNET CAFÉ If you come to surf in Playa Grande (They also have a shop in Tamarindo) and need equipment or advice make this your first stop. Easy to do as it’s the first surf shop you’ll see as you enter Playa Grande. Staffed by people who really know surfing, they can be an invaluable source of information.

The shops themselves offer whatever a surfer needs, including professional surf photography, ding repairs, surf trips, best brands in accessories, surf rentals and surf lessons and a good selection of souvenirs.

Hint: Need an internet café? This is the only one in Playa Grande!

Phone: 2652-9227

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

PLAYA GRANDE TO THE NORTH

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SURROUNDED AREAS

PLAYA AVELLANAS AND PLAYA NEGRA TO THE SOUTH Actually, Tamarindo is bracketed by a northern and souther estuary. What happens if you cross the southern estuary? Unless you feel like crossing a dangerous estuary and walking a long ways in the hot sand, driving is the best way to get there. There are no boats for crossing, but it is a smaller estuary and you can wade across during very low tide. Walk down the beach for a more private beach experience.

However, be very careful! When the tide is receding quickly and the surf is large, dangerous riptides can happen. If you have any doubts, almost always there is a lifeguard, ask him to watch you cross. If you do decide to cross, be sure to bring extra water, sun hats, and bug repellent because your body will be challenged by 85 degree temperatures and hot sand!

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

If you managed the crossing and walk along

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the beach for about two hours you’d be in the beautiful surfing beaches of Playa Avellanas featuring Lola’s Restaurant and, a little further south, Playa Negra. Named after a tourist masquerading as a big pig, Lola’s on the Beach, is famous for its extremely, extremely laid-back beach atmosphere, fruit drinks and great food.

Note: It may be closed during low-season.

Just down the beach and around a few rocky points is Playa Negra. While it doesn’t have a pig, it is considered one of the top surf spots in Costa Rica. It has a rock bottom with perfect right-hand barrels with a well defined channel for paddling out. The break has good exposure to both Northern and Southern Hemisphere swells and is reasonably consistent year-round. It’s usually crowded and its waves are not for beginners.

Hint: When you park at either of these spots, watch your car and your valuables very carefully.

If there is a guard, pay him a few dollars! A “rojo” (the red paper money that’s worth 1,000 colons about $2)! Even better, there are several surf shuttle buses, so talk to a local surf shop about transportation if you don’t want to drive.

SURROUNDED AREAS Playa Flamingo

Surf lessons - Manu 2653-2567 Horseback riding - Shambalah 8811-0553 Massage and beauty - Reiki/Lulu - 2652-9178 Yoga lessons – Gabe 2652-9081 NIGHTLIFE Not known for nightlife, we still found a few. If anyone has more information on nightlife in Playa Negra and Avellans, please let us know famouspoints@gmail.com.

Oasis Restaurant – Known for serving drinks until you drop or 9 pm, whichever comes first!

Or you could try, La Vida Buena Pizzeria which occasionally hosts bands passing through.

Stop by to ask what is playing. How do the locals describe their nightlife? “Somos pocos pero locos”... Not much, but pretty crazy!

FLAMINGO BEACH AND PLAYA POTRERO Flamingo is a pristine and exclusive beach community located on a peninsula with multi-million dollar mansions and hotels dotting the hillside. On the south side the Flamingo Beach Resort hosts a beautiful white sand beach, to the west a high-rocky

These are smaller towns, but yet have their own activities and conveniences, like two banks, an excellent golf course within a 25-minute drive, several good restaurants, a variety of water sports ranging from sailing to sea kayaks, hydro-disks and jet skis, and sports fishing.

Because of Flamingo’s proximity to large game fish, its considered one of the sports fishing capitals of the world! With its fleet of fishing boats for rent anchored at its Flamingo Marina, anglers have convenient access to boats for sail, marlin fishing, scuba or snorkeling. The area is internationally known for its billfish tournaments held throughout the summer months.

Attention Women:

Hair ruined by the ocean or pool water?

Need some pampering, stop in at the Famous Points Beauty Salon inside the Flamingo Beach Resort. You’ll feel like a New You! Phone: (506) 8701-1816

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

LOCAL ACTIVITIES

cliff with a view looking straight out to the Pacific and to the north the Bay of Potrero.

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Sail out of Flamingo Beach

Sailing Adventure

Unforgettable!

All-inclusive packages: Sailing/Snorkel Trips Sunset Cruise Moonlight Sails Private Charter Very Convenient to the Paradisus Conchal Hotel!

Flamingo Beach, Potrero, Playa Grande.

Call CR: (506) 8381-1060 | US: 508 444-0268

www.seabirdsailing.com | info@seabirdsailing.com

Playa Flamingo, Costa Rica

Q J A K

USEFUL INFORMATION

USEFUL INFORMATION AIR TRAVEL TRAVELING BY AIR WITHIN COSTA RICA ON A NATIONAL AIRLINE Using one of the national airlines to travel within Costa Rica is not a bad idea. There are two main airlines serving Costa Rica itself, TACA (Formerly Sansa) and Nature Air. Hint: If you are a “perpetual 90-Day tourists“, check out the international destinations of Nature Air. They feature international flights from Liberia to Granada, Nicaragua and Bocas del Toro, Panama. Both are great places to visit and very handy for those who needs to leave Costa Rica to satisfy immigration regulations.

AIRPORT INFO Guanacaste: Administration ................................ 2668-1178 Flights ................................................. 2668-1010 Immigration ..................................... 2668-1014 Customs ............................................. 2668-1068 Alajuela: Flights ................................................. 2437-2626 Arrivals ............................................... 2437-2626 Customs ............................................ 2441-6069 Pavas Airport ................................... 2223-2830 Tamarindo Airport ......................... 8840-1803

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

CHURCHES

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The Well – Tamarindo Ph: 2653-1864 Beach Community Church – Brasilito Ph: 2654-4446 Catholic Church – Santa Rosa (Sunday services only) Santa Maria Catholic Church – Tamarindo, Sunday at 6pm.

SUPPORT GROUPS Narcotics Anonymous – Honesty Meetings, Monday – Wednesday – Fridays, 7 pm – 10 pm. Back of Fiesta del Mar Restaurant in Tamarindo.

MONEY MACHINES AND BANKS Tamarindo has several banks! Banco Nacional is the bank owned by the government and is located across the street from the Diria Hotel. While you can exchange money or get credit card advances at these banks, you’ll save money by paying in the quoted currency.

TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS International phone calling rates can vary tremendously, so check with the front desk or your property manager before dialing.

International dialing requires “00” and the country codes below: USA ...................................................................... 1 Germany ............................................................ 49 Great Britain ..................................................... 44 Holland .............................................................. 31 Italy ..................................................................... 39 Japan .................................................................. 81 Nicaragua ......................................................... 505 Spain .................................................................. 34 Emergencies .................................................. 911 Local information ....................................... 113 Long-distance information .................... 124 Operator Assistance .................................. 116 Tourist Information .................................... 192 Getting an internet connection – There are internet cafes with wireless connections are all over the area. An increasing number of restaurants offer free access for your laptop with their wireless signals. Here are a few: Eat@Joe’s at Witch’s Rock Surf Camp and Subway Sandwiches.

SMART PHONES You can buy a pre-paid sim card at the ICE (government communications monopoly in

EMBASSY PHONE NUMBERS: Argentina ........................................... 2283-9983 Belgium .............................................. 2225-6255 Brazil ................................................... 2233-1544 Canada ............................................... 2242-4400 China ................................................... 2224-8180 Chile .................................................... 2280-0037 Ecuador .............................................. 2232-1562 El Salvador ......................................... 2256-0043 France ................................................. 2234-4167 Germany ............................................ 2232-5533 Great Britain ...................................... 2258-2025 Holland .............................................. 2296-1490 Honduras .......................................... 2234-9505 Italy ..................................................... 2224-6574 Japan .................................................. 2232-4511 Mexico ............................................... 2280-5690 Nicaragua .......................................... 2222-2373 Peru ..................................................... 2225-9145 USA ..................................................... 2519-2000

GENERAL INFORMATION Customs and government regulations bless us Costa Ricans with many Scheduled Holidays, plus we have many unscheduled ones, like when the electricity or the internet

The Official Currency is the Colon and its value is about 500 colons to the dollar. A standard electrical wall plug usually delivers around 110 volts.

The Time Zone is GMT / UTC minus 6 hours, that would be Central Time ns the USA and there is no adjustment for day-light savings time.

USEFUL INFORMATION

In order for your GSM phone to work with, it must have a 1800 mhz band and if its 3G it must be a 850 mhz band. Note: If your cell phone works in Europe it will work for call in Costa Rica since Europe uses the 1800 mhz frequency. It may not work for data due to difference in 3G frequencies. According to the ICE page international outgoing texts are 17 cents US (actually the colon equiv). The outgoing International calls are at the MIDA rate which to the US is about 26 cents a minute.

doesn’t work, the day before and after a scheduled holiday, and during strikes by the utility company (ICE).

TRANSPORTATION SHUTTLE BUSES Comfortable, air-conditioned transport is offered by several shuttle bus companies. With door-to-door services, surfboard transportation, reasonable rates, convenient scheduling and efficient service they are a great way to navigate Costa Rica.

“PURA VIDA” DRIVING TIPS Turning and signaling – Turn signals are very seldom used and it seems drivers don’t understand hand signals. Actually watching a left turn or someone pulling off the road can take awhile as drivers don’t want to seem aggressive or make any sudden movements.

Parking – Just think of all parking as being temporary and a good asphalt or cement road as the best places. Why do so many drivers stop in the middle of the road? It is because that is where they see their friends and where their cell phone rings. So, if two cars, on each side of the road stop, totally blocking the road in both lanes, it’s just the custom, not disrespect toward you… just look for something else to do while waiting.

Road rage - If you make a mistake which almost causes an accident, keep your cool no matter what. Then, hope the other driver gets really mad because only then can you regain the moral high-ground (See previous

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

Costa Rica) booth in baggage claim or boarding area at SJO or Liberia for 2,500 - 5,000 or 10,000 colones. You can also get them at one of their agencies or at authorized locations.

Their service is valid in both GSM or 3G technologies. You can also re-charge you’re phone by visiting: http://portal.grupoice.com/wps/ wcm/connect/web+content/Esp/CatTelecom/ movil/Prepago/

53

USEFUL INFORMATION

section on Cultural Differences about getting mad.). This is important because as long as you have the high-ground, everyone around you will say it was the other’s fault. Note: Costa Rica does not have “No-Fault” or “Getting Mad” insurance laws.

Need gas? On our “Fold-Out” map in the front section there is a marker for our allimportant, “local” gas station. See if you can find it! Hint: It’s not near Tamarindo. So, watch your gas gauge!

We have four banks and Flamingo Beach has two, each one has an ATM. None of the other nearby beach towns have a gas station! If you get really, really stuck, you can maybe buy cans of regular gas during the day at the “other” hardware store which is on the north side of the Tamarindo Hardware store.

Car Rentals – Before cruising down the highway singing “Born to be Wild”, make sure you slow your rush to grab the keys from your rental agent and taken a few extra

N O

M O R E

moments to really inspect your car. Often they have small problems that need to be noted on your Inspection Report. While most representatives are very thorough and honest at noting these problems, you should nevertheless give the report serious attention, as you will be asked to pay for them.

Take the extra time to look for previous body damage under the fenders and doors. They actually appreciate your input and have no problem adding your additional notes. A current driver’s license is necessary, along with a credit card and a deposit.

Because a lot of construction is going on now it is not uncommon to get a flat tire from the debris, so make sure your spare tire is good. If you need to use your spare, get the bad tire fixed right away! If you buy a new tire without the approval of your rental company, you could end up paying for a tire out of your own pocket! Special caution: If you leave your car out on the highway unattended and it is vandalized, you are responsible under their “Negligent Clause.”

W A L L S !

LEARN

SPANISH

Visitor´s Guide Gold Coast, Guanacaste Costa Rica

T H E E A S Y WAY!

54

Wayra Institute, Tamarindo’s Original Spanish School.

Call the week before class starts to set up an interview.

Classes start every Monday.

Tamarindo, Guanacaste. Phones: (506) 2653-0617 • 2653-0359 www.spanish-wayra.co.cr • info@spanish-wayra.co.cr

AUTHORIZED TESTING CENTER CERVANTES CERTIFICATION (DELE)

Centro Asociado

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