Well, since Steve is blogging so much, I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon. Actually, it just occurred to me that he was brilliant (this has occurred to me before, but not in accordance with this particular action) to post his six-day-tour reply. We get lots and lots of emails asking us for information, and we both often offer it up before people even ask. But low and behold, there is now the mighty blog, where we can put it online for everyone who cares (and doesn't) to see! (And really, for us to reference when we get asked again.)

Here's what I said about day-trips from Tamarindo, slightly modified to make more sense for the general public. These are specifically places that are all under an hour from Tam., making it an easy and enjoyable trip, while leaving you suitcases at your hotel.

1. Avellanas - about 20 minutes south of Tamarindo, there's a great restaurant called Lola's. Eat there, sit there, drink there.

2. Playa Grande - about 20 minutes north of Tamarindo. You can drive there, but you can also just cross Tamarindo's northern estuary - this is most easily done during low tide if you're on foot. If you're with board, it's a just a short paddle depending on tide.

3. Playa Langosta - The surfing is good by the rivermouth and just to the north and south of it. The beach is good at low tide for laying out, but surfing is better at mid-high tide. Low tide also opens up a very large, shallow, estuary where the water is often crystal clear and warmer. Especially beautiful early in the morning when it is empty. So, um, don't go there early in the morning or it won't be empty for us. Just kidding. Mostly.

4. Playa Negra - for advanced surfers only, but beautiful and a different looking beach than the others. Darker sand, more rocks, but you can lay out. It's just south of Avellanas.

5. Playa Junquillal - about 45 minutes south of Tamarindo. Decent surf, cute little town, couple of beach bars on the sand. Good laying out. Just a nice place to visit that's different from Tam.

6. Playa Conchal - Beautiful white sand beach, totally different from the other beaches mentioned above. Decent snorkeling, great swimming, laying out, picnicing, etc. Better to go during the weekdays, the place is PACKED on the weekends with locals and tourists alike.

7. Marbella - Further away than the rest, just over an hour on sometimes-dicey roads. But frequently deserted and very pretty. The "sand" here is pea-gravel on one beach and dark, sort of dirty, sand on the other beach.

8. Playa Hermosa - We would argue that the name is a bit of a misnomer. Playa Hermosa is about an hour's drive north from here, by Playa Coco. It isn't particularly beautiful with very organic-rich sand and water that tends to be tepid and greenish. The immobility of the water means no waves at all, which can be good for kids or anyone who is not confident in their water skills. There are some nice places to eat/drink there. Coco is a good spot to take off for Witch's Rock or to go diving.

Labels: beach, day trip, tamarindo