Introduction to Playa del Coco and Playa Ocotal

253km (157 miles) NW of San José; 35km (22 miles) W of Liberia

In the midst of an ongoing and major construction boom, Playa del Coco is one of the busiest and most built-up beaches in this area. With a large modern mall and shopping center anchoring the eastern edge of town, you'll pass through a tight jumble of restaurants, hotels, and souvenir shops for several blocks before you hit the sand and sea, while homes, condos, and hotels are sprouting up along the beach in either direction. This has long been, and remains, a popular destination with middle-class Ticos and weekend revelers from San José. It's also a prime jumping-off point for some of Costa Rica's best scuba diving. The beach, which has grayish-brown sand and gentle surf, is quite wide at low tide and almost nonexistent at high tide. The crowds that come here like their music loud and constant, so if you're in search of a quiet retreat, stay away from the center of town. Still, if you're looking for a beach with a wide range of inexpensive hotels, lively nightlife, and plenty of cheap food and beer close at hand, you'll enjoy Playa del Coco.

Better still, in my opinion, is Playa Ocotal, which is a couple of kilometers to the south. This tiny pocket cove features a small salt-and-pepper beach bordered by high bluffs and is quite beautiful. When it's calm there's good snorkeling around some rocky islands close to shore here.