Side Trips

En Route South: Playa Avellanas & Playa Negra

Heading south from Tamarindo are several as-yet-undeveloped beaches, most of which are quite popular with surfers. Beyond Tamarindo and Playa Langosta are Playa Avellanas and Playa Negra, both with a few basic cabinas catering to surfers.

If you are in Avellanas, be sure to stop at Lola's (tel. 658-8097), a laid-back restaurant and bar right on the beach, whose namesake giant pet pig is a local legend. Lola's is particularly popular on Sundays, when Tamarindo locals and expats pack the tables here in a weekly informal community get-together.

Where to Stay -- The Mono Congo Lodge (tel. 658-8261; www.monocongolodge.com), located just outside of Playa Negra, is a rustically comfortable option in a lush, forested setting a few hundred yards from the water.