Beaches

Playa Hermosa

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Playa Hermosa, meaning “Beautiful Beach” in English, is one of the most gorgeous beaches in Costa Rica to relax and unwind in the Guanacaste Province. Playa Hermosa is located just north of Playas del Coco. These beaches are just a short drive apart, so you can easily visit them both during your fun vacation to Costa Rica, but each beach gives off a different vibe for a unique trip.

Without further ado, here are some of the best things to do in beautiful Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste, during your trip to Costa Rica.

Facts

Playa Hermosa Facts

Map

Map of Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica

Beach Details

Playa Hermosa Details

Wondering if you’d like to stay in Playa Hermosa during your visit to Costa Rica? If so, here’s everything you need to know about this beautiful beach to help you make your decision.

Terrain at Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste

Hermosa Beach is a beautiful beach located in the Guanacaste Province on the Gulf of Papagayo. It’s not a big beach—just about a mile long—and is calm, quiet, and laid-back since there aren’t many commercial businesses nearby.

Playa Hermosa features light gray sand, a beautiful blue sea, and plenty of palm trees and fig trees around the beach that offer shade from the hot sun. Since the beach is situated in a bay, the waters are calm, so Playa Hermosa is great for swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, and other water sports—just not for surfing! If you’re looking for a surfing beach, head down south to Playa Tamarindo, Playa Langosta, or one of the beaches in the Puntarenas Province.

Weather at Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste

Like the rest of the fun beaches in Guanacaste, Playa Hermosa has a dry season, lasting from December to April, and a green season, going from May to November. The dry season is the most favorable time to visit Playa Hermosa because of the sunny, dry skies and average high temperatures ranging from 91°F (December) to 96°F (April).

December to April offers the best weather at Playa Hermosa, but it’s also the high season, so expect crowder spots, and flights, tours, and accommodations in Costa Rica to be more expensive if you visit during these popular months—especially during the holidays or spring break.

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Best Things to Do at Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste
There are many great things to do at beautiful Playa Hermosa—both on the beach and ocean and in the cities, towns, and parks nearby. These are a few of the activities you can enjoy in Playa Hermosa:
Water Sports

Since Playa Hermosa is located in a cove, the ocean is calm enough for fun water sports, like kayaking, boating, swimming, and paddleboarding. If you join a boat tour from Playa Hermosa, you can ride into the Gulf of Papagayo, where the sea is deep and full of marine life. It’s the perfect destination to go sport fishing or snorkeling!

Scuba Diving
Whether you’d like to try scuba diving or snorkeling, there isn’t a better place to try both than Caño Island Biological Reserve.

Playa Hermosa is just a short distance from some of the best scuba diving locations in Costa Rica. Sail across the Gulf of Papagayo to go scuba diving at the Bat Islands or Catalina Islands, where you can see manta rays, bull sharks, and whitetip reef sharks, among other fantastic marine life.

Day Trips
With such a vast number of resident bird species, Costa Rica is an ornithologist’s dream

Playa Hermosa is a great place to stay if you want to be near a beautiful beach, but also just a short drive away from other fabulous beaches and national parks in Costa Rica. These are some of the best day trips and tours from beautiful Playa Hermosa:

  • Playas del Coco—If you’re looking for a more extensive selection of restaurants, nightlife, bars, and shops, head to Playas del Coco, just ten minutes south of Playa Hermosa.
  • Palo Verde National Park—Take a boat ride up the Tempisque River to Pajaros Island or go birdwatching at Palo Verde National Park, just a 1.5-hour drive from Playa Hermosa.
  • Santa Rosa National ParkSanta Rosa National Park is one of the closest national parks to Playa Hermosa, just over a one-hour drive away. While here, visit the Casona de Santa Rosa Historical Museum to learn about Guanacaste.
  • Rincon de la Vieja National Park—Go hiking and horseback riding in Rincon de la Vieja National Park, or enjoy the hot springs and mud pits in this stunning beautiful oasis, just under a 1.5-hour drive from Playa Hermosa.
  • Tenorio Volcano National Park—At Tenorio Volcano National Park, you can hike, come face-to-face with exotic wildlife, and admire the gorgeous Ro Celeste Waterfall in this popular national park, just a short 2.5-hour drive from Playa Hermosa.
Safety at Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste

Playa Hermosa is a relatively safe location for a trip to Costa Rica, as it’s not a tourist hotspot. However, as always, when traveling to a new destination, use common sense. Don’t flash valuables, lock your doors and windows when you leave your short-term rental or hotel room and don’t walk alone at night.

Getting to Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste

Playa Hermosa is located just north of Playas del Coco and south of Playa Panama, and the beach is only a short 15-minute drive from the Liberia International Airport. You can rent a car and drive to Playa Hermosa from either airport (Liberia International Airport or San Jose International Airport), hire a private driver for round-trip transportation to and from the airport, or take the bus.

You don’t need a car in Playa Hermosa since there are hotels, restaurants, and shopping within walking distance from the beautiful beach. However, it can be helpful to have a vehicle if you’d like to drive back and forth from Playas del Coco or enjoy one (or more!) of the day trips near Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste.

Note: Before visiting Playa Hermosa, it’s important to note that there are several beaches named Playa Hermosa on the west coast of Costa Rica. There is a Playa Hermosa in Santa Teresa, Jaco, and Uvita. Since there are so many beaches named Playa Hermosa, make sure you book your hotel or short-term rental at the right Playa Hermosa—the one in Guanacaste.

Beach Town

Playa Hermosa Beach Town

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Playa Hermosa isn’t a hub for nightlife, bars, and shops like the nearby Playas del Coco. Still, it does offer its fair share of hotels, vacation rentals, and restaurants to keep travelers satisfied during their trip to Costa Rica. If you want to kick back, relax, hang out at the beach, soak up the sun, and enjoy fabulous food at good restaurants, you’ll love Playa Hermosa!

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Playa Hermosa Restaurants

Playa Hermosa isn’t a large town, but there are plenty of restaurants with good food, from traditional favorites like Gallo Pinto to upscale tapas and wine, which you can enjoy during your trip to Playa Hermosa. These are a few restaurants you should check out:

Ginger

Ginger is a popular restaurant and bar in Playa Hermosa that serves tapas inspired by Southeast Asia and India in a modern treehouse setting. On the menu, you’ll find items like Ginger’s Ahi Tuna, Summer Rolls, Tuna Tartare, and more. Ginger also serves tropical cocktails, traditional cocktails, and red, white, and sparkling wines to pair with your tapas.

La Casita del Marisco

La Casita del Marisco means “The House of Seafood” in English—precisely what you’ll find at this well-known and well-loved restaurant in Playa Hermosa. This beachfront dining establishment serves fresh seafood and meat, so you’ll find dishes made with shrimp, lobster, squid, beef, and chicken. They also serve tropical drinks, like Mojitos and Pina Coladas.

AquaSport Bar & Restaurant

AquaSport Bar & Restaurant is a laid-back beachfront restaurant in Costa Rica that is the perfect place to hang out during your day at the beach. They serve burgers, fresh seafood, quesadillas, pizza, and other casual meals. They also have an extensive drink menu with beer, wine, and refreshing cocktails, like a Coconut Margarita, Gin Spritz, and Classic Mojito.

Shopping in Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste

There aren’t many places to shop in Playa Hermosa, but you will find a few shopping centers, a grocery store, and a movie theater in this small coastal town. If you’re looking for more shopping malls and supermarkets, it’s worth driving into Playas del Cocos for a bigger selection of places to shop for groceries and toiletries, like Auto Mercado.

Vacation Rentals & Hotels in Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste

You will find several luxury four-star hotels in Playa Hermosa, including Hotel Bosque del Mar and Hotel Condovac La Costa. However, if you’re visiting Costa Rica as a family with kids or a larger group, having a bigger space with a family room, kitchen, and multiple bedrooms, as you would find in a short-term rental, would be better suited for your vacation.

At Special Places of Costa Rica, we offer one property in Playa Hermosa and other houses, condos, and beachfront rentals nearby that you can rent during your trip to Playa Hermosa. 

Nearby beaches

Beach Hopping While Visiting Playa Hermosa: Which Beach Should You Visit Next?

There aren’t many well-known beaches in Guanacaste located north of Playa Hermosa. However, if you head south, other beaches, like Playas del Coco and Playa Ocotal, offer a wide selection of restaurants, nightlife, and beach activities to enjoy during your tropical vacation.

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