PLAYA GRANDE Rentals

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Playa Grande Restaurants

Playa Grande Restaurants

By Josh Huddleston

1. ITALIAN: Cafe Del Pueblo- Amazing food with welcoming owners who are friendly and accommodating 2. LOCAL: Kike's- A true tico restaurant and bar popular among Playa Grande residents. Specializes in seafood dishes. Pool tables & Sports TV add fun factor. 3. AMERICAN: Ripjack's- a great local food restaurant attached to Ripjack's Inn. A common favorite of the locals as well as tourists. 4. LOCAL: Hotel Las Tortugas- located on a hotel on the beach, good food, friendly service. 5. VARIOUS: Hotel Restaurant Cantarana- Gourmet food in Playa Grande perfect for a nice dinner or a special occasion. 6. VARIOUS: Bula Bula- This restaurant is part of hotel Bula Bula and has great hospitality and tasty food. Many people especially enjoy their breakfast. 7. LOCAL: Taco Star- Enjoy a quick bite to eat right on the beach with local surfers and hammocks to relax on while you wait for your food.

Reference: Josh Huddleston (2012) Playa Grande Restaurants
Retrieved from: http://www.goodliferetreats.com/costa-rica/destinations/tamarindo/playa-grande/playa-grande-restaurants/;

Author: Josh Huddleston

February 22, 2012

Surfing Spots in Tamarindo

Surfing Spots in Tamarindo

By Skip Davis

[caption id="attachment_5675" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Catch a wave at one of Tamarindo's surfing spots."][/caption] Tamarindo is one of the most sought after surfing destinations in Northwest Costa Rica. Surfers flock to Tamarindo for its consistent waves, surf shops and low-budget hostels. Knowing the personality and difficulty level of each surf spot makes your surfing experience in Tamarindo much more enjoyable.

Tamarindo Beachbreak

Perhaps the most accessible surfing spot in Tamarindo is the Tamarindo Beachbreak. Located right in town, the Beachbreak is more for beginner surfers due to the relative calmness of the tides. If you are looking for a challenge, this may not be the spot for you. However, Tamarindo Beachbreak's convenient location makes it a popular spot and, as a result, one of Tamarindo's most crowded beach areas.

Pico Pequeno

Much more advanced than Tamarindo Beachbreak is Pico Pequeno, which is also conveniently located in town. Pico Pequeno consistently gets a Southwest swell during high tide. During low tide, Pico is too shallow and dangerous for surfing. The only drawback to Pico Pequeno is it only produces a small peak, meaning you could have difficulty with large crowds of surfers trying to catch one wave.

Playa Grande

Playa Grande is more isolated than Tamarindo's beaches, but has one of the area's most beautiful and consistent spots. One reason Playa Grande does not get Tamarindo's crowds because of its 20 to 30-minute drive from town. You can walk to Playa Grande, but it still is a 30-minute walk with surfboard in hand. Playa Grande is best at high-tide, when it offers excellent A-frame peaks that are close to shore.

El Estero

Also known as the Tamarindo Rivermouth, El Estero offers two sets of waves. On the south side, El Estero breaks right, while the north side of the rivermouth breaks lefts. El Estero is about a 10-minute walk from Tamarindo and can be surprisingly crowded at times. Also, make sure not to get tangled up with fishermen and their fishing hooks.

Playa Langosta

Approximately one mile south of Tamarindo's beaches is Playa Langosta. The waves at Playa Langosta are really good at mid-high tide, but during low tide the waves are somewhat flat. Also, certain areas of the surf are rocky. Nevertheless, Playa Langosta is a good surf and hardly ever becomes as crowded as Tamarindo.

Reference: Skip Davis (2012) Surfing Spots in Tamarindo
Retrieved from: http://www.goodliferetreats.com/costa-rica/destinations/tamarindo/surfing/;

Author: Skip Davis

February 14, 2012

Leatherback Sea Turtles in Playa Grande

Leatherback Sea Turtles in Playa Grande

By Skip Davis

The Guanacaste region of Costa Rica – Playa Grande in particular – is one of the only locations in the world where you can witness leatherback sea turtles on land. If you go to Playa Grande at the right time of year, you may be able to see the leatherback sea turtles for yourself. Also known as the lute turtle, leatherback sea turtles are the largest existing turtles and one of the world's largest reptiles. The leatherback sea turtles grows between 5 to 6 feet long when mature. Leatherback sea turtles are different from most turtles since they lack bony shells. Instead, these turtles have a leathery backside, which aids them in their swimming abilities.

When to Go

Leatherback sea turtles arrive to the shores of Playa Grande for nesting during the winter months. The first turtle sightings usually occur in late October and sightings continue until February. Nearly all leatherback sea turtle sightings happen at night. During this time, the leatherback sea turtles crawl up the beach and create nests with their flippers.

Where to Go

Your best chance of seeing the leatherback sea turtles is going to the Playa Grande Ranger Station, which is only a five-minute walk from the beach. The Ranger Station is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and offers information regarding when to come by for a nighttime sea turtle viewing. You must purchase a ticket at the Ranger Station in order to see the turtles. Return to the Ranger Station after sunset and wait for the Station's tour guide to take you to beaches. A Word of Warning: Due to the diminished population of leatherback sea turtles, it is becoming rare for the Ranger Station's tour guides to spot these magnificent animals. It is highly likely you will wait at the Ranger Station for several hours before a turtle is spotted, if at all. Also, only a limited amount of visitors may see the turtles at one time. Be sure to go the Ranger Station early to get your ticket.

Rarity of Sea Turtles

In recent years, the world population of leatherback sea turtles has diminished significantly. As a result, leatherback sea turtle sightings in Playa Grande are becoming rare. According to the New York Times, only 32 specimens were spotted at Playa Grande in 2009. The primary reasons for the leatherback sea turtle's endangered status is poaching and global warming. Thanks to conservation efforts from the Leatherback Sea Turtle Trust and other organizations, the leatherback turtle population has increased since then, but their endangered status remains.

Restrictions

By Costa Rican law, you are not allowed to walk near the leatherback sea turtle nesting sites at night without an authorized tour guide. The country is quite serious about this law and has recently placed armed guards on the beach to protect the turtles from poachers. Trying to sneak onto the beach without a tour guide could result in hefty fines and possible jail time.

Reference: Skip Davis (2012) Leatherback Sea Turtles in Playa Grande
Retrieved from: http://www.goodliferetreats.com/costa-rica/attractions/leatherback-sea-turtles/; http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/science/earth/14turtles.html?_r=0;

Author: Skip Davis

February 14, 2012

Surf and Turtles: Enjoy Playa Grande

Surf and Turtles: Enjoy Playa Grande

By Josh Huddleston & Skip Davis

Located just north of Tamarindo, Playa Grande is a tranquil beachside surfer community. Playa Grande is not nearly as developed as its neighboring city, but that makes it all the more appealing for travelers who wish to relax and meditate on their vacation. This city has some high quality restaurants and features one of the few nesting sites of the leatherback sea turtles.

Surfing

Playa Grande is one of most beautiful and consistent of all surfing spots in the Tamarindo area. One aspect of Playa Grande's beauty is the lack of crowds seen in Tamarindo. Much of this is due to the lack of numerous hostels, vacation homes and hotels in Playa Grande. True, if you need surfing equipment – rash guards, board rentals and board shorts – you will probably have to go to Tamarindo. However, lack of surf shops for beautiful, clean ocean waves is a pretty good tradeoff. If you want to reach Playa Grande's surf from Tamarindo, it is approximately 30 minutes walking distance by way walking the coastline. For more info on Playa Grande surfing, click here.

Leatherback Sea Turtles

By day, Playa Grande is a surfer's paradise. By night, this quiet community becomes a huge tourist attraction; at least during the months of October to February. This time period is when the rare leatherback sea turtles make their annual pilgrimage to the shores of Playa Grande for nesting purposes. While Costa Rican law forbids encroachment of the turtle's nests, authorized tour guides are available to show tourists the nesting sites. For more about Playa Grande's leatherback sea turtles, click here.

Nightlife

So what to do after the sun goes down in Playa Grande? The answer to that...have a good time! Most of Playa Grande's hotels, such as the Playa Grande Inn, have on-site bars and restaurants. Most of Playa Grande's hotels and restaurants are centralized near the beach, but some nice restaurants are within five minutes driving distance of Playa Grande's central area. From March to September, tourists may walk on the beach at night. This is especially nice when a full moon is out. During the high season, though, walking the beach is off-limits in order to protect the leatherback sea turtles from poachers.

Reference: Josh Huddleston & Skip Davis (2011) Surf and Turtles: Enjoy Playa Grande
Retrieved from: http://www.goodliferetreats.com/costa-rica/destinations/tamarindo/playa-grande/; http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/leatherback-race.html#cr;

Author: Josh Huddleston & Skip Davis

August 18, 2011