Food and drink are one of the greatest joys of travel: New flavors, new ingredients, and new takes on the flavors and ingredients you already know and love. And yet, it can be challenging to narrow down your options to the select few you’ll have time to sample while visiting. With that in mind, these Tamarindo restaurants and happy hours represent some of our favorites in and around town.
Tamarindo Restaurants
Tamarindo is a veritable smorgasbord of world cuisines making your personal choice from among the best restaurants in Tamarindo all the more challenging. To get you started on your way to guaranteed deliciousness, here are a few of our favorites.
If you’re planning a Costa Rican vacation, getaway, or escape, you’re likely also wondering what to do in Tamarindo Beach, Guanacaste. Or rather, what, of all the many things you might like to do, you absolutely should not miss. Because there’s a lot you’ll do here, but much more that you won’t. (This is why we recommend a second, third, and tenth visit…)
And, while we’ve covered many of our favorite things to do in Tamarindo (more than once), we thought we’d share an updated list. Because there are never enough suggestions, are there? Plan well and then enjoy to the fullest!
Visit A National Park (or Three)
You’ve heard of Costa Rica’s stellar ecological reputation, but did you know that much of our success is due to exceptional conservation efforts? In fact, more than 25% of Costa Rica is protected within wildlife refuges, nature preserves, and private parks – an entire one-quarter of our biodiversity that can only be explored within our parks.
And so, we make our first suggestion: Carve out a day or two to explore the national parks that most spark your imagination. They’re rugged, they’re breathtaking, and they’re wildly different from the parks you have at home. And, did we mention, they’re a great deal at just $10 per person? Explore to your heart’s content!
Playa Grande is located along the protected shores of Las Baulas National Marine Park, one of our top national parks in Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Did you know that more than a quarter of Costa Rica is protected by national parks, wildlife refuges, and nature preserves? It’s one of the nation’s primary conservation efforts and, over the last four decades, this push has transformed the country’s landscapes. And you can explore much of it, right here at these wildly diverse national parks in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.
They’re rugged. They’re breathtaking. They’re educational. And they’re memorable. They’re also a great deal, at about $10 per person. So you can explore, as much as you’d like. Enjoy!
In alphabetical order:
Barra Honda National Park
When you think about national parks, we’re betting you envision hikes and waterfalls and scenic vistas. And Barra Honda has those. But that’s not why you’re here.
Welcome to Costa Rica’s subterranean national park. That’s right: Barra Honda’s most treasured sights lie not above, but below the earth’s surface. Here, where 70 million years of shifting tectonic plates nudged ancient coral reefs and force soft limestone to mold and form, creating an underground cave system you’re now free to explore.
Fair warning, though – this isn’t the developed caving tourist experience you might be used to. This is true spelunking and unpolished caving: an authentic, real, and wholly exciting experience that, heads up, can also be challenging and raw. We highly recommend booking a guided caving tour, which will take you down into three of the park’s most explored sites: the Trap, Terciopelo, and Santa Ana caverns.
There’s a reason why so many Costa Rica digital nomads flock to the coast. Here’s one of them!
Heard about the recent updates regarding Costa Rica digital nomads? The new visa (not really, see below!) is officially in place and applications are being approved. You could apply today and call Costa Rica home by next month!
Costa Rica Digital Nomads: The Requirements
Work from here and this could be your daily view…
Because Costa Rica digital nomads apply for an estancia (a “stay”) rather than full-fledged residency – more on the differences, below – the requirements are easy and straightforward.
When it comes to Tamarindo rentals, activities, restaurants, and more, there’s not always a lot of focus on budget options. And yet, plenty of travelers enjoy Tamarindo on a budget.
From the tightest budgets to more of a we-have-a-specific-budget approach to travel, Tamarindo is very accommodating. Because here, there are tons of free, almost free, and inexpensive things to do. Things you’ll love to do. There are lots of tips to lower your food costs (while still enjoying the heck out of your vacation eats). And there are plenty of Tamarindo condos for rent that invite you to enjoy the good life without spending a fortune.
Here are a few of our on-the-ground, we-have-budgets-too suggestions for enjoying Tamarindo on a budget:
In our experience, food is one of the greatest and most enjoyable features of travel. And if you’re anything like us – from a casual taster to full-on foodie – then you’re going to love all the Costa Rica tropical fruits that are in store!
Keep in mind that Costa Rican fruits are highly seasonal and, despite how small our country is, fruit seasons do vary by region. So, while you may hear about dozens of fruits you’d like to try, know that only a third to a quarter of them will be available in a single region, at any given time.
The only solution: Visit again. And again. And again! Until you’ve hit on all the seasons and sampled all the Costa Rica tropical fruits. And now, a few of our favorites to add to your list:
Jocote (Red Mombin)
Also known as purple mombin and hog plum – so appetizing, we know! – jocote (pronounced hoe-coe-tay) are a cousin of the cashew (who knew?!) and one of Costa Rica’s favorite fruits!
Costa Rican explorations fill our proverbial bucket. And that’s only one of the many health benefits of travel!
Travel is restorative. Travel is a salve for a dulled sense of wonder. Travel is a balm for the weary soul. Because travel is good for us. This renewal, this wonder, this restoration – these are the things we crave, thanks to the health benefits of travel. And these are things we know we’ll receive, both intuitively and thanks to science.
The truth is that travel offers so many advantages, so many wonders, so many deviations to our everyday. And all this newness, all this breathtaking beauty, all this challenge to our routine and to boredom and to the everyday — these are the things that wake us up and improve our mood and boost our well-being. These are the promises of travel, especially to Costa Rica.
But you don’t have to take our word for it. Science and evidence and travelers themselves have all the proof that you, and we, need.
Playa Avellanas (at Hacienda Pinilla) is home to some of our favorite Guanacaste, Costa Rica rentals and picture-perfect stops
The world’s freelancers, remote workers, and telecommuters recently celebrated the news that Costa Rica digital nomads will soon have a path to seek legal residency (technically, an estancia – essentially, a right to reside). The question is, are you one of them?
If you’re considering embracing the digital nomadic lifestyle ad moving to Costa Rica, then you probably have a lot of questions. Beginning with, where do I start?
Tip: Swap the surf lesson for a surfboard rental, and traveling Costa Rica on a budget just got a little easier.
Have you ever heard that Costa Rica is not a “budget destination”? You’ve heard right. But what that usually means is that Costa Rica is a challenge to shoestring budgets because traveling Costa Rica on a budget is possible. And not just possible, but very doable.
Certainly, you’ll have to get a little creative. And you may have to make a few swaps of this for that. And you’ll more frequently choose a free beach day or a $10 pp national park hike over a $150 pp tour day. But you can and will travel, explore, and enjoy the wilds and wiles of Costa Rica on a budget.
Here are a few tips to get you started:
Tip #1: Always Read the [Menu] Fine Print
In Costa Rica, all restaurant service taxes (13%) and a basic tip (10%) are supposed to be included in the prices listed on the menu. In other words, if a dish is listed at ¢5,000 (about $7.50), then the final price should be ¢5,000 – not ¢5,000 + 13% service + 10% tip.
That said, some restaurants list their prices without the service and tip. So, do your budget a favor and always check the menu (usually at the bottom/footer) for text along the lines of “Los precios incluyen I.V.I.” (Prices include I.V.I., or the service + tip tax) If you see something along the lines of “Los precios no incluyen I.V.I.”, then the 23% additional is not included. Some restaurants will include the 13% service fee but not the 10% tip; in this case, the 10% tip is not optional and will always be added onto your final bill.
Playa Avellanas (at Hacienda Pinilla) is home to some of our favorite Guanacaste, Costa Rica rentals and picture-perfect photo-ops
Sometimes, the hardest part of your vacation is simply choosing where to vacation. So, while you’ve likely narrowed down your country of destination (Costa Rica, hurray!), you haven’t yet gotten so far as to whittle down the regions, towns, or places you’d like to stay. Let us offer some inspiration (and a few Guanacaste, Costa Rica rentals to consider).
We’re here to help. Because, while Costa Rica appears small by map standards, the country is vast: From high-montane cloud forests and river headwaters to coastal beaches and tropical dry forests, you could spend a lifetime exploring Costa Rica’s diverse sights, enormous biodiversity, and varying terrain.
You have to start somewhere, though. And, as residents of the great province of Guanacaste, we’d like to recommend right here: on Costa Rica’s famed Gold Coast, home to pink shell-strewn beaches and howler monkey-filled forests, world-class surf and some of the world’s best sunsets.
So, let’s get right down to it: 10 beachy destinations to submit for consideration. From north to south:
