Sea & sand

The beaches in Costa Rica are public and there are many to explore. It's not unusual to visit more than a few in a given day and they each have their own vibe. The ones in Guanacaste that we've had a chance to discover include: 

• Playa Potrero is home base at Sueños  del Mar. It's a lovely, reasonably calm bay and the beach is not too busy at any time of day.
• Playa Brasilito is a quick drive south. We enjoyed our morning stroll on this wonderful beach though it seems to be used more as a pathway to Conchal.
• Playa Conchal is a gorgeous white sand beach only accessible through Brasilito beach or the Westin Conchal hotel. A beautiful spot to spend the day.
• Playa Flamingo, a 5-minute drive away is another white sand beach in the area, and a similarly popular beach-day destination that's typically more crowded given the nearby resorts and condos.
• Playa Penca is north of Surfside and accessed via the road off the main square of Potrero's commercial strip, although not a white sand beach, Penca reminds me of Flamingo, yet far less busy.
• Playa Prieta, yet another enjoyable, quiet beach, sits at the north end of Penca, where during the dry season, you can take a short walk through the woods at Penca's north end to arrive at Playa Prieta.
• Tamarindo is a half-hour drive south of Potrero and a bustling beach community with lots of activity, shopping and nightlife. The beach itself is great for surfing and you can easily find lessons too.

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