Islas Catalinas
Nature spot · Guanacaste
A small group of rocky islets about 30 minutes by boat from Playa Flamingo, visited for scuba diving and snorkeling.
- Time there
- 4 h
- Best time
- morning
- Kids
- 3 / 10
- View
- 6 / 10
- Crowds
- 4 / 10
- Swimming
- 9 / 10
- Effort
- 4 / 10
- Location
- 10.48096, -85.87117 — Google Maps
Tip
Trips leave from Flamingo and Potrero; book with an operator and choose a morning departure when the sea is usually calmer.
Be careful
Open-water currents and boat traffic: snorkel only with a guide and a float, and check the swell on the day.
Getting there
Boat only.
Places nearby
- Casa Chameleon at Las CatalinasStaysAdults-only boutique resort on a hillside above the bay at Las Catalinas.
- Pura Vida Ride (Las Catalinas)Surf, Boats & DivingOutdoor shop in car-free Las Catalinas that rents mountain bikes, kayaks and paddleboards and guides rides on the town's trail network, with a coffee stand on Playa Danta.
- Surf BoxFood & CoffeeA café-restaurant near Playa Flamingo that's known for its breakfasts and fresh-tasting food, with a bar and outdoor seating – a good start before a beach day at Penca, Potrero or Flamingo.
- Restaurante Coco LocoFood & CoffeeBeach bar and seafood restaurant on Flamingo beach, known for its coco loco cocktail served in a coconut and for sunsets.
- a'lo NicoFood & CoffeeSmall Flamingo restaurant run by a French chef and his Costa Rican wife, mixing both kitchens; breakfasts (crepes, fruit drinks) are the favorite.
- Soda MarcellSodas & Local FoodNo-frills Potrero soda for local-style casados and fish plates, with milkshakes; it closes early afternoon.
Sources: OpenStreetMap way/19781345 · https://mytanfeet.com/