Playa Carrillo
Beach · Nicoya Peninsula
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A near-perfect crescent of white sand fringed with coconut palms, with calm water and not a building on the beach — a local favorite just south of Sámara.
- Cost
- Free
- Time there
- 2 h
- Best time
- morning
- Kids
- 8 / 10
- View
- 9 / 10
- Crowds
- 4 / 10
- Swimming
- 7 / 10
- Effort
- 0 / 10
- Location
- 9.8682, -85.4916 — Google Maps
Tip
Park along the road behind the palms and come in the morning, when the water is calmest and there's plenty of shade.
Be careful
Don't park or sit directly under coconut palms — falling coconuts are a real hazard.
Places nearby
- WingNuts Canopy ToursTours & Adventure · from $40Family-run canopy near Sámara with up to 9 cables and rappels, a 500 m cable and a canopy-surfing option where you ride a suspended surfboard.
- Tico's Surf School (Sámara)Surf, Boats & Diving · from $60Beachfront surf school on Playa Sámara's gentle, sandy break with ISA-certified instructors, lockers and showers.
- Malibu Restaurante (formerly Soda Colochos)Sodas & Local FoodA simple soda in the center of Sámara, right next to the weekly farmers market and shaded by big Guanacaste trees – some of the best traditional food in town at local prices.
- Gusto Beach Club (Sámara)Food & CoffeeAn upscale beach club on the sand in the center of Sámara with loungers facing the bay and a big Italian-leaning menu – antipasti, pasta, pizza, focaccia, poke bowls and a kids' menu.
- Natural Center ToursTours & Adventure · from $50Sámara's one-stop tour agency for boat tours, kayaking and snorkeling, plus day trips and shuttles.
- Teca BeachFood & CoffeeA cozy dinner spot on Sámara's soccer field, opened in 2021 by a French chef: beef tenderloin with sweet-potato gratin, tuna steak, a classic burger with fries.
Sources: OpenStreetMap way/84955925 · https://twoweeksincostarica.com/playa-carrillo · https://nicoyapeninsula.com/samara/carrillo/