Playa Islita (Punta Islita bay)
Beach · Nicoya Peninsula
A horseshoe bay of grey sand tucked behind the rocky cliff of Punta Islita, with a forested islet off the point. The headland keeps the water calmer than the open coast nearby, making it one of the better bathing spots on this stretch, and white-faced monkeys and scarlet macaws call from the hills behind.
- Cost
- Free
- Time there
- 2 h
- Best time
- morning swim; late afternoon light
- Kids
- 4 / 10
- View
- 8 / 10
- Crowds
- 1 / 10
- Swimming
- 6 / 10
- Effort
- 1 / 10
- Location
- 9.85074, -85.39973 — Google Maps
Before you go
- Entry
- Free
- Tickets
- Free entry, no ticket
- Road
- Gravel — a regular car is fine
- Swimming
- Yes
- Kids
- Good for kids
- Checked
- 2026-10
Tip
After your swim, walk up to Islita village to see the murals and mosaics of the open-air art museum.
Be careful
Calmer than nearby beaches but still the open Pacific - check the conditions before swimming out.
Getting there
About 15 km of bumpy dirt road from the paved Hojancha-Sámara road, or along the coastal road from Bejuco and Corozalito; Punta Islita also has an airstrip for charter flights.
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.
- Natural Center ToursTours & Adventure · from $50Sámara's one-stop tour agency for boat tours, kayaking and snorkeling, plus day trips and shuttles.
- 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.
- 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/469277426 · Wikidata Q23740116 · https://nicoyapeninsula.com/coyote/islita/ · https://traveler.marriott.com/?p=44351 · https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/469277426