Playa San Miguel
Beach · Nicoya Peninsula · hidden gem
Miles of fine grey sand with hardly anyone on them - just scattered vacation homes, a granite headland to poke around and huge skies at sunset. Surfers come for the low-to-mid-tide beach break, and at the south end a small lagoon has calm, chest-deep water for wading.
- Cost
- Free
- Time there
- 2 h
- Best time
- low to mid tide; sunset
- Kids
- 3 / 10
- View
- 7 / 10
- Crowds
- 1 / 10
- Swimming
- 4 / 10
- Effort
- 1 / 10
- Location
- 9.81183, -85.31089 — Google Maps
Before you go
- Entry
- Free
- Tickets
- Free entry, no ticket
- Parking
- Free
- Road
- 4×4 needed
- Swimming
- No swimming
- Bring
- shade, water, snacks
- Fewer people
- usually nearly empty
- Checked
- 2026-10
Tip
Bring shade, food and drinks - there are no shops or restaurants on the beach; San Francisco de Coyote, about 7 km away, has groceries.
Be careful
Strong rip currents - ocean swimming isn't recommended; wade in the lagoon at the south end instead.
Getting there
Turn off the coastal road about 7 km north of San Francisco de Coyote. Dirt roads all around - a 4x4 is needed in the rainy season.
Places nearby
- Tanga Restaurant & Camping (Punta Coyote)Food & CoffeeBeach restaurant and campground in the palm grove at the south end of Playa Coyote, near Punta Coyote, where the rocky headland keeps the water calm; it rents surfboards for the reef breaks about 20 minutes' walk around the point.
Sources: OpenStreetMap way/469268533 · Wikidata Q23736981 · https://nicoyapeninsula.com/coyote/ · https://kraincostarica.com/en/playa-bejuco-playa-san-miguel-playa-coyote/playa-bejuco-local-guide · https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/469268533