Playa Grande, Costa Rica
Travel Modes
Private ~ FlightTop Hotels
Rip Jack Inn *** $60
Hotel Las Tortugas *** $30
Una Ola Surf Resort *** $100
see more hotels
Top Activities
Costa Rica Turtle Nesting Tours ~ Costa Rica Surfing
Playa Grande
Seperated from Tamarindo by the Matapalo River is Grande Beach (Playa Grande), an uninspiring crop of pebble-rock seashore with the exception of numerous tide pools that are exposed at low tides. Located within Marino Las Baulas National Park, Grande Beach is the site of the arribadas of the leatherback turtle. In the past thousands of turtles barraged the coast to bury their eggs but the Leatherback population has drastically declined and in 2008 only 32 turtles arrived during the nesting season.
Playa Grande is located in The Guanacaste Region of Costa Rica.
Despite Grande Beach’s lackluster sand, surfing along Grande Beach is incredible—regardless of skill level. Breaks are moderate and constant, earning Grande Beach a reputation of one of Costa Rica’s premier surf destinations. In fact, nearby Tamarindo hosts several international surf competitions, a testament to the quality of surf available at Grande Beach.
A few hotel accommodations are available along Grande Beach with Marino Las Baulas National Park at affordable prices. Although no rooms can legally face the ocean by law, the ability to lodge within a protected area is a rare luxury in Costa Rica.
The Tamarindo airport receives domestic flights from around Costa Rica, while Liberia’s Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport is the nearest airport for incoming travelers from abroad. Buses from both Liberia and San José arrive to Tamarindo daily, from which taxi or shuttle can be taken to Grande Beach.




