As one of Costa Rica’s oldest beach towns, Playas del Coco continues to deliver great entertainment for vacationers. The beach’s calm waters, rolling hillsides, and beautiful sunsets provide a perfect holiday setting.
Playas del Coco was a small fishing village that grew steadily in popularity among Costa Ricans and foreigners wanting a beachfront getaway with easy access. Today it’s a famous retirement destination for U.S. and Canadians.
Playas del Coco still has its small-town charm and convenient location. Liberia International Airport is under 40 minutes away on paved roads. Popular beaches and all inclusive resorts are in close proximity. And it’s an ideal launching point for exploring nearby national parks.
Playas del Coco beach and town, Costa Rica
Playas del Coco is often called Cocoa Beach, Costa Rica. Or, just Coco by residents and expats. Over the past 30 years, increasing numbers of foreigners moved to the area to retire, invest, or build second homes. These days, Coco Beach has one of the country’s largest expat populations.
The town and private businesses have done a great job welcoming its newest arrivals. Foreigners have access to similar amenities as they do back home. In downtown Coco alone, there are a handful of supermarkets, several banks, gyms, shopping centers, and health clinics.
It’s easy for visitors to find the types of services & infrastructure they’re accustomed to. Department and grocery stores are well stocked with food and beverages from the U.S. and Europe. Restaurants also cater to foreigners with international favorites like American, Indian, Greek, and Italian food.
Getting to Playas del Coco Beach, Guanacaste Province
Playas del Coco is a quick and easy drive from Liberia. As the capital city of Guanacaste, Liberia offers big-city services, including hospitals, an international airport, and government offices.
Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport in Liberia is Costa Rica’s second largest airport. The hub is a short drive from national parks, historical landmarks, and well known beaches.
Adobe Rent a Car near Coco Beach
The Adobe Rent a Car agencies closest to Playas del Coco are our Liberia Airport and Tamarindo offices. The LIR office is about five minutes from the airport gates. We offer free shuttle service for international visitors flying into LIR airport.
Make sure to give the Adobe agent your flight details when you make your reservation. We’ll have an Adobe shuttle bus waiting for you when you arrive.
Adobe extras for the perfect vacation
At Adobe, we offer convenient add-ons to make your trip more comfortable. One example is our portable Wi-Fi Hot Spots that can connect up to five devices at the same time.
With Adobe’s portable Wi-Fi, you’ll always have access to helpful navigation apps like WAZE and Google Maps. Or rent a GPS navigation system for up to the minute driving maps and routes.
We also offer infant and child safety seats. Please make sure to reserve your Adobe add-on when making your reservation. Car seats, hotspots, and GPS supplies are limited.
Coco Beach at a glance
When is the best time to visit Playas del Coco? Most international travelers visit during the peak season between December and April. The period is also known as the dry season. But unlike the north Caribbean, Guanacaste is drier than the rest of the country overall.
The rainy season is ideal for enjoying Coco Beach. May through August are the best because the landscape is lush and green. While September and October are the wettest months.
Anyone looking for nightlife and a hearty party scene will be happy at Coco Beach. Holidays and Easter Week see a big influx of Costa Rican and foreign vacationers. Festivities and live music are known to last well into the night during popular holidays..
Travelers also find various restaurants, juice bars, cafes, and nightclubs. And a handful of local seafood eateries and sodas offer traditional Costa Rican cuisine.
What to do in Coco Beach, Costa Rica
Water sports are one of Coco’s biggest draws. The town’s fishing village roots have easily shifted to tourism. Still, some of Costa Rica’s best sport fishing is just offshore.
Common big game fish luring fishermen and women are mahi mahi, marlin, tuna, billfish, grouper, and roosters. Sportfishing tournaments are plentiful throughout the year. Because of its calm waters, tour boats, and fishing charters can leave directly from Playas del Coco’s bay.
Scubadiving Playas del Coco, Costa Rica
Playas del Coco’s coastline is dotted with islands and popular snorkeling and dive sites. Although there are few coral reefs in its Pacific waters, there are several rock reefs and underwater features. Marine life is plentiful, including larger species.
First time divers and snorkelers should stay closer to shore. While scuba diving pros can explore the Catalina Islands or Isla Murcielago (Bat Island). Sea turtles, octopuses, eels, white-tipped reef sharks, giant manta rays, dolphins, and even whales are common to the area.
Day trips and popular tours
Vacation, adventure, and partying are what Coco Town is all about. Playa Coco, Costa Rica, offers a complete package of tours and eco adventures. Local tour providers have a selection of outdoor activities to please every family member. The surrounding hillsides are great to explore horseback riding or on an ATV tour.
Canopy and zipline tours are crowd pleasers. Diamante Eco Adventures Park is a well known all-in-one park close to Coco Beach. In addition to water sports and a wildlife refuge, they have Costa Rica’s longest beachfront zipline.
Just around the bay from Playas del Coco is Playa Ocotal. The hills of Ocotal overlook a sheltered cove with usually calm waters suitable for swimming and snorkeling. Visitors can rent kayaks and SUPs from local providers on the beach. The cove harbors a few sportfishing boats, catamarans, and small sailboats offering tours and sunset cruises.
Nearby National Parks
Not far from Playas del Coco and Liberia are a handful of national parks worth visiting. The Santa Rosa National Park encompasses a long stretch of Pacific shoreline where sea turtles visit seasonally to lay their eggs.
It is also the site of one of Costa Rica’s historic battles at the Hacienda of Santa Rosa. Surfing is another big draw. Passenger boats offer surfers a ride to the world-famous offshore swell, Witches Rock.
No visitor should leave Costa Rica without visiting one of its volcanoes. Just north of Liberia are three such marvels of nature. The Rincon de la Vieja Volcano National Park is a site to see. Visitors can hike several trails and witness unusual volcanic activity like steam vents, fumaroles, and bubbling clay pots.
Rincon de la Vieja Volcano is also the source of mineral-rich hot springs and mud baths. Tubing, horseback riding, mountain biking, and hiking are popular pastimes for visitors.
Nearby Tenorio Volcano National Park has hiking trails and similar outdoor fun. The park is famous for being the source of the Rio Celeste river and waterfall. Meaning sky blue river, Rio Celeste is an otherworldly shade of milky turquoise. It is a favorite among visitors to Costa Rica
