Tamarindo and Samara, Costa Rica

March 13, 2025

We treated ourselves to a long relaxing 12-night visit to Tamarindo, followed by 11 nights in Samara, Costa Rica. We usually pack in as much as possible to our trips, but we wanted to slow down a bit so we spent a lot of time hanging out on the gorgeous beach, working in coffee shops, and we even joined a local gym. Most places take US Dollars, Costa Rica Colones, and credit cards, but some places only take cash (USD or colones) to avoid credit card transaction fees.

Tamarindo

Tamarindo is a populated and tourist heavy beach town with plenty to do. There are lots of restaurants, bars, shops, and day trips to keep you busy for a longer stay. Tamarindo is a great place if you are looking for a lot of shopping and dining options and more of a city vibe with a beach.

We stayed at an AirBnB for the first time ever!

We usually stay in hotels, but wanted to have some extra space since we had a longer visit planned. We chose Casa Cometa for $1,948 for 12 nights mostly because it was centrally located. We were less than a block to a grocery store and several coffee shops and a 5-10 minute walk to the beach, shops, and restaurants. Other key selling points were a pool, washer/dryer in the unit, coffee maker, AC, and hot water (none of which are a given in Costa Rica).

Our favorite beach spot was right in front of Langosta Beach Club – a large shady patch of sand and some of the calmest rock-free water in the area.

The club itself is $50/day, but the beach area is free to the public so that’s where we planted ourselves most days. They also have reasonably priced food and drinks. We got the fish cosados (a popular local dish that includes rice, beans, plantains, a salad, and meat) several times during our visit for $15 each. Their version also comes with a fried egg and tortilla, so it’s extra filling.

Activities:

We booked a day trip through Viator to visit a Sloth Forest, Waterfall, and Coffee/Chocolate Farm for $180/person . Our favorite parts of the trip were the sloth forest where we saw sloths, frogs, toucans, and even a viper snake, and then the final waterfall stop to cool off at the end. The coffee and chocolate farm were a fun stop too, but it’s set up for tourists, so it wasn’t quite as unique as the sloth forest and waterfall.
TamaDive: The two dives off the Catalina Islands were incredible. The instructors take videos and send them for free afterwards which is a nice bonus. Two dives are $140. If you add on a quick refresher course at the beginning, it’s $180. We saw tons of fish, sting rays, giant manta rays, reef sharks, octopus, starfish, and more.
Tamarindo Night Market (Thursdays 6-9pm): This is a fun spot to walk through on a Thursday night. We didn’t buy anything, but they have lots of food, craft vendors, and live music.
Tama Market (Saturdays 8-2): This is similar to the Thursday night market with slightly different food vendors to accommodate breakfast instead of dinner. It feels more like a farmer’s market.
Calle Central: This is the main street that runs through Tamarindo. It’s lined with bars, restaurants, and shops so it’s great for people-watching and making stops whenever you need a break. We took regular evening strolls on this street.
Gym Energy Fitness Tamarindo: Since we were doing a longer visit, we wanted to keep up with our workout routines as much as possible. Energy Fitness had everything we needed and more, including free weights, cardio equipment, and lots of weight machines. They had day, week, and month passes which are ideal for visitors.
Sunset stroll on the beach: The Pacific coast of Costa Rica is known for its gorgeous sunsets. We walked to the beach to see the sunset most nights during our visit.

Food and Drinks:

Note: The Tamarindo area is not as cheap as you might expect. We thought many prices were comparable to the United States, likely because of the all the tourists. Prices on menus often include the mandatory 13% tax and 10% service charge, but they’re sometimes added to the bill at the end. Don’t be surprised when your bill is a quarter of the price more.
Jardin Tamarindo Food Truck Park and Mercadito de Tamarindo outdoor food court both have lots of food and drink options, so everyone will find something they enjoy.
- At the Jardin Tamarindo Food Truck Park we has a spicy fried rice and pad thai from the Kampaii truck for $23).
- We ate at Mercadito de Tamarindo twice. The first time we got two casados for $25 total. The second time we got two poke bowls for $35 total. 2 beers here cost $8.
Waffle Monkey: We loved this cute little spot on the beach and went there twice. The first time we got one bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich and one waffle with banana, honey, and coconut for $22. The second time we got one apple pie waffle and one waffle with banana, honey, and coconut for $25.
Deli Café: A good spot for breakfast and pastries. We got 2 pastries for $8.95
Sno Shack: Much further away in Langosta if you end up that way. We got a smoothie for $11
Langosta Beach Club: We ate here many times! They also have live music from 4-6pm on Wednesdays. Ceviche and fish casado for $44.28. Chicken sandwich, salad with shrimp, and 2 beers for $66. Burger and salad for $58.
Happy hour at Sharkey’s, which had great happy hours and people watching: 2 margaritas for $10, 2 beers for $10. 2 beers and 12 boneless wings for $20. 2 casados for $37.
Longboards: A casual barbecue place. We spent $28.73 for a 3 meat bbq platter and 2 beers
Pico Bistro: This place has great wifi and is right on the beach, so we made several visits here. 2 breakfast sandwiches and iced latte for $28.76. One Tico breakfast (traditional Costa Rican breakfast including an egg, rice and beans, plantains, tortilla, and fried cheese) and one omelette for $24.31
Soda Buffet El Estero: Budget local food at the edge of Tamarindo. We got 2 fish casados for $24. Their casados also come with a local tamarindo drink that was delicious.
Breaking Bread: This is a popular bakery and coffee place very close to our AirBnB, so we went there several times. 2 bagels cost $2.40. Pastries are around $3-4.
Green Papaya (cash only): Great place with swings if you want traditional Latin food. We spent $38 for a beef burrito and tuna bowl.
Walter’s Place: Has a sports bar feel but is right on the beach with a large space; 2 beers for $8.
Derecho Sagrado: This is an indoor coffee shop. The staff is very knowledgeable about the local coffee they offer and the food is great. Iced coffee and avocado toast from Derecho Sagrado for $14. Two smoothie bowls for $22.
Handle Bar: This place is part bike shop and part craft beer bar. They have lots of outdoor seating and delicious grilled cheese sandwiches. They also offer free popcorn that was some of the best we’ve ever tasted. 2 beers for $15. 2 grilled cheese sandwiches and 2 small beers for $35,10.
Vaquero: This is the broader name for Witches Rock and Volcano Brewing, right on the beach and has live music on Friday evenings. Great sunset views. Had 4 happy hour cocktails for $28.
Nari: Cute Italian restaurant with seating along the sidewalk of Calle Central. Bolognese pasta and personal supreme pizza for $45.71
Naans and Curries: upscale Indian restaurant with a large menu. They also start you off with a free snack of crispy fried dough and dipping sauces. Roti, rice, and 2 curries for $69.
Nalu: stall in a small food court that has lots of smoothie bowl options. We got 2 Nalu bowls for $20
Wok N Roll: Asian restaurant with a large menu. Cantonese fried rice and Korean beef noodles for $37.40
Ice cream: We got ice cream from several vendors during our trip. One scoop was typically $3-4.

Transportation:

We took a private shuttle from Liberia airport to Tamarindo for $110. The ride was about 90-minutes, the driver was great, the van was clean, and they provided water and beer. You can take a public bus for a lot less but the ride is much longer.
Ubers were really affordable and generally cost around $4.

Samara

Samara is much smaller than Tamarindo, so we spent a lot of time relaxing on the beach and swimming in the ocean. It’s a great spot if you prefer a slower pace and fewer tourists with a wide beach that had very few people.

We stayed at another AirBnB:

We chose Casita Ruiz for $2,260 for 11 nights because of its great location and it was also the only one we could find with a washer and dryer. There are laundromats in Samara, but we wanted to be able to do laundry whenever we wanted. We were less than a block to grocery stores, coffee shops, restaurants, and shops. The beach was about a 5-minute walk. Other key selling points were a pool, washer/dryer in the unit, coffee maker, wifi, AC, and hot water (none of which are a given in Costa Rica).

Our favorite beach spot was under a group of palm trees just to the left of the ramp at the end of the main street where you walk onto the beach. It’s surrounded by surfboard rentals and a massage table, but we could always find a nice and shady spot.

Activities:

Catamaran dolphin watching and snorkeling tour: We were amazed by how many dolphins we saw on this tour! We recently did a dolphin watching tour in the US and didn’t see any dolphins at all, so we had low expectations. We also saw a couple of sea turtles while we were on the boat and some cool fish during the snorkeling at the end. Cost: $136 for 2 people.
Nature hike tour: Our guide did a great job spotting birds for us, but we were the most surprised by some of the incredible trees we saw! The alligator tree and spiny cedar both had trunks and branches that were covered in amazing spikes. Cost: $106 for 2 people.
Mangrove kayak tour: It was nice to kayak upstream through a mangrove river to the ocean and then have a leisurely ride with the current back to our starting point. We saw a lot of birds, monkeys, and bats but a large pelican was our favorite site. The beach stop was also cool, where we saw some hermit crabs and colorful rocks. The tour company also had the best snacks of any tour we’ve taken! Cost: $136 for 2 people.
Wing Nuts zip lining: We chose the Adventure Package for $80/person. It included 5 different ziplines, a rope bridge, and ended with a fun superman zipline ride. This was a really exciting activity and it was cool to glide through the forest trees. We also saw several monkeys and birds while we were up in the trees. Cost: $160 for 2 people.
Saturday Farmer’s Market: We enjoyed strolling through the market both Saturdays during our time in Samara. They have lots of vendors selling crafts and food plus live music. If you are looking to shop local, this is a great spot to spend some time on a Saturday morning.
Live music: Several bars and restaurants have live music most nights. Our favorite spots were Limey’s and Microbar. They don’t have a published schedule, so just walk by and see who’s playing. Limey’s seemed to start around 6:30pm and Microbar seemed to start around 7:30pm.
Beach walks: This is probably obvious, but we must mention the amazing beach views. We did a walk most evening around sunset time when it was a bit cooler and the sun had set behind the hills. A lot of Costa Ricans also came out and there was the most activity at this time because it was cooler and easier to walk on the hot sand.
Yoga on the beach: Several places offer yoga on the beach, but we chose Mandala’s class with Laura because it’s in a nice, shaded pavilion and they provide mats.

Food and Drinks:

Note: Samara was a bit less expensive than Tamarindo, but they still have the mandatory 13% tax and 10% service charge at most places. We also came across more places that only take cash (US dollars and colones were both widely accepted).
Natural Center and Mercadito de Samara are both outdoor food courts with a variety of food and drink options.
- At the Natural Center we got two fish entrees and an iced latte from Mr. Pelicano for $45.
- We ate at Mercadito de Samara three times. The first time we got two poke bowls from Ono Poke for $35. The second time we got two curry entrees from The Curry Palace for $29 (cash only). The third time we got four empanadas for $15 (cash only).
Limey’s: We came here several times for happy hour and live music. During happy hour they offer two beers for $5 which is a great deal, and they have a really good spot on the main street where you can people watch. We also had dinner here once: fish of the day and chicken tenders for $25.
El Dorado: A cute outdoor spot with fresh seafood. Our meal here was excellent and the portions were large. If you are looking for a great meal and willing to spend a bit more, we recommend this spot. We had 2 cocktails, seafood pasta, and tuna steak for $64.
Ahora Si: Authentic Italian restaurant with homemade pasta. Two glasses of wine, bread, meat ravioli, and shrimp and fish pasta for $61. Everything was good, but the meat ravioli was incredible!
Marea Surf Shop: They had a large selection of smoothies, smoothie bowls, and toast. It’s a really tiny venue but they have air conditioning. Everything we had was delicious! Two large smoothie bowls for $22. Avocado toast and peanut butter banana toast for $12.
Roots Bakery: We got pastries here for breakfast several mornings. This was a really popular spot for breakfast and likely the only bakery in town so there was often a line. It was well worth the wait and this place might become your regular breakfast spot during your Samara stay. The average price is $4 for a pastry.
Microbar: This tiny, cute bar was just off the beach with live music most nights. They had an extensive craft beer selection and a great vibe. We got two beers for $16.
Pizza Paraiso: Despite the name, they had excellent tacos. We ate here several times. We got 6 tacos for $22.
Dolce Vita: This was a romantic restaurant on the beach with good pizza and Italian dishes. If you eat in the evening you will sit under a tree with hanging lights, which was cool. We got 2 beers and 2 pizzas for $60.
Mr. Walter’s: This was an excellent traditional breakfast and is actually just a shack on a quiet street near the farmer’s market. It was really quaint with just two tables. We had 2 breakfast entrees for $16 (cash only).

Transportation:

We took a private shuttle from Tamarindo to Samara for $140. The ride was about 2 hours, the van was clean and had great AC. Going from Samara to Liberia Airport,, which was also two hours, we also took a private shuttle and it cost $152. You can get these shuttles at most tour shops. We opted for a private shuttle for all of our long trips because we could leave at the times we wanted. The vans were always clean and the drivers were professional. Private shuttles also make the most financial sense once your party is more than two people.
There are shared shuttles between Liberia and Tamarindo and Samara and these typically cost about $50 a person. You have to leave at scheduled times and ride with others. This is a great option if you are only one or two people, you have very little luggage, and you are flexible on departure times.

Tamarindo

Tamarindo is a populated and tourist heavy beach town with plenty to do. There are lots of restaurants, bars, shops, and day trips to keep you busy for a longer stay. Tamarindo is a great place if you are looking for a lot of shopping and dining options and more of a city vibe with a beach.

We stayed at an AirBnB for the first time ever!

Our favorite beach spot was right in front of Langosta Beach Club – a large shady patch of sand and some of the calmest rock-free water in the area.

Activities:

Tamarindo Night Market (Thursdays 6-9pm): This is a fun spot to walk through on a Thursday night. We didn’t buy anything, but they have lots of food, craft vendors, and live music.

Tama Market (Saturdays 8-2): This is similar to the Thursday night market with slightly different food vendors to accommodate breakfast instead of dinner. It feels more like a farmer’s market.

Calle Central: This is the main street that runs through Tamarindo. It’s lined with bars, restaurants, and shops so it’s great for people-watching and making stops whenever you need a break. We took regular evening strolls on this street.

Sunset stroll on the beach: The Pacific coast of Costa Rica is known for its gorgeous sunsets. We walked to the beach to see the sunset most nights during our visit.

Food and Drinks:

Jardin Tamarindo Food Truck Park and Mercadito de Tamarindo outdoor food court both have lots of food and drink options, so everyone will find something they enjoy.

At the Jardin Tamarindo Food Truck Park we has a spicy fried rice and pad thai from the Kampaii truck for $23).

We ate at Mercadito de Tamarindo twice. The first time we got two casados for $25 total. The second time we got two poke bowls for $35 total. 2 beers here cost $8.

Waffle Monkey: We loved this cute little spot on the beach and went there twice. The first time we got one bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich and one waffle with banana, honey, and coconut for $22. The second time we got one apple pie waffle and one waffle with banana, honey, and coconut for $25.

Deli Café: A good spot for breakfast and pastries. We got 2 pastries for $8.95

Sno Shack: Much further away in Langosta if you end up that way. We got a smoothie for $11

Langosta Beach Club: We ate here many times! They also have live music from 4-6pm on Wednesdays. Ceviche and fish casado for $44.28. Chicken sandwich, salad with shrimp, and 2 beers for $66. Burger and salad for $58.

Happy hour at Sharkey’s, which had great happy hours and people watching: 2 margaritas for $10, 2 beers for $10. 2 beers and 12 boneless wings for $20. 2 casados for $37.

Longboards: A casual barbecue place. We spent $28.73 for a 3 meat bbq platter and 2 beers

Soda Buffet El Estero: Budget local food at the edge of Tamarindo. We got 2 fish casados for $24. Their casados also come with a local tamarindo drink that was delicious.

Breaking Bread: This is a popular bakery and coffee place very close to our AirBnB, so we went there several times. 2 bagels cost $2.40. Pastries are around $3-4.

Green Papaya (cash only): Great place with swings if you want traditional Latin food. We spent $38 for a beef burrito and tuna bowl.

Walter’s Place: Has a sports bar feel but is right on the beach with a large space; 2 beers for $8.

Derecho Sagrado: This is an indoor coffee shop. The staff is very knowledgeable about the local coffee they offer and the food is great. Iced coffee and avocado toast from Derecho Sagrado for $14. Two smoothie bowls for $22.

Handle Bar: This place is part bike shop and part craft beer bar. They have lots of outdoor seating and delicious grilled cheese sandwiches. They also offer free popcorn that was some of the best we’ve ever tasted. 2 beers for $15. 2 grilled cheese sandwiches and 2 small beers for $35,10.

Vaquero: This is the broader name for Witches Rock and Volcano Brewing, right on the beach and has live music on Friday evenings. Great sunset views. Had 4 happy hour cocktails for $28.

Nari: Cute Italian restaurant with seating along the sidewalk of Calle Central. Bolognese pasta and personal supreme pizza for $45.71

Naans and Curries: upscale Indian restaurant with a large menu. They also start you off with a free snack of crispy fried dough and dipping sauces. Roti, rice, and 2 curries for $69.

Nalu: stall in a small food court that has lots of smoothie bowl options. We got 2 Nalu bowls for $20

Wok N Roll: Asian restaurant with a large menu. Cantonese fried rice and Korean beef noodles for $37.40

Ice cream: We got ice cream from several vendors during our trip. One scoop was typically $3-4.

Transportation:

We took a private shuttle from Liberia airport to Tamarindo for $110. The ride was about 90-minutes, the driver was great, the van was clean, and they provided water and beer. You can take a public bus for a lot less but the ride is much longer.

Ubers were really affordable and generally cost around $4.

Samara

Samara is much smaller than Tamarindo, so we spent a lot of time relaxing on the beach and swimming in the ocean. It’s a great spot if you prefer a slower pace and fewer tourists with a wide beach that had very few people.

We stayed at another AirBnB:

Our favorite beach spot was under a group of palm trees just to the left of the ramp at the end of the main street where you walk onto the beach. It’s surrounded by surfboard rentals and a massage table, but we could always find a nice and shady spot.

Activities:

Nature hike tour: Our guide did a great job spotting birds for us, but we were the most surprised by some of the incredible trees we saw! The alligator tree and spiny cedar both had trunks and branches that were covered in amazing spikes. Cost: $106 for 2 people.

Saturday Farmer’s Market: We enjoyed strolling through the market both Saturdays during our time in Samara. They have lots of vendors selling crafts and food plus live music. If you are looking to shop local, this is a great spot to spend some time on a Saturday morning.

Live music: Several bars and restaurants have live music most nights. Our favorite spots were Limey’s and Microbar. They don’t have a published schedule, so just walk by and see who’s playing. Limey’s seemed to start around 6:30pm and Microbar seemed to start around 7:30pm.

Yoga on the beach: Several places offer yoga on the beach, but we chose Mandala’s class with Laura because it’s in a nice, shaded pavilion and they provide mats.

Food and Drinks:

Note: Samara was a bit less expensive than Tamarindo, but they still have the mandatory 13% tax and 10% service charge at most places. We also came across more places that only take cash (US dollars and colones were both widely accepted).

Natural Center and Mercadito de Samara are both outdoor food courts with a variety of food and drink options.

At the Natural Center we got two fish entrees and an iced latte from Mr. Pelicano for $45.

We ate at Mercadito de Samara three times. The first time we got two poke bowls from Ono Poke for $35. The second time we got two curry entrees from The Curry Palace for $29 (cash only). The third time we got four empanadas for $15 (cash only).

Limey’s: We came here several times for happy hour and live music. During happy hour they offer two beers for $5 which is a great deal, and they have a really good spot on the main street where you can people watch. We also had dinner here once: fish of the day and chicken tenders for $25.

El Dorado: A cute outdoor spot with fresh seafood. Our meal here was excellent and the portions were large. If you are looking for a great meal and willing to spend a bit more, we recommend this spot. We had 2 cocktails, seafood pasta, and tuna steak for $64.

Ahora Si: Authentic Italian restaurant with homemade pasta. Two glasses of wine, bread, meat ravioli, and shrimp and fish pasta for $61. Everything was good, but the meat ravioli was incredible!

Marea Surf Shop: They had a large selection of smoothies, smoothie bowls, and toast. It’s a really tiny venue but they have air conditioning. Everything we had was delicious! Two large smoothie bowls for $22. Avocado toast and peanut butter banana toast for $12.

Microbar: This tiny, cute bar was just off the beach with live music most nights. They had an extensive craft beer selection and a great vibe. We got two beers for $16.

Pizza Paraiso: Despite the name, they had excellent tacos. We ate here several times. We got 6 tacos for $22.

Dolce Vita: This was a romantic restaurant on the beach with good pizza and Italian dishes. If you eat in the evening you will sit under a tree with hanging lights, which was cool. We got 2 beers and 2 pizzas for $60.

Mr. Walter’s: This was an excellent traditional breakfast and is actually just a shack on a quiet street near the farmer’s market. It was really quaint with just two tables. We had 2 breakfast entrees for $16 (cash only).

Transportation:

There are shared shuttles between Liberia and Tamarindo and Samara and these typically cost about $50 a person. You have to leave at scheduled times and ride with others. This is a great option if you are only one or two people, you have very little luggage, and you are flexible on departure times.