Playa Brasilito, Guanacaste

Get a true taste of Tico culture when you visit stunning Playa Brasilito in Guanacaste, where locals come to escape the city on weekends.

This tiny fishing village includes a 2 km stretch of sandy beach and a very limited number of hotels and cabins, leaving much of the area in its natural state.

Costa Ricans, or Ticos as they call themselves, bring their families here on weekends to relax and unwind and enjoy the sunny weather and natural beauty of Costa Rica.

Because of its status as a local hangout, tiny Playa Brasilito boasts a soccer field in the middle of town where locals play the national sport. Around the fringes of the village are a few general stores as well. Visitors are welcome to participate in the activities and experiences that give the village its local flavor.

Gold Coast Beaches

Brasilito is one of a trio of beaches that gained international notice along Costa Rica’s “Gold Coast.” Neighboring beach towns of Playa Flamingo and Playa Conchal are the other two.

The trio is in the province of Guanacaste, on the northwest shore. The “Gold Coast” refers to the country’s section of beautiful, pristine beaches that line its Pacific Coast.

Next door to Brasilito is the exotic Playa Conchal. The two beaches are together, but the other side of Conchal is set off from its neighbor by a rocky promontory called Punta Conchal.

It takes its name from the many hundreds of millions of crushed shells that make up the sand around it. The beach also takes its name from the shells, known as conchals in Spanish.

Rounding out the beach trio is Playa Flamingo, home of luxury resorts and several upscale hotels, condos and private homes.

Flamingo boasts a full-service marina, the only one along Central America’s Pacific Coast between Panama and Acapulco.

As such, Flamingo is the launch site for deep sea fishing expeditions that showcase the wealth of marine life to be found off the Costa Rican coast. It is only fitting that Flamingo is also the site of an annual sailfish competition that draws fishing experts from around the world.

Sun and Fun in Playa Brasilito

Playa Brasilito and its neighboring beach towns feature gorgeous weather throughout the two seasons.

Despite a cool or rainy day here and there, the sun can be counted on to shine on beachgoers and keep the water temperature comfortable.

Swim, snorkel or just enjoy the beach anytime, with extra daylight hours (up to 11 and 12 hours) between December and April.

If and when you grow tired of the beach, there are plenty of activities nearby for both land and water excursions, and you can find several rental spots for horse-back riding, diving and snorkeling equipment, motorbikes and more.

Map of the Area

Click to enlarge map - Map of the Area

How to Get There

Travelers to the Guanacaste province who are watching their budget can find more affordable lodging and transportation in Playa Brasilito.

There are a couple of economical hotels, along with bars and restaurants, and for those who can’t imagine a day with surfing the Web, there’s an Internet café here as well.

Many visitors fly into Liberia International Airport to reach this area of Guanacaste, which is just 70 km from the airport. Buses and taxis can get you to Playa Brasilito.