Playa Conchal, Guanacaste

Considered to be one of the most exotic beaches on the Costa Rican Gold Coast, Playa Conchal is situated in the north of Guanacaste province on the shores of the Pacific Ocean.

Two kilometers from Playa Brasilito, this marvelous beach is also a stone’s throw away from the famous Playa Flamingo and Tamarindo.

Together with Playa Brasilito, this beach is separated by a rocky headland known as Punta Conchal, which gets its name from the sand found here that is composed of hundreds of millions of tiny crushed shells.

Bathed in Sunshine

A fabulous beach that has near perfect weather all year long, Playa Conchal, is bathed in sunshine most of the time, with over 10 hours of daylight from December to April.

The water here always remains at a comfortable temperature and is ideal for swimming or snorkeling.

Best Places to Stay

Close to the beach is the impressive resort of The Westin Playa Conchal, one of the best hotels on the coast. You can consider staying here as this beach has no adjoining town. However, do keep in mind that a resort of this caliber is on the pricey side.

For those traveling on a budget or just backpacking through, you can stay in the town of Brasilito.

Playa Conchal

Where to Stay

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Activities

With some of the clearest waters on the Gold Coast, snorkeling is a must-indulge activity for anyone who knows how to swim. With a fantastic array of marine life on display, you can swim with the many tropical fish that dwell here, and even catch a glimpse of stingrays that swim in the area.

For the more adventurous, deep seas fishing, scuba diving, and other water sports are offered as well. If you get tired of the beach, Playa Conchal is also close to a few national parks and nature reserves.

Nearby is a small estuary as well. Surrounded by a number of cattle ranches, Playa Conchal also has quite a few areas where one can camp out and sleep under the stars.

For the avid golfer, the ‘Garra de Leon’ Golf Course is just a few paces away from the beach. This championship course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., is considered to be one of the best golf courses in Central America with its breathtaking scenic beauty of the Pacific coast. Bordered by a forest on one side, you can often catch sight of howler monkeys that live there.

Map of the Area

Click to enlarge map - Map of the Area

Getting to Playa Conchal

This four kilometer beach stretch is accessible by air from San Jose to Tamarindo Domestic Airport, from where you can take a 10-minute taxi ride into town.

However, you can also get here by taxi from the Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia, but it is around a 45-minute drive.

If you don’t mind the traveling, you can enjoy a lovely scenic drive from San Jose to Playa Conchal, which takes around 4 hours.