Looking for a less travelled beach to visit during your trip to Costa Rica? Well, if you’re in Guanacaste, be sure to check out Playa Zapotillal!
How To Get There
We start our trip in the small town of Matapalo. This small town is just north of Tamarindo and Villareal. It’s also a great place to stop if you’re heading towards Playa Grande for some surfing.
Once you pass through Matapalo, you’ll be on loose gravel roads until you hit a junction. At this location you’ll find Hotel Condor Lodge and Villas La Pez. These accommodations will provide great views of Playa Conchal.
In order to find Zapotillal, you’ll have to turn southwest along a rougher road. About 1km along, you’ll see a gap in a gate which wasn’t marked. This road will take you to Playa Zapotillal, but be warned, it’s much rougher than the other roads in the area. A 4×4 vehicle is recommended for this part of the trip.
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The Beach - Amazing
This beach is amazing, and way less busy than some of the beaches in the same area. The water was very calm at the shore and was great for swimming.
We happened to see a massive sea turtle about 100 meters off shore, which some folks on jet-skis stopped by to check out. This beach appeared popular with the jet-ski crowd, so if you rent a tour in Tamarindo ask to check out Zapotillal on your tour.
The beach had white sand and lots of areas to hang out for the day. Bring a cooler with some drinks and grab some sun. There’s also a cave on the west side of the beach which can be explored at lower tides.
Find a tide chart Here to figure out the best time to visit if you’re looking for low tide.
Protect your gear with a waterproof fanny pack. These are great as you can be confident that nothing will get wet as you tour Costa Rica. You definitely don't want to leave important items on the beach, so with these packs you can explore the water without constantly watching your stuff!
Go For A Hike
While you check out the beach, be sure to have a quick hike up to the mountain which wraps around the west end of the beach.
Your first stop will be a ledge overlooking Playa Zapotillal. If you continue through a small foot path you’ll end up on a wider, vehicle travelled path. This path is used by ATV’s on tours to arrive at the lookout at the end.
This lookout will give you an outstanding view of the beaches to the south of Playa Zapotillal, and a great wrap around view of the ocean.
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