![]() ![]() In the far-flung Osa Peninsula, you can walk along beaches edged with unhampered tropical forest, ride horses in the scurf and spot whales off the coast. Our guide to family trips to Costa Rica talks in more detail about the country’s child-friendly beaches.Ĭosta Rica also shines when it comes to really wild, empty, undeveloped stretches of sand - the kind that have never seen a lounger in their lives. The waves are smaller and the sea calmer than in the south, so it’s a good spot for fledgling surfers. Meanwhile, farther north lies Tamarindo, a popular surf town. There are plenty of places to scramble and watch local wildlife (including several species of monkey). Two of the main beaches are connected by a tombolo - a natural sand bridge - and shallow rock pools lie just offshore. Many domestic and international visitors flock to Manuel Antonio National Park, a quartet of beaches of silvery-gray sand with tropical forest spilling right to the high-tide line. ![]() There’s the Pacific Coast, which enjoys rolling, sometimes heavy surf, and the Caribbean, where the waters are more placid and a laid-back Afro-Caribbean ambience holds sway. Best beaches in Costa Rica: the Pacific Coast and the Osa Peninsula Good for: surfing, families, and castaway-esque beaches Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa RicaĬosta Rica’s beaches come in many guises. Here, you could see manatees, lobsters, eels and groupers. Snorkeling-wise, small-group trips depart regularly from both Placencia and Hopkins to visit cayes including Bread and Butter Caye and the less whimsically named South Water Caye. They’re hit by small waves, and it’s easy to walk from wherever you’re staying to the shore. The beaches at both are full of soft white sand with a few slicks of seagrass, and they feel spacious. Hopkins is even less built up, more of a Garifuna village complete with simple beach-shack eateries rather than a purpose-built resort town. Placencia has only one (extremely narrow) main street, and you’ll rub alongside local fishermen busy at work. But, if snorkeling is more your thing (and, take note - you can see an awful lot in Belize’s waters by snorkeling alone), I’d be tempted to head south to the sleepy beach towns of Placencia and Hopkins. If you’re a diver eager to explore the vast sunken cave system of the Blue Hole, you’ll need to spend a night or two here. Most visitors to Belize who are intent on spending time on its beaches and observing its prolific marine life veer toward Ambergris Caye. Best beaches in Belize: Placencia and Hopkins Good for: snorkeling, diving and sleepy beach resorts Beach at Hopkins, Belize The multitude of hotels that have sprung up along these beautiful stretches of coastline provide an array of choice for the traveler and there really is something for everyone - small and boutique, activity based, those suitable for diving and snorkeling, friendly eco-lodge or plush resort-style. There are beaches made up of white sand, black sand, yellow sand or even silvery-gray sand with pebbles, tiny shells, rolling surf or calm turquoise waters. The range of beaches to explore throughout this part of the world is quite incredible.
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