Playa Grande, Costa Rica
Map of Playa Grande :
[ Hyperlinks are marked in orange color ]
Playa Grande is only a shell's throw away from Tamarindo but it feels worlds apart from its neighbor across the estuary.
Vacationers here are mostly eco-tourists and surfers who wish to escape the crowds and enjoy instead tranquility, nature attractions and
one of Costa Rica's best surf spots.
The beach of Playa Grande is a miles-long crescent of fine, pale sand backed by a coastal vegetation which the constant ocean breeze
has shaped into a conical form.
You will encounter few people on a beach walk along Playa Grande. Avoid to walk on the soft-sanded upper part of the beach
as you might destroy turtle egg layings.
The beach of Playa Grande forms part of the National Park Las Baulas which protects Costa Rica's most important nesting
site of leatherback sea turtles.
Construction in Playa Grande is set back from the beach to conserve the shoreline, and at night lights must be shielded so that
the turtles are not disturbed.
Beach of Playa Grande
The neighborhood of Playa Grande is mainly composed of foreigners who use their luxury homes only for their holidays or for vacation rentals. A scattering of hotels and restaurants cater to tranquility-seekers and surfers — Playa Grande boasts one of the most consistent beach breaks of Costa Rica. (See » Surf in the Tamarindo area)
Take care however when swimming on Playa Grande as the currents can draw even experienced swimmers into the open sea.
A beach trail to the north of Playa Grande leads to another pristine beach in a small bay: Playa Ventanas which offers tidepools for snorkeling and bathing.
Green Heron in the Playa Grande estuary
At low tide you can continue from Playa Ventanas over the rocks to the next cove, the black-sand beach of Playa Carbon, surrounded by dramatic beach wilderness and caves. Further north the rocky coast curls away to the wooded promontory of Cabo Velas, Costa Rica's utmost western point.
Inland from the Playa Grande landspit extends the estuary of the Rio Matapalo with its mangrove jungle. In the 1,500-acre maze of narrow waterways and small islands all five of Costa Rica's mangrove species are represented. You can rent kayaks to silently explore this fascinating habitat with its many water birds. Sometimes you see crocodiles basking on a sandbank.
Playa Grande: Las Baulas National Park
Las Baulas National Park seeks to protect one of the world's most important nesting sites of the leatherback sea turtles. Leatherbacks are the world's largest reptile. They can grow to over 2 meters in length (7 feet or more) and weigh up to 600 kilos. (see Sea Turtles in the Wildlife Guide)
Leatherback Sea Turtle on Playa Grande
These gentle giants of the oceans are on the brink of extinction. Egg poaching and encroaching development threaten their nesting spots, but the major culprit for their rapid decline are commercial shrimping vessels and long-line fishing boats in whose nets the turtles drown.
Nesting season for the leatherbacks is from Oct to March. During these months, after 6 pm, visitors are only allowed to the beach with a guide. Turtle tours are offered from Playa Grande and Tamarindo but a turtle sighting isn't guaranteed.
