Playa Hermosa Costa Rica

Information about Playa Hermosa in Costa Rica

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Playa Hermosa (Guanacaste) is one of the closest beaches from the Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR). Only a short 25-minute drive on paved roads. This quiet, low-density beach town is the perfect place to spend your vacation or the rest of your life! Located on Costa Rica's Pacific coast, in the Papagayo gulf, Hermosa beach is bound to capture your heart.

Playa Hermosa is a peaceful community offering a high-quality lifestyle with a great mix of North & South Americans, Europeans, and Ticos (Costa Ricans). On the hills and off of the major roads, you will find beautiful luxury homes and condos. You will also come across several small hotels and restaurants.

The weather in Playa Hermosa is always warm and inviting. There are two seasons, dry season (December-April) and rainy season (May-November). Although there is a rainy season, this area (Guanacaste) gets less rainfall than any other place in the entire country.

 

Aerial view of Playa Hermosa in Costa Rica

 

Aerial view of Playa Hermosa at Sunset

Playa Hermosa is an excellent place for retirement, vacation, or investment. Houses and condos start in the low $100,000’s range and can run up to as high as several million dollars. There is something for everyone!

Be sure to read my page about retirement in Costa Rica.
 

The Beach

The beach is not just white or black sand. Playa Hermosa is a cinnamon beach with a salt and pepper look. The rich volcanic soil gives it a darker hue. There are never any riptides or undercurrents. You can expect small and soft waves-not like the other nearby surfing beaches that have stronger currents and rocky outbreaks. Swimming is always safe and easy for all ages. You will want to spend all day enjoying the sun and the ocean at this beautiful beach.

View south from Playa Hermosa in Costa Rica

The words "Playa Hermosa" translate to "beautiful beach", and it certainly lives up to the name. Be prepared to be mesmerized the moment you see it when you come down for a visit. This gorgeous beach is exactly the place you will want to relax. You will find that this beach is full of wildlife and tranquility. Hawks, monkeys, lizards, and butterflies can all be enjoyed at Playa Hermosa.

Bandera Azul awarded to Playa Hermosa

Playa Hermosa prides itself on being extremely clean and a certified Blue Flag or "Bandera Azul" beach. To achieve Bandera Azul status requires strict adherence to environmental standards for cleanliness, water purity, and waste removal. This program is similar to the original program founded in Spain and utilizes similar criteria for beach safety and sanitation.

Near Playa Hermosa are several beaches that are bound to charm you as well. Such as Playa Penca & Pobre de Calzo that can actually be seen from Hermosa beach. Towards the south you have Playas del Coco, Playa Ocotal, and Playa Matapalo. Heading North you will find Playa Bonita, Playa Buena, and Playa Panama. These beaches are all fairly calm and are perfect for swimming!
 

The Real Estate

The moment you start visiting Playa Hermosa you will realize you need a piece of this paradise! With such a variety of real estate options, there is something for every type of buyer. We have beautiful beachfront condos or ocean view villas. We have a range of beautiful gated communities such as Hermosa Heights, Monte Bello, Palo Alto, Monte Paraiso, Villas Sol and so many more... You can purchase an incredible ocean view condo at Mariners Point or live right on the beach in Sol y Mar. Playa Hermosa may be a small town, but the real estate possibilities are endless.

Aerial view of a luxury home with an infinity pool on a hillside overlooking Playa Hermosa in Costa Rica
 

Things To Do

In Playa Hermosa you can find a variety of hotels, restaurants, bars, vacation rentals, and shopping. You will also find many sports/water sports and leisure activities to enjoy. Try your hand at some sport fishing or take in a movie at the local theater. Work out by doing yoga on the beach or have some fun playing miniature golf. Go snorkeling or rent a paddle board for the day. Why not give scuba diving a try or horseback riding? Get a relaxing beachside massage or just have a cold beer and watch the waves lap on the shore. Playa Hermosa's location is convenient for taking a variety of day trips to local national parks or other beaches such as Tamarindo.

Two kayakers in the ocean off the coast of Playa Hermosa Costa Rica

If food is what you love you will find a great variety of restaurants to choose from! Playa Hermosa offers both gourmet and fast food types. You can enjoy the usual pizza, burgers, and traditional local cuisine or have a gastronomic experience. Ambiances ranging from La Casita Del Mariscos, a restaurant nestled in the palms on the beach to Gingers, which has Asian-Inspired Tapas in a ​modern treehouse setting. Just a 5-minute drive away in Playa del Coco you will find even more options that cover the full spectrum of cuisines from around the world.

There are also a number of fun sports bars and hangouts popular with locals and tourists alike. Be sure to check out the Aquasport Bar & Restaurant in Playa Hermosa and Coconutz Bar in Playas del Coco. Hermosa beach definitely has some good food! Check out my area restaurant guide for more information.

Internal shot of the Bosque del Mar restaurant in Playa Hermosa

There are plenty of national parks in close proximity to Playa Hermosa as well! You can easily take some day trips to Rincon de la Vieja, Palo Verde, Santa Rosa, or Barra Honda National Park. These parks are a great place to experience caves, pristine beaches, and hot springs. You will feel at one with nature taking in the stunning sights and enchanting wildlife.

 

Places To Stay

There are several small but comfortable hotels in Playa Hermosa itself. These include the El Velero Hotel, Villa del Sueño, Bosque del Mar, La Gaviota Tropical... and they are all within walking distance or on the beach! La Gaviota Tropical, a boutique hotel, even has a rooftop pool!

There are also many beautiful vacation rentals to choose from via Airbnb, VRBO, or other vacation rental agencies. A number of people that purchase real estate in Costa Rica love to use their properties as vacation rentals. These villas and condos you can rent give you a taste of how great it is owning a home in Playa Hermosa.

La Gaviota Tropical Rooftop Pool

If you prefer larger "all-inclusive" or luxury hotels you will find numerous options just minutes from Playa Hermosa in the Papagayo region. These include prestigious names such as The Four Seasons, Andaz, Occidental, Planet Hollywood, Secrets, Hotel Riu and Hotel Riu Palace to name but a few.
 

Groceries

Be sure to stop at the Super Luperon grocery store in Playa Hermosa. They stock a wide array of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, frozen foods, dairy products, daily baked bread, a full liquor store selection and a wide inventory of staples from personal care items to cleaning supplies and other items normally found in larger grocery stores. There are also a number of small "pulperias" (tiny convenience stores with the essentials such as bread, milk, eggs, cheeses etc.) throughout town. Minutes away in Playas del Coco you will find many more shopping options for those times when you may want a special cheese from Europe or that certain red wine.

Super Luperon Playa Hermosa
 

Services & Amenities

Although Playa Hermosa is a small community, it still has a good deal of services and amenities. For any medical needs there is a small emergency medical clinic and a pharmacy. Additionally, Playa Hermosa is located only 40 minutes from San Rafael Hospital, a great private hospital! For your beauty needs, Playa Hermosa has a few hair & nail salons as well as a lovely spa. As mentioned above, there are numerous restaurants and grocery stores. We also have a lovely school you can enroll your children in if you make the move to this great place! For entertainment we even have a movie theater and a mini-golf course! You can find an abundance of additional services and amenities in Playas del Coco, only 5 minutes away.


 

The Future of Playa Hermosa

For example, the community of Playa Hermosa is bordered on the south side by the Steve Case Cacique Project, which includes plans to have an Andre Agassi & Stefi Graf tennis center, Miraval Spa, a golf course, an equestrian center and many other luxury amenities. Mr. Case has stated he is committed to completing this huge project while minimizing the environmental impact. It will have plenty of natural green areas with a state of the art environmental conservation programs. As of 2019 the project is on hold, however it is still expected to be developed in the not too distant future. To the north of Playa Hermosa there are plans to open a One & Only Hotel. All of these exclusive and prestigious projects will make Hermosa bay the place to be.

View looking south from Playa Hermosa Costa Rica

 

Come and Live in Playa Hermosa

Playa Hermosa is a tranquil place with all the amenities one needs to enjoy a truly wonderful life. It has one of the best beaches in Costa Rica, amazing weather, and only a short drive away from a great international airport, shopping, restaurants and so much more. Come and enjoy the "Pura Vida" life here in Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica!

Contact me today for more information on this great town.

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