Hermosa Beach, Guanacaste
A beautiful, calm, quiet, family-friendly beach close to the international airport in Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Children-friendly
Beachfront
Relaxation
Beach
Why Visit Playa Hermosa?
Here are our favorite reasons to come to Playa Hermosa de Guanacaste:
- Quiet and family-friendly: Playa Hermosa is a relative rarity among Costa Rican beaches in that it's calm. Perfect for paddling with the kids! Also, the community is quieter and more laid back.
- Snorkeling at Playa Penca: Playa Penca is a small beach at the end of the point you see on your left-hand side as you stand on Playa Hermosa. It's not the easiest to get to, but once you're there, you'll find a great little reef to snorkel and see marine life.
- Easy access to Playas del Coco without staying there: Playas del Coco is fun, with superb bars, nightlife, restaurants, and shopping. But all that comes with some buzz and some noise. You can avoid all that by staying in tranquil Playa Hermosa.
Where to Stay
Located at the southern end of Playa Hermosa, Bosque del Mar is the area's most excellent hotel.
Things to Do
Playa Hermosa is perfect for everyone! Spread a blanket, pack a picnic, enjoy a swim and bring a boogie board. It has easy access to boat trips and catamaran tours too.
Playa Hermosa: A Great Family Destination
Playa Hermosa de Guanacaste (to give it its proper name) is a curved stretch of cream/light-gray sand that backs onto calm waters, which are a bit of a rarity in Costa Rica, which is famous for its pounding surf.
You'll find Playa Hermosa in Guanacaste Province, just north of Playas del Coco and south of the Papagayo Peninsula. It's an easy 30-minute drive from Guanacaste Airport outside the city of Liberia.
Both Playas del Coco and the Papagayo Peninsula are busier and better-known than Playa Hermosa, which fine suits this little beach community. Hermosa is a little oasis of peace and tranquility amid an area seeing a lot of tourism development.
More than anything, Playa Hermosa is a family-friendly beach known for years amongst Costa Ricans as a perfect place to bring small children.
Best Time to Travel to Playa Hermosa de Guanacaste
There's no wrong time to visit Playa Hermosa at all. The weather, year-round, is hot and sunny for the most part. Sure, there's a rainy season running from May to November, and yes, September and October can be wet (this is what we mean by "for the most part"). But even during these months, you'll see sunshine.
It's easier to talk about the best times not to travel to Playa Hermosa, which are when it's most crowded. Like most beaches in Costa Rica, Christmas/New Year and Easter can get busier and more expensive. So if you can avoid this time to travel, please do. But even if you can't, you'll still have a great time, and the kids can make some friends.
The Weather in Hermosa Beach in Guanacaste
Guanacaste is the driest and warmest part of Costa Rica - the best weather for beach lovers. You can expect mid-to-late 80s F (early 30s C) temperatures for much of the year, with humidity lower than elsewhere.
The rainy season is from May to November, but even then, there's not a great deal compared to elsewhere in Costa Rica. Think hot and sunny most of the day with solid afternoon showers. The rainiest months are September and October.
Is Playa Hermosa in Guanacaste Safe?
Playa Hermosa is a quiet community without much in the way of crime. Of course, as always in Costa Rica, one should never leave anything of value in their cars or on the beach, but outside of that, as long as you take the usual precautions you take anywhere else, you'll be fine.
Top Restaurants in Hermosa Beach, Guanacaste
Ginger Restaurant Bar
Considered the best restaurant in Playa Hermosa, a tapas bar with an Asian twist. Easily one of the best dining experiences you'll have anywhere in Costa Rica.
La Casita del Marisco
As the name implies, La Casita del Marisco is a seafood place. It's the seafood place in Playa Hermosa, famous for the quality of its food and the size of its portions.
ManGaby
The restaurant at the Hotel ManGaby is famous in town for the quality of its breakfasts and brunches. Enjoy some tremendous poolside dining throughout the day and the evening.
Roberto's Bar and Restaurant
A beachfront restaurant and bar that produces excellent burritos and fish dinners for its clients. And the cocktails here go down well, too.
Aqua Sport
A beachfront restaurant set on the sand serves food with a Peruvian twist. This is an excellent spot for sunset cocktails.
How to Get to Playa Hermosa in Guanacaste
Guanacaste Airport (Airport Code LIR) near the city of Liberia, Guanacaste is the closest international airport to Playa Hermosa de Guanacaste.
Distance & Driving Time to Playa Hermosa de Guanacaste
From Liberia: 15 miles (24 kilometers), about 25 minutes
Driving from Guanacaste Airport to Playa Hermosa couldn’t be simpler. This beach is only around 25-30 minutes away, although if you’re renting a car at the airport, allow yourself an hour or so to sort that out upon arrival. But after that, it’s smooth sailing.
Turn right once you’re off the Airport Boulevard and on the main road. Then just follow the signs. You’ll soon arrive at a junction (you can’t miss it), where you’ll swing another right - then just keep on going for 15 minutes or so until you hit the beach at Playa Panama. Follow the road around to the left, and the next beach is Playa Hermosa de Guanacaste.