4 beaches near Tamarindo

Playa Langosta

Playa Langosta is located just south of Tamarindo and is within walking distance from Capitán Suizo.
Langosta has a different vibe then Tamarindo, it’s more residential, more private, and “fancier” then its neighbour. Small bed & breakfasts, condos and rental homes can be spotted from the shore.
It is a locally well-known area and an excellent beach for those looking for a quieter atmosphere. 

It’s perfect for long walks, watching the sunset, sunbathing and for the many tide pools.
It’s also pretty famous amongst more experienced surfers, with left and right breaks. 
Currents can be strong, and swimming is not recommended everywhere.
There are some sandy and some rocky parts and just after Occidental Tamarindo there is an estuary. 

Playa Langosta is a nice place, within walking distance from the Hotel, for a change of scenery, so go check it out!

Playa Grande

Playa Grande is located just north of Tamarindo and is part of the Marino Las Baulas National Park.
It is a quiet, laid back place, with a few restaurants, hotels, small supermarkets and some surf shops along the main street.
Playa Grande is a long stretch of brown sand beach, pearly blue waters and almost no trees and is known for its excellent surfing conditions. It is the ideal destination for surfers who find Tamarindo a bit too crowded. The waves are accessible to surfers of all levels and the surf breaks are consistent and moderate.
As the currents can be quite strong, swimming can be challenging, so be careful.

The beach is open to the public, but remains a highly protected area because it is considered to be the most important nesting site of the Leatherback turtles.
Leatherback turtles, also called Las Baulas, are one of the largest marine reptiles and can weigh up to 700 kg!
The area was named a National Park in 1990 and since then, with big conservation efforts, the numbers of one of most endangered sea turtles begun to rise. 

If you want to know more about the majestic Baulas or if you would like to organize a tour to Playa Grande, please ask our concierge Rosa, she can give you more information.

Playa Avellanas

Playa Avellanas is only 10 km, a 30 minute drive, from Tamarindo, and offers tan sand, turquoise waters and world-class waves.
It’s one of the best beaches for surfing in Guanacaste.
The swells are spectacular throughout the year, coming from both the northern and southern hemisphere.
Because of the strong currents, swimming is not recommended. But walking, sunbathing, relaxing in the shade of one of the many trees, reading a book or having lunch at Lola’s can be great alternatives! 

Playa Conchal

Playa Conchal is located 2 km from Playa Brasilito and around 20 km from Tamarindo.
The name Conchal (from the Spanish word “concha” which means shell) comes from its typical sand, which is composed of millions of tiny crushed shells.
It has some of the clearest waters in Guanacaste, and swimming and snorkelling are great activities!
Other water sports are offered here as well, like deep seas fishing or scuba diving.

Compiled by Milena Re
Marketing Assistant – Hotel Capitán Suizo
November 29th, 2021

More than just coffee

“Allegory of coffee and bananas” Famous painting by Aleardo Villa, on the Costa Rican 5 colones bill

Coffee

Coffee keeps us alert, helps us burn fat, and improves our physical performance, among many other health benefits. It is even said that coffee consumption is the reason why Costa Ricans have a high life expectancy and that is why CHANEL® uses Costa Rican green coffee as one of the main assets for one of its skin treatments, along with ingredients from blue zones in other countries where people live the longest and healthiest lives.

Coffee is also an ideal drink to share with friends or family, the socialization that takes place around coffee makes it the most consumed drink in Costa Rican culture. In Costa Rica we produce one of the best coffees in the world, however, for us Ticos, coffee is more than just a drink.

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More than coffee, history

For Costa Rica, coffee is so much more than just a basic traditional drink that is found in every home.

Coffee is impregnated as part of Costa Rican history; it was a fundamental part of the economic, social and political development of Costa Rica. During the mid-nineteenth century, being Costa Rica already an independent country from Spain and thanks to the escalation of coffee exports to England, coffee became the state´s formation product since the whole country was organized according to the export of this product. This was lead and organized by the coffee oligarchy which established the foundation of the state system.

Although the power was in the hands of the oligarchy, there was no slavery in coffee production in Costa Rica as in other countries. This allowed for a more inclusive activity where all social groups could participate and benefit from the development of the activity.

Y aunque el poder estuvo a cargo de la oligarquía, no hubo en Costa Rica esclavitud en la producción de café como en otros países. Esto permitió una actividad más inclusiva donde todos los grupos sociales podían participar y beneficiarse del desarrollo de la actividad.  

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One of the best coffees in the world

100% of the coffee grown in the country belongs to the Arabica species, of the Caturra and Catuaí varieties, it is produced between 800 and 1600 meters above sea level in fertile and volcanic soils. The grains are manually extracted from each plant ensuring its quality.

Costa Rica is not a major coffee producer compared to other countries in the world, however, our coffee has been listed as one of the best in the world due to the high quality of the product. Costa Rica, as it has done in other activities, in terms of coffee, focused on a philosophy of quality and not quantity.

“At Capitán Suizo we wish to invite you to enjoy
an exquisite coffee, in front of the Pacific Ocean!”

Compiled by Helen Soto

Assistant Manager – Hotel Capitán Suizo

Source: Instituto del Café de Costa Rica, Icafe.

9 Helpful Tips for Traveling to Costa Rica

1. Why not visit during rainy season?

Visiting Costa Rica during rainy season has also a lot of benefits. The rainy season months are from May – October, during these months everything is lush, as well as lightly cooler due to the moisture. The forest becomes beautiful green and the flowers bloom. During the green months there aren’t as many visitors, so the towns and roads don’t feel as congested. Another advantage is that traveling to Costa Rica as well as within the country is less expensive than it is to travel during the high dry season months.

Some people are afraid to travel to Costa Rica during the rainy season because they think it will always rain, however, in our region and in Playa Tamarindo particularly, it rains very little and it is possible that it will rain only a few days and for a short time. Surely, there will be enough sunny weather to enjoy the beach and the outdoors every day.

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2. If you are one of those who prefers or need to be connected (on line)

You can use your smartphone in Costa Rica by getting a prepaid SIM card or you can purchase an international data plan with your cell phone carrier at home. Keep in mind that in order to use a prepaid SIM card your cell phone must be unlocked. You will be able to purchase a SIM card when exiting the airport at the Kolbi stand. Kolbi is the oldest and biggest cell phone company in Costa Rica, therefore it works the best thought out the country. You can recharge your phone, or add more minutes at any large supermarket or ‘pulperias’ the smaller supermarkets.

If you do not need a plan to be constantly online, you can connect on occasion using the free WiFi service offered by several restaurants, hotels and even some means of transport for tourism. In order to use this service, you should only have to ask for the WIFI password.

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3. WAZE is the best GPS while traveling in CR

Waze is an application for cell phones that offers maps and addresses or free online routes. What makes Waze very useful is not only the accuracy of the maps, but the fact that it is an application based on community and it takes into account the user’s comments. Other users will report traffic problems, car accidents and driving times, which will save everyone time and improve the driving experience in general, mainly if the routes are not known. It is important to know that it is necessary to have internet for the application to work properly.

The application is currently the most used in Costa Rica so the route information is quite updated and useful when driving.

https://www.axnmls.com/using-waze-costa-rica/

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4. When booking tours it is better to book locally – support local tours

“Capitan Suizo promotes activities with local guides in order to offer tourists a comprehensive experience that complements natural and cultural attractions. Our goal is that rural communities of the country can benefit to diversify their sources of income and improve the quality of life for the inhabitants of the regions of the country in smaller communities.”

Rosa Villarreal, concierge at Hotel Capitan Suizo

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5. Eating at ‘sodas’ – delicious food and at a better price!

Do not confuse "Soda" with a carbonated beverage. "Sodas" are small family restaurants that are found throughout Costa Rica. In Sodas you can find a variety of dishes from Costa Rica. Eating in Sodas is a good way to try local cuisine without spending a lot of money, but it is important to know that Sodas are usually more informal than a conventional restaurant and it is possible that there are differences in service, such as that it may not possible to pay with a credit card. If you are a patient person and want to experiment it is a good option. In our area, the closest "Soda" is "Soda Las Palmas" in Villarreal, in the town just before entering Tamarindo.

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6. Don’t change all of your currency in the airport – USD accepted

In Costa Rica, the US dollar is well accepted in almost all businesses. It is advisable to change only a part of your money to the local currency in case you need it, but in most businesses they will accept credit cards without problem or dollars at a good exchange rate.

If you prefer to change some money to have local currency it is better to change it at a bank and not at the airport as in the airport the exchange rate is very bad - resort to a currency exchange desk only as a last resort.

Credit cards are widely accepted

In almost all business credit and debit cards are accepted which makes it more comfortable and safe to not have to carry cash.

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7. Tap water is safe to drink

In Costa Rica, water quality control is very good. We have the best quality standards at the Central American level according to the World Health Organization (WHO). All the water in the supply network is potable and suitable for human consumption. However, the taste and minerals may vary depending on the region, so it is better to take the filtered water (better taste) or the bottled water. There is no risk of consuming and refilling the reusable bottle with tap water.

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8. Make sure you have enough time to see more than 1 location (ex. Beaches, volcanos, rainforests, waterfalls)

Costa Rica is a very small country, but very diverse. With only 51,100 km2 it has more than 28 different National Parks to visit, 25% of its land area is protected. Costa Rica has Atlantic and Pacific coast, the size of its territory increases to 625,825 km2 if we take into account its territorial and patrimonial sea on both coasts. Its land extension makes it possible to move from coast to coast in the same day, with more than 200 different warm-water beaches to visit.

It also has around 200 volcanic outbreaks with at least seven active volcanoes open to the public, a large number of rivers, some with thermal waters, hundreds of different ecosystems and forest types with incredible biodiversity.

Costa Rica is a country that from North to South has destinations that can provide a unique and unforgettable experience to your vacation. In addition, our people are known for being honest, kind, friendly and very open with tourist. We recommend you to venture and discover more than just one destination during your visit.

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9. Buy local souvenirs

Buying crafts and products made locally contributes to the local economy. Costa Rica is full of many creative locals who make beautiful items or very special products. In Tamarindo you can visit the market of artisans and producers organized by the community on Saturday mornings, where you can find a wide variety of articles and products. If you are interested in visiting, Rosa Villarreal at the information center can provide more information about this activity.

Costa Rica: The case of a happy little country!

On this International Day of happiness, in Captain Suizo we want to tell you why this day is so important in Costa Rica and how happiness in general is a characteristic of its inhabitants.

We compiled three quotes from different sources, to try to explain it better:

1. According to the World Happiness Report 2018, Costa Rica occupies the #13 position. In a surprising position, over many developed countries, larger and with a more complex economic and social structure. See listing here.

2. According to the National Geographic Magazine (In its edition "The search for happiness”, November 2017):

   In the article author Dan Buettner highlights Costa Rica as one of the happiest places in the world, comparing it with other success stories such as Denmark and Singapore.

   According to Alejandro Zúñiga (a Costa Rican) interviewed by the magazine: “Costa Ricans enjoy the pleasure of living daily life to the fullest in a place that mitigates stress and maximizes joy” (National Geographic)

3. According to the Happy Planet index:

   Costa Rica it ranked #1 out of 140 countries in the years 2009, 2012 and 2016. This index evaluates characteristics such as: Life expectancy, well-being, ecological footprint and equality.

   “Costa Rica abolished its army in 1948, and has since reallocated army funds to be spent on education, health and pensions. In 2012, Costa Rica invested more in education and health as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product than the UK.  Professor Mariano Rojas, a Costa Rican economist at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences, attributes Costa Ricans’ high wellbeing to a culture of forming solid social networks of friends, families and neighbourhoods.” (2016) Read more about this index here.

In summary: we think that Costa Rica is a small country, with good living conditions and a very stable political and social system that allows its inhabitants to have a free, full and long life. Costa Rica abolished the army since 1948 and peace characterizes its people. Their health and educational system is of quality and very accessible. The hope of a long and full life is very high. It has an enviable climate, a balanced environment, a healthy and balanced diet and a close relationship with nature.

That is why we are so proud to be in Costa Rica and to be able to share this with our guests the authentic way of being a Costa Rican. It allows us to always receive guests with a sincere smile. We hope you enjoy this day and all your vacations! That you can get a little bit of happiness in this small country.

Happy day!