Tamarindo is a town and distrito of the Santa Cruz canton, located on the Nicoya Peninsula on the Northern Pacific coast of Costa Rica in the Province of Guanacaste. The district has a population of 6,869, although the town itself is about 500. It can swell to 5,000 people or more during the tourist season and during special holidays. The main attractions are surfing and eco-tourism.

Catalina island is one of the best scuba diving spots in Costa Rica. Located just north of the many resort-based towns in northern Guanacaste Province, within the Bat Islands (Islas Murcielagos), Catalina is accessible to divers staying in Tamarindo, Flamingo, Conchal, Papagayo, etc.

Surfing in Tamarindo, Costa Rica ~ Lots of people enjoy it and I highly recommend it, but not for us, we just watched and lived vicariously… My husband and I are not surfers, however, you need to hear about this amazing surf spot in this quaint little kick back town.

Rolling surf, warm temps, beautiful beaches, salty air, ice cold beer, surf shops galore and great Costa Rican food… a perfect recreational recipe. We left our posh resort in the Guanacaste Province on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica to explore what real Costa Rica was like. After some investigation, we learned that Playa Tamarindo is on the top of the list for great surfing in Costa Rica.