Location: between Nombre de Jesus and Conchal beaches in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. GPS Coordenates: 10.396297, -85.830178 (10°23’46.67″N, 85°49’48.64″W) Canton: Santa Cruz District: Tamarindo
Getting to Mina beach in Guanacaste:
From San José
Drive north to Puntarenas and then follow the highway to Liberia until you reach Belen. There, turn right and continue on the road until you get to Huacas. Once in Huacas, go straight ahead following the signs to Las Baulas Marine National Park for 4 km (2.5 miles) until you reach the small town of Matapalo. In Matapalo, turn right after the soccer field and then make a sharp left turn and a right turn to continue for 5 km (3 miles), when the road splits continue to the left for about 1.5 miles, you should see the Bahia de los Piratas Hotel blue signs all over the way to playa Mina, the entrance to the Mina Beach is 1 km before the hotel on your right. This route requires a total of 4 hours from San José.
From Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR)
Drive south until you reach Belen. There, turn right and continue on the road until you get to Huacas. Once in Huacas, go straight ahead following the signs to Las Baulas Marine National Park for 4 km (2.5 miles) until you reach the small town of Matapalo. In Matapalo, turn right after the soccer field and then make a sharp left turn and a right turn to continue for 5 km (3 miles), when the road splits continue to the left for about 1.5 miles, you should see the Bahia de los Piratas Hotel blue signs all over the way to playa Mina, the entrance to the Mina Beach is 1 km before the hotel on your right.
By bus
Take a bus from the route San Jose – Tamarindo, making the stop at Huacas which takes 4 to 5 hours (Alfaro-Tracopa, 2222-2666). Or you can take a bus San José – Huacas – Flamingo – Brasilito, which takes about 4 to 5 hours (Tralapa, 2221-7202). In both cases you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi from Huacas to Mina beach, which takes about 15 minutes. We also recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.
By plane:
You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Tamarindo airport, either with Sansa or Nature Air airlines every day. From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Mina beach, which takes about 20 minutes.
Location: between Ventanas and Nombre de Jesus beaches in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. GPS Coordenates: 10.386047, -85.838453 (10°23’09.77″N, 85°50’18.43″W) Canton: Santa Cruz District: Tamarindo
Real Beach is a light pink sand beach, with crystal clear turquoise waters and surrounded by lush vegetation. It is a small bay which protrudes several islands that give a majestic landscape. Its waves go from mild to moderate, suitable for swimming, fishing, diving and other water sports and it also offers lodging facilities to tourists. In fact, Real beach is also known as the Bahia de los Piratas, which is the name of the hotel facing this heavenly beach.
Getting to Real beach in Guanacaste:
From San José
Drive north to Puntarenas and then follow the highway to Liberia until you reach Belen. There, turn right and continue on the road until you get to Huacas. Once in Huacas, go straight ahead following the signs to Las Baulas Marine National Park for 4 km (2.5 miles) until you reach the small town of Matapalo. In Matapalo, turn right after the soccer field and then make a sharp left turn and a right turn to continue for 5 km (3 miles), when the road splits continue to the left for about 2 miles, you should see the Bahia de los Piratas Hotel blue signs all over the way to playa Real, this Hotel is facing the beach. This route requires a total of 4 hours from San José.
From Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR)
Drive south until you reach Belen. There, turn right and continue on the road until you get to Huacas. Once in Huacas, go straight ahead following the signs to Las Baulas Marine National Park for 4 km (2.5 miles) until you reach the small town of Matapalo. In Matapalo, turn right after the soccer field and then make a sharp left turn and a right turn to continue for 5 km (3 miles), when the road splits continue to the left for about 2 miles, you should see the Bahia de los Piratas Hotel blue signs all over the way to playa Real, this Hotel is facing the beach.
By bus
Take a bus from the route San Jose – Tamarindo, making the stop at Huacas which takes from 4 to 5 hours (Alfaro-Tracopa, 2222-2666). Or you can take a bus from the route San José – Huacas – Flamingo – Brasilito, which takes from 4 to 5 hours (Tralapa, 2221-7202). In both cases you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi from Huacas to Real beach, which takes about 15 minutes. We also recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.
By plane:
You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Tamarindo airport, either with Sansa or Nature Air airlines every day. From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Real beach, which takes about 20 minutes.
Location: between Grande and Real beaches in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. GPS Coordenates: 10.346636, -85.8592 (10°20’47.89″N, 85°51’33.12″W) Canton: Santa Cruz District: Tamarindo
Ventanas is a lonely virgin beach located to the north of Grande beach, with white sand, crystalline waters and moderate swells. It is ideal for swimming and diving, as well as to explore its vegetation.
Ventanas beach is part of Las Baulas Marine National Park, which aims to protect the nesting of Leatherback sea turtles that come ashore each year, from October to May to lay their eggs on the beach, an incredible spectacle to behold if you are one of those lucky enough to see it. During these months, after 6 pm, visitors are only allowed to the beach with a guide. Furthermore, there is a nearby hill, Cerro El Mono, which can be climbed along the rocky platforms and cliffs, to see small colorful fish at low tide.
Getting to Ventanas beach in Guanacaste:
From San José drive north to Puntarenas and then follow the highway to Liberia until you reach Belen. There, turn right and continue on the road until you get to Huacas. Once in Huacas, continue straight ahead following the signs to Las Baulas Marine National Park for 11 km (7 miles) passing through Matapalo, until you get to Ventanas beach. This route requires a total of 4 hours from San José.
From Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR), drive south until you reach Belen. There, turn right and continue on the road until you get to Huacas. Once in Huacas, continue straight ahead following the signs to Las Baulas Marine National Park for 11 km (7 miles) passing through Matapalo, until you get to Ventanas beach.
By bus
Take a bus from the route San Jose – Tamarindo, making the stop at Huacas which takes 4 to 5 hours (Alfaro-Tracopa, 2222-2666). Or you can take a bus from the route San José – Huacas – Flamingo – Brasilito, which takes from 4 to 5 hours (Tralapa, 2221-7202). In both cases you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi from Huacas to Ventanas beach, which takes about 15 minutes. We also recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.
By plane:
You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Tamarindo airport, either with Sansa or Nature Air airlines every day. From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Ventanas beach, which takes about 20 minutes.
