Herradura, Jacó, Puntarenas 61101, Costa Rica
825,380.7 Sq.M.
Playa Flamingo, Cabo Velas, Guanacaste 50308, Costa Rica
Las Catalinas, Cabo Velas, Santa Cruz, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, Santa Cruz 50304, Costa Rica
8 BD | 10 BA | 11,700.32 Sq.Ft.
Hacienda Pinilla, Tamarindo, Santa Cruz, Guanacaste 50309, Costa Rica
6 BD | 6 BA | 650 Sq.M.
Punta Penca, Las Catalinas, Guanacaste 50304, Costa Rica
7 BD | 7 BA | 857 Sq.M.
Playa Potrero, Tempate, Santa Cruz, Guanacaste 50304, Costa Rica
28,976.33 Sq.Ft.
A protected surf beach across the estuary from Tamarindo.
Playa Grande is a long, open beach just north of Tamarindo, separated from it by the Tamarindo estuary. The beach lies within Las Baulas Marine National Park, created in 1991 to protect one of the most important leatherback sea turtle nesting sites in the eastern Pacific. That protection shapes the community: there is no development on the sand, and homes sit back behind the dunes and trees.
Behind the beach, the community spreads through Playa Grande and the neighboring Las Ventanas area, with beach homes, ocean-view homes in the hills, small hotels, and restaurants along the access road.
Playa Grande offers something uncommon on this coast: a protected beach with Tamarindo’s services within sight. The beach stays largely as nature left it, with surf most days and long stretches of open sand. Tamarindo’s restaurants and shops are five minutes away by boat across the estuary, while the 40-minute road trip keeps Tamarindo’s traffic and crowds on the other side. Buyers here are surfers, nature-minded owners, and families who want a quieter base with the region’s busiest town close at hand.
Surf. A consistent beach break along the length of Playa Grande, with the estuary mouth at its southern end.
Las Baulas Marine National Park. Protects Playa Grande, Playa Ventanas, Playa Carbón, and Playa Langosta, along with the mangroves of the Tamarindo estuary, and is listed as a Ramsar wetland of international importance. Guided leatherback tours run from the park station at Playa Grande during the nesting season, roughly October through March.
Tamarindo estuary. Mangroves for kayaking and birdwatching, and a five-minute boat crossing to Tamarindo.
Las Ventanas. The residential area at the north end, with ocean-view homes in the hills above Playa Ventanas.
Climate. Nearly all rain falls between May and November; December through April is dry.
Property includes homes a short walk from the beach, ocean-view homes and lots in the hills around Las Ventanas, larger acreage inland, vacation rentals, and small hotels.
Playa Grande has some of the most specific land rules on the coast. Parts of the land behind the beach fall within or border the national park, and building, lighting, and beach use near the nesting beach are regulated. Beachfront and near-beach parcels also fall under the Maritime Zone. Title status, park boundaries, and permitted use are confirmed parcel by parcel. KRAIN works through each of these with the buyer and their attorney.
Playa Grande is about 63 kilometers, roughly an hour, from Liberia International Airport (LIR) via Huacas and Matapalo. Tamarindo is a five-minute boat ride across the estuary or about 40 minutes by road. Huacas is about 15 minutes away, and Brasilito and Flamingo are 25 to 30 minutes.
KRAIN’s Tamarindo office, across the estuary, represents buyers and sellers in Playa Grande and Las Ventanas. Contact KRAIN to discuss properties here.
Our full Playa Grande buyer’s guide covers current listings and buying near the park.
