While you’re social distancing at home these days, you may be dreaming of Costa Rica travels. One spectacular area you should do your research on and consider exploring is the Nicoya Peninsula.
The Nicoya Peninsula is one of the best off-the-beaten-path destinations in Costa Rica. Taking the time to go there is worth your while from the prolonged dry season to stunning jungles, secluded world-class surf beaches, bohemian towns, international cuisine, and breathtaking waterfalls.
Located in Costa Rica’s Blue Zone, Tambor beach is a ‘must experience’ destination. Staying at the Tango Mar will allow you to cocoon yourself into a long stretch of private beach on 150 acres of exclusive grounds designed to pamper and spoil your body and soul while being able to take advantage of amazing day excursions to Montezuma, Mal Pais, and Santa Teresa.
To get to the Nicoya Peninsula you can either fly in a small plane from San Jose to the nearby tiny airstrip of Tambor or rent a car at the airport and drive south from Liberia along the Peninsula or North from San Jose and take the ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera.
Taking the ferry will save on driving time, is a beautiful 70-minute ferry ride, and you can book your tickets in advance online. If you rent a car, an SUV is recommended as many of the roads on the Nicoya Peninsula are dirt or loose gravel and when it rains it can get quite muddy. To get to Tango Mar is a beautiful and easy 45-minute scenic drive up the Peninsula.
Daily excursions from the Tango Mar will not disappoint you. You can start with a trip to Cocalito Waterfall, which drops right into the ocean and a short 10-minute walk from Cocalito Beach. If you are not at Tango Mar to golf, spa or surf, you can arrange to boat out to Tortuga Island to snorkel or horseback ride along the beach.
Montezuma is located on the most southern tip of the Peninsula and is a short 25-minute drive from Tango Mar. This chilled out little town will introduce you to the local bohemian-like pace of life where you can sample amazing international cuisine, stroll lazily in the sand and see some of the best waterfalls in Costa Rica. Make sure to take a break from the beach and feed your adventurous side by overlooking a stunning 80-foot waterfall off of a hanging bridge.
Santa Teresa is another very relaxed small town on the southern part of the Peninsula famous for world-class surfing waves. If you are a novice surfer there are exceptional surf schools. A short distance from Santa Teresa is Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve, where you can see monkeys, butterflies, and sloths. You can also go zip-lining or book a canopy tour to get a bird’s eye view of the breathtaking nature on the Peninsula. Mal Pais is a small fishing town also near Cabo Blanco reserve that is worth exploring. You can paddleboard if surfing is not your vibe, take a yoga class or peruse for celebrities that choose this secluded Peninsula for their vacation destination.
The coronavirus pandemic won’t keep us home forever. Start planning your Costa Rica getaway now; the Nicoya Peninsula is waiting for you!