About Nosara

Nosara is on the Nicoya Peninsula, part of Guanacaste Province, on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. We are approximately 2 1/2 hours drive from Liberia International airport, the last hour being dirt road. Nosara is known for its relative remoteness, with no large hotel chains. The small hotels in Nosara Beach are diverse and unique, each with its own hospitality and atmosphere. The beaches of Nosara are made up of three beaches, Guiones, Pelada and Nosara, and are all part of the protected areas within the Ostional Wildlife Refuge.

Playa Guiones

Playa Guiones is a long stretch of white beach just 300 meters from the Gilded Iguana Hotel. It has received the Blue Flag of Ecology. The first 200 meters of shoreline is protected zone and is covered in trees and marsh grasses to the dunes or berm.. Our hotel guests enjoy a natural beach without the construction of homes and hotels right at the waterfront. Guiones Beach is popular with surfers because it has consistent breaks all along the beach. The tides fluctuate just less than 3 meters, or 10 feet. Most of the restaurants and bars are found tucked away in the jungle behind this beach.

Playa Pelada is the beach to the north of Guiones, with light sand interrupted by several rocky outcrops, where you can walk out and stand in the sea spray, or sit in the hollowed out caves and listen to the mesmerizing echo of the sea. Several fishermen launch from Pelada Beach in small boats called pangas.

Playa Nosara is a black beach, at the estuary of the Rio Nosara, on the north side of Playa Pelada. The black sand is a result of the surrounding rocks, which are dark colored, ancient volcanic rocks.

Playa Ostional

Playa Ostional is famous as a wildlife refuge for nesting Olive Ridley sea turtles. During the arribadas, or mass egg-laying periods, thousands of turtles can be found in a maternal trance, digging their nest. Ostional can only be reached by crossing the Nosara River and the Rio Montaña. This can be easily done in a 4WD car in dry season, but a horse or ATV (quad) is the only way to get there when the river is up in wet season..

The Gilded Iguana Hotel in Nosara is located at Playa Guiones. If you arrive at the Liberia International airport, Nosara is
about 2 1/2 hours drive. If you arrive at the international airport in San Jose, it is approximately five hours drive. You can rent a car and drive yourself, or we can arrange a taxi to pick you up for about $200. If your flight arrives early enough, you can take the short 45 minute direct fight from San Jose to Nosara. To book flights or rentals cars, you can contact info@nosaratravel.com, or ask us to arrange it for you.

High-Season is the dry season, from December-April, when we have almost no rain. Many of Nosara's part-time expat residents live here during this season. This is considered summer here, and the temperatures in the dry season range from the upper 80s to low 90s, or low to mid 30s Celsius.
In the green season, we have very heavy rains in September and October only. The rest of the Green Season has sunny days with short afternoon rains from May through August. Many people are starting to prefer the green season here in Nosara as the landscape is lush and green, and the beaches are less crowded.

Nosara is home to the Nosara Yoga Institute, only a 20 minute walk or a short bike ride away, where anyone can take classes. Schedules are made monthly and are available online.

Links:

surfingnosara.com Up to date surf blogs, daily photos of Guiones surfing.

cflsurf.com A great site for more information on Nosara, hosted by a long time, repeat visitor to Nosara.

visitnosara.com Another informative site to help you learn everything you need to know before arriving.

thefrogpad.com Board rentals, lessons, snorkel gear, bikes, dvd's, books... everything you need for adventure and entertainment.

villatortuganosara.com Villas located across the street from us, for guests looking for accommodation with kitchen.

jetblue airlines For our JaxBeach customers, fill out this survey to get JetBlue to fly Jax-Liberia direct!