Dominical Costa Rica Beaches

Surf, fish, pick shells, suntan, swim, read, relax

The Beaches
The Dominical area, from Playa Guapil to the north to Punta Ventanas to the south, provides a stretch of pristine beaches, each unique in its own way, for you to explore. You can swim or wade in the surf, stroll on golden sands, kayak through caves, enjoy a picnic under the shade of coconut palms, or watch the pelicans and water fowl that inhabit the shorelines. If you are planning to surf or take up surfing lessons in Costa Rica, head to Dominical's main beach, Playa Dominical, one of Costa Rica's most popular surf beaches, where you will be joined by surfers from around the world.

Dominical Beach
Long well known as a surfers’ beach, Playa Dominical has its tranquil moments for those seeking solitude and reflections. The southern end of the mile-long beach offers a peaceful ambiance. Strolling towards the middle stretch and further north, one encounters surfers from all over the world, as well as locals who call “Tortilla Flats’ home, an area encompassing a quaint mix of hostels, shops, restaurants, bars, water sports kiosks and internet cafes. Predictably, the atmosphere around Tortilla Flats can be extremely animated during special surfing events and tournaments. For visitors these occasions offer a unique cultural experience and an opportunity to mingle. Surfing lessons, wear and gear are all readily available on Dominical beach.

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Dominicalito Beach
South of Dominical and a stone’s throw from the Costanera highway, Playa Dominicalito is a scenic beach with interesting rock formations at both ends of the 2km stretch. The beach is bordered by the Costa Paraiso Lodge to the north, where one finds a small cove and a natural ‘pool’ surrounded by rocky outcrops, and Punta Dominical to the south, where the ‘Parcela’ restaurant presides. The sunset on Playa Dominicalito is known to take one’s breath away by the sheer intensity of colors. This is an ‘any day’ beach without much variation in human traffic.

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Playa San Martin
The short trail to Playa San Martin from the main road is situated next to a large private gated garden compound - the beach signage can be easy to miss. The beach is at the end of a sharply descending footpath, Tiny by comparison, San Martin beach is in a world of its own in a small hidden cove, perfect for solitude and privacy.

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Puerto Nuevo Beach
One of the most attractive beaches along the southern coast, Playa Puerto Nuevo has firm and powdery sand which makes it a perfect strolling or jogging beach. The beach is mostly deserted except on Sunday and holidays, when it transforms itself into a bustling playground for local residents and visitors. The golden hour leading to sunset, with its gentle surfs and a flat wide beach, this beach truly fulfills anyone’s dream of a tropical paradise.

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Playa Hermosa
Wild and beautiful, Playa Hermosa stretches for miles. The northern end of the beach is a little pebbly, and is popular with beginner-surfers. Further south, the beach becomes flat and sandy and one can enjoy a peaceful stroll often without another soul in sight. The beach is easily accessed by vehicles at the northern tip. Further south, from the main sign-posted entrance, the 10-minute footpath treks alongside plantations and through thin bushes.

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Playa Uvita
Playa Uvita is especially well-known for its ‘whale tail’ formation at the northern end of the beach, a kilometer-long sand bar with gently lapping waves on both sides, leading to an impressive sprawl of layered coral rocks at the fin of the tail. The sand bar is best accessed during low tide when it transforms into a scenic walkway, with the long sweep of Hermosa Beach on one side and Uvita Beach on the other.

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Colonia Beach
Playa Colonia is a local ‘Picnic’ beach with stone picnic tables and chairs lining the beachfront in both directions from the national park’s gate. On Sundays and holidays one can expect a vibrant scene with large Costa Rican families gathering here for day-long revelries, bringing music, food and toys for kids. The park gate is manned on Sundays and festive days and there is a charge of 600 Colones per person for residents and US$6.00 per person for tourists. The shower facility here although basic is an advantage.

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Playa Arco
One of the most isolated beaches along the south coast, Playa Arco is also one of the most spectacular. With no motor road access at all, the beach is a stunning sight of ‘rainforest meets the sea’. Near perpendicular cliff faces of hundreds of meters high tower over a wide, flat, sandy beach, giving beachcombers a one-of-a-kind experience. Arco beach can only be accessed via a short trail over a small headland at the northern end of Playa Ballena, and is best enjoyed one hour before and after low tide. Park tickets need to be purchased at the Playa Ballena entrance; for precaution, inform the ticketing staff of your intention to hike over to Arco beach so that they can verify the tide conditions and advise you of any time constraint for returning safely.

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Playa Ballena
Playa Ballena teems with wildlife, from the hundreds of species of birds to the lone cow who drops in for a slurp from the fresh water stream that trickles out to sea. Many park wardens are staff-quartered along this beach and the park entrance gate here is always manned. The charge is 600 Colones for locals and 6 US dollars for tourists. There are outdoor showers, picnic tables and recycle trash bins. The beach has light-beige powdery sand which is especially enjoyable for strollers during low tides.

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Playa Pinuela
Playa Pinuela is a well-maintained small beach at the southern edge of the Ballena National Marine Park. From the beach one can enjoy a clear view of the ‘Three Sisters’ rocks in short distance, with the larger ‘Ballena’ rock further in the background. The beach is generally calm and gentle, making it a popular shelter and landing point for local fishermen as well as fishing excursions. On Sundays and holidays (or whenever the park gate is manned), a park fee of 600 Colones per person for locals or US$6.00 for tourists is charged.

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Playa Ventanas
Playa Ventanas is home to a famous ‘Blow Hole’ that attracts even non-beach-goers. The blow hole is a semi-submerged tunnel where at high tide, the sheer force of water surging through the tunnel creates an impressive spectacle, and at low tide, swimmers enjoy the thrill of exploring it. A local family who lives onsite offers guarded parking on their compound for a small fee; from there it is a 2-minute walk to the beach. Playa Ventanas is a popular ‘picnic’ beach that does get crowded on Sundays and holidays. Locals regard this beach as a safe swimming beach, which makes it extremely popular.

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Playa Guapil
About 15 minutes from Dominical on the road north to Quepos, Manuel Antonio and Jaco is a hidden gem called Playa Guapil, a long and deserted beach with plenty of shade and walking trails; you can even stroll your way through a vast coconut plantation and a bygone seaside village. A sandy trail which runs parallel to the beach connects Playa Guapil to Playa Baru. It is possible to walk south from Playa Guapil to Playa Baru and all the way to the mouth of the Baru River (20-30 minutes), where you will stand just a stream apart from the fishermen and surfers in the height of their game at the northern end of Playa Dominical. The entrance to Playa Guapil is not well marked but passerby's in the area can easily point the way.

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Playa Baru
Playa Baru shares the same entry road with the famed Hacienda Baru Wildlife Refuge. Instead of turning left into Hacienda Baru, proceed on the same track straight ahead for another 0.5 km. Like Playa Guapil, this area is mostly deserted except on Sundays and holidays. There are signs all along this beach warning of strong currents and riptides so swimming is not recommended.

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