Playa Hermosa
Playa Hermosa
4.5
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The area
Best nearby
Restaurants
132 within 5 kms
Attractions
14 within 10 kms
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- Sara BordenNashville, Tennessee24 contributionsAmazing Sunset Views and Calm AtmosphereWe loved our time on Playa Hermosa. Great snorkeling on the north end of the beach, amazing sunset views, and overall calm and friendly atmosphere. Highly recommend checking out this beach.Visited September 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 17 September 2023
- Sue LHighlands Ranch, Colorado37 contributionsWorth the drive!It is a very beautiful area. The people are extremely friendly. There are a variety of food options for you to choose from. It did rain almost every afternoon while we were there but that was okay because we were prepared. We took a chance and headed to the beach between showers. I was able to capture a few really really great shots of the sunset!Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 2 October 2023
- tkscepCold Spring, Minnesota28 contributionsBeautiful afternoon spent at the beachLoved grabbing beach chairs at Aqua - they just require you order food and drinks. Service and food was excellent and loved having loungers at the beach. Nice quiet vibe and water has gentle waves perfect to cool off.Visited March 2024Travelled with familyWritten 6 March 2024
- marty185Portland, Oregon44 contributionsFamily beach excellencePerfect for a family, or those looking for something quieter than Playas del Coco. Very quick to get to nightlife if you want. A wonderful beach, with good amenities. Great surf for playing in the water. Close to many day trips, great base for exploring Guanacaste.Visited March 2024Travelled with familyWritten 22 March 2024
- Mathiasj20051 contributionsQuiet beach with HOT sandEasy going beach with not much development. Parking isn’t great, we just found a spot on the side of the road. The beach is pretty and water was clear. A few surprising bigger waves but otherwise pretty calm. The sand gets HOT so be sure to bring some water shoes or wear your sandals up to the water. There were folks cooking with wood on the beach so it did smell like a bit of a wildfire. If you are looking for quiet, this was a good place. If you want more around Coco might be a better choice.Visited March 2024Travelled with familyWritten 27 March 2024
- Fernando MAtlanta, Georgia124 contributionsParadise Found at Playa HermosaPlaya Hermosa in Costa Rica is a hidden gem with pristine grey sand beaches and tranquil waters perfect for swimming. The serene environment offers a perfect escape from crowded tourist spots. The area’s natural beauty, lush vegetation, and abundant wildlife create a picturesque setting. Local amenities, provide everything needed for having a more authentic taste of Costa Rica. It's an ideal destination for relaxation and exploration. Highly recommended!Visited December 2023Travelled with familyWritten 30 July 2024
- Carol W20 contributionsBlue Flag Beach BEST OF THE BESTBest volcanic sand beach I’ve ever visited! Beautiful playground, mosaic decorate bins for trash, pristine!This is ah mile long batt with gorgeous landscaping. It shows total pride of CR citizenship in every incredibly groomed aspect.Visited August 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 7 August 2024
- Julian S14 contributionsBeautiful and expensiveThis is a beautiful, serene, and low key place. People are very friendly and laid back. If you are into nightlife, this is not your place, The area is not very walkable so you'll need to rely on ubers, which are scarce after 8pm. Also, be prepared to spend $$$Visited August 2024Travelled with familyWritten 27 August 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
992 reviews
Excellent
587
Very good
270
Average
95
Poor
27
Terrible
13
Jeff F
Calverton, NY174 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
Somewhat of a black/ Brown sandy beach, there is a nice view outside of water in the swimming is OK , not much for snorkeling , be careful because the waters are busy with Jet skis and boats going in and out with no regard for swimmers. There is limited shade and it is somewhat overcrowded with locals .
You can rent a beach chair at Roberto’s for five dollars for the day. Roberto’s and aqua sport are little expensive but nice beachfront restaurants and bars. You are relentlessly approached by locals trying to sell you whistles , coconut water, wooden bowls, jewelry, etc. there are a couple of nice restaurants if you go a block or two of the beach for a local cuisine and fish . We are staying at Hotel Magaby which is nice and clean and secure but I would not go out of my way to come back here too Playa Hermosa again
You can rent a beach chair at Roberto’s for five dollars for the day. Roberto’s and aqua sport are little expensive but nice beachfront restaurants and bars. You are relentlessly approached by locals trying to sell you whistles , coconut water, wooden bowls, jewelry, etc. there are a couple of nice restaurants if you go a block or two of the beach for a local cuisine and fish . We are staying at Hotel Magaby which is nice and clean and secure but I would not go out of my way to come back here too Playa Hermosa again
Written 7 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Monica P
New Delhi, India7 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
Spent 5 days on a beach hotel. The area is very busy with a domestic families on it picnicing with stereos that plays caribian music. Clean beach, sand, not very crowded but we didnt like the noise and there is no shops, resturant area like at Coco beach.
Written 3 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sara Borden
Nashville, TN24 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
We loved our time on Playa Hermosa. Great snorkeling on the north end of the beach, amazing sunset views, and overall calm and friendly atmosphere. Highly recommend checking out this beach.
Written 17 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sue L
Highlands Ranch, CO37 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
It is a very beautiful area. The people are extremely friendly.
There are a variety of food options for you to choose from.
It did rain almost every afternoon while we were there but that was okay because we were prepared.
We took a chance and headed to the beach between showers. I was able to capture a few really really great shots of the sunset!
There are a variety of food options for you to choose from.
It did rain almost every afternoon while we were there but that was okay because we were prepared.
We took a chance and headed to the beach between showers. I was able to capture a few really really great shots of the sunset!
Written 2 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gene N
2 contributions
Dec 2020
This is a great beach for swimming - snorkeling and fishing. I caught a 15 pound Blue Fin Tuna in short time about a half mile off shore...Many family boating business to cater to your water sports desire and friendly bring fresh fruit and drinks for long excursions.
Written 24 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carol D
Fleet, UK19 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
Wide extensive beach with volcanic sand, so on the darker side. The beach is kept tidy, as we witnessed staff collecting the debris and vegetation each day. We loved watching the pelicans diving for the fish. Fantastic how the hotels blend into the environment, rather than stand out. There is a lack of good restaurants if you haven't got a car, our hotel offered a restaurant that was ok (Bosque de la Mer). Aqua was a short walk down the beach and served excellent food and smoothies but I wasn't sure about walking down the beach in the dark. We went to Hotel del Sueno a couple times, the food was outstanding and a few minutes walk just up the road from our hotel.
Written 23 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jan B
Sherwood Park, Canada108 contributions
Sept 2021 • Solo
Was a little disappointed in the beach at Playa Hermosa. From other reviews it is supposed to be beautiful, but out of the 5 beaches I’ve been to in Costa Rica, it was the least pretty one. Lots of debris washed up on shore and it’s narrow so when busy, not much room. Preferred Playas del Coco 10 km away. A few good restaurants- especially Ginger- but not much else except a supermarket. Very busy with locals at the weekend
Written 27 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sam S
9 contributions
Jan 2023
We went on a Sunday afternoon and it was quite busy, didn't feel overcrowded like a California beach but there were lots of tourists and locals hanging out and enjoying the water and views of the landscape. For more views, if you drive around there are many scenic overlooks in the area that make for great photo ops. No shortage of shade, vendors, and restaurants around so you could easily spend all day at the beach.
Written 26 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lantana50
Tucson170 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
Hermosa Beach was beautiful. We were pleased that it was not crowded. The water and beach were clean. A few local vendors were walking around selling jewelry and wood bowls, but this was not a touristy deluge of souvenirs. We were approached by a tour guide on the beach to go snorkeling. We checked the pricing at our hotel which was $400 for four people. The guide on the beach was $150 total. We had a nice 2-hour boat snorkeling tour at sunset.
Written 26 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mathiasj200
51 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
Easy going beach with not much development. Parking isn’t great, we just found a spot on the side of the road. The beach is pretty and water was clear. A few surprising bigger waves but otherwise pretty calm. The sand gets HOT so be sure to bring some water shoes or wear your sandals up to the water. There were folks cooking with wood on the beach so it did smell like a bit of a wildfire.
If you are looking for quiet, this was a good place. If you want more around Coco might be a better choice.
If you are looking for quiet, this was a good place. If you want more around Coco might be a better choice.
Written 27 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Capitan” Adolfo & the Saggitario do you have his contact information? I was given a phone number and it appears to be incorrect
Written 26 November 2023
Just wondering the best way to get from San Jose (airport) to Playa Hermosa. We may look at bus and shuttle options. We know that both go into Playa Del Coco, but do they travel on 10K to Playa Hermosa? Or, do we need to take a taxi from Playa Del CoCo to Playa Hermosa. Thank you in advance for any suggestions.
Written 13 July 2023
There is bus service to Playas del Coco from San Jose. The bus service from Playas del Coco to Playa Hermosa exists but there could be long wait times and irregular scheduling. You may be able to get a shuttle direct from San Jose airport to Playa Hermosa. I recommend joining the Coco Chit Chat group, the people on there would be able to assist you better.
Written 13 July 2023
Do any hotels or resorts offer beach passes or beach access for a fee for the day?
Written 28 August 2022
Hi EWWhite- greetings from southern Collin County. :) I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure that the beaches are public, so no passes will be needed. While we did stay at a beachfront resort hotel, we walked the entire length of Playa Hermosa beach, passing behind other beachfront properties, and were not once asked for a pass or where we were staying. Happy planning!
Written 29 August 2022
Looking for suggestions for transportation from airport to
hotel.
Written 16 February 2020
If you have more than two people and luggage get hold of costours( on facebook) we have used them for five years they will pick you up with a van and deliver you to your hotel.
Written 25 February 2020
GMG
Portland, Oregon
I’ll be staying in Playa Hermosa for 4 nights & want to visit Playas del Coco, Ocotal, and/or Panamà. I’m wondering about transportation. Most economical way, including public transit or a scooter rental, if that’s an option. I also wonder what’s realistic (2 beaches in one day?). I’d rather not rent a car (unless it’s super cheap & necessary), but also don’t want to be navigating & waiting for bus transfers all day. Is 2-3 beaches in 3 days realistic? Lastly, I’m interested in kayak/snorkeling & stand up paddle boarding. Thanks in advance for advice.
Written 2 November 2019
There are buses that run every hour between Liberia and playa Panama at very low cost they also run from Liberia to playa coco and to go from playa Hermosa to coco you have to change buses at the turnoff to plays Hermosa.
Written 26 February 2020
Hi, Forster. What would you like to know about this attraction? Hello! Are there any coral reefs close by the Bays? Are kayaks available from
beach vendors to rent by the hour? Thanks
Written 14 March 2019
I can suggest you to rent kayaks from Adolfo. He is a guy that owns a boat and rents kayaks and snorkels. He can transport you near an island where you can snorkel. Try it.
Written 17 March 2019
I read that no chairs or loungers are available to rent on the beach. Is there any store selling beach chairs in Playa Hermosa?
Written 13 May 2018
We used the lounge chairs on the beach from some of the restaurants. As long as you order food and/ or drinks, they are free of charge. We used 6 of them for an entire day and it was not a problem.
Written 13 May 2018
We are booked for some tours with private tour guide Her son @spanglish tours. would like to know if he is known in the area and reputable tour company?
Written 23 January 2018
Sorry, I haven’t heard of them.
Written 23 January 2018
In May, the waves were not high enough to surf.
Written 13 May 2018
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