Costa Rica — Exploring the Playa’s (Part Six)

Playa Hermosa

On our way to Playa Espadilla Norte, we visited Playa Hermosa. It is a small surf town, approximately 15 minutes from Jaco, with several local restaurants and places to have a beer while watching the waves. Playa Hermosa is best known for the long stretches of black sand beaches and large surf break. While driving the extended coast line, there were several places to park on the beach underneath the trees without any other person in view. If you’re looking for a place to unwind and get away from the Jaco tourist crowds, this is a great place to escape too. 

Playa Espadilla Norte (Manuel Antonio Park)

We tried to buy passes to enter into Manuel Antonio Park, but did not realize you had to plan ahead about a week to purchase tickets on a particular day. The next best thing was visiting Playa Espadilla Norte which is about an hour to hour and a half drive south of Jaco. My wife and I briefly researched the location and were advised via online sources to be aware of scammers positioned outside of Manuel Antonio Park. For reference, these sources were exactly right. Upon my arrival in the area, I was accosted in the roadway by men purporting to be “officials” and trying to stop my car to have me pay parking and/or entrance fees. All of these people were scammers and I eventually was able to navigate my way to a secluded parking area where I paid a small fee to park near the entrance to Playa Espadilla Norte. It is hard to describe the beauty I witnessed. Densely forested rocky islands dotted the horizon, a white sand beach stretched in either direction bordered by jungle, and tranquil waves lapped the shoreline. I thought Jaco and Turks and Caicos were the epitome of paradise; however, this beach was comparable in beauty, scope, accessibility, and relaxation. 

We set up camp at several tables with lounge chairs at the Karahe Beach Club Restaurant located right on the beach. The only requirement for using the restaurants chairs and tables was we had to order $20.00 worth of food and drinks per person. This threshold was easily met as we played, relaxed, body surfed, swam, and received mild sunburns.