CocoGuanacaste.com
Discover Playas del Coco and Beyond
Your gateway to Coco, Papagayo, and coastal adventure.
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste Photo: Joshua ten Brink / WildPhotography.com
Playas del Coco is a beach town on a sheltered bay in Guanacaste, on Costa Rica's North Pacific coast. It makes an easy base for couples, families and first-time visitors who want a sheltered bay, boat trips and quieter beaches nearby. Guanacaste Airport (LIR) near Liberia is close by, so your first swim can come on arrival day.
Explore Coco
Coco grew up as a fishing village, and the sea still shapes daily life. The grayish beach runs for almost three kilometers around the bay. Near the sand you'll find restaurants, small hotels, tour agencies and transport services, all within walking distance of each other.
Get to know Playas del Coco, from the beach and the town layout to what to order for dinner.
Nearby Beaches
Each beach near Coco has its own character:
- Playa Ocotal: a small cove southwest of town, with low waves and hill views over the Gulf of Papagayo.
- Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste: a long, quiet beach with palm shade, just north of Coco. It is not the beach of the same name near Jacó.
- Playa Panamá: a wide bay with a low swell, shade trees and a small mangrove.
- Papagayo Peninsula: white-sand coves and resorts across Culebra Bay, several reached by long stairways or by boat.
Where to Stay
Pick your area first, then your style of stay. Coco puts restaurants and boat departures on your doorstep. Ocotal and Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste are quieter. Playa Panamá and Papagayo lean toward resorts.
Find Your Stay with our area-by-area comparison.
Things to Do
The water is the main draw. Snorkel a sheltered cove, visit dive sites where manta rays and bull sharks can be seen in season, sail at sunset or head out on a fishing trip. On land, you can explore dry forest, hot springs and history in Guanacaste's national parks.
Plan Your Trip
You can fly into Liberia or San José, then choose a shuttle, an authorized taxi, a bus or a rental car. Plan Your Visit with routes and options from both airports.
The dry season runs from about mid-November to mid-May, with strong winds mainly from December to March. The green season brings rain that comes and goes. Read about when to visit and what to pack.
Longer Stays
Thinking about a month or a season by the beach? Coco has grocery stores, banks and rentals with kitchens, and its center is easy to get around on foot. Read about staying longer in Coco, from housing and internet to the entry rules to confirm first.