Five days on the Pacific coast
Where to stay, where to eat, and exactly where to be when the sun goes down.
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[Opening hook, one or two lines from the episode: where you were standing, what the air smelled like, the moment the light turned.]
Costa Rica's Pacific side is built for sunsets. The coast faces west, the sun drops into the ocean almost every evening of the year, and towns like Tamarindo, Nosara and Sámara plan their whole day around it. This five-day route keeps the drives short, mixes one busy surf town with two quieter ones, and gets you to a good seat before the sun goes down every night.
[Watch Ep. 01 on YouTube · @LocalSunsetTV]Day 1: Land in Liberia, sunset in Tamarindo
Pick up the car at Liberia and head southwest. You'll be in Tamarindo in about an hour, so there's time to drop your bags and walk the beach before dinner. Tamarindo is the busiest town on this route, and that's the point of starting here: easy food, easy surf schools, and a long beach that faces straight into the sunset.
For the first sunset, walk south along the sand toward the estuary end of the beach and find a spot about 30 minutes before the sun goes down.
Day 2: Surf lesson in the morning, sail at night
Tamarindo's waves are mellow and sandy-bottomed, which makes it one of the best places in the country to learn. Book a morning lesson, when the wind is lighter, and spend the afternoon in the shade.
In the late afternoon, take a sunset catamaran out of Tamarindo or nearby Flamingo. Most leave around [2:00 to 3:00 PM] and include snorkeling, a swim stop and drinks on the way back as the sun goes down. See Do this for the ones worth booking.
"[A line from the episode worth pulling out.]"
Day 3: Down the coast to Nosara
The drive south to Nosara takes about two hours, and the last stretch is gravel, so take it slow. Nosara is the opposite of Tamarindo: no high-rises, jungle right down to the sand, and a town built around surfing and yoga. Playa Guiones is the main beach, a long, wide stretch with good waves for every level.
At sunset, Guiones fills with people walking down the sand paths to watch. Join them.
Day 4: Slow day in Nosara
Surf early, take a yoga class, or just sit at a café until the heat breaks. If you're there during nesting season, ask a local guide about the sea turtle arrivals at Ostional, just north of town. Visits there are guided only and the timing depends on the turtles, so plan around them, not the other way around.
Day 5: Sámara, then home
Sámara is about 45 minutes south on a paved road, and it's the calmest water on this route: a protected bay that's good for swimming and paddleboarding. Spend the morning there, then drive back to Liberia (about two and a half hours) for an evening flight, or stay one more night and catch the sunset from the beach.
Where to stay
[One honest line: what makes it worth booking, and the one thing to know before you do.]
Where to eat
- 01 · Breakfast · $[Café name]
Order [this]. Go before 9 and sit outside.
- 02 · Lunch · $$[Soda name]
A soda is a small, family-run Costa Rican lunch spot. Order the casado: rice, beans, salad, plantains and a choice of fish, chicken or beef, usually for under $[10].
- 03 · Sunset dinner · $$$[Restaurant name]
Book a table facing west for about 30 minutes before sunset.
Do this
Sail up the coast, stop to snorkel and swim, and turn back as the sky starts to change. Ask for the afternoon departure and sit on the net at the front.