Why Nosara belongs on your itinerary
Nosara made a decision decades ago that no other beach town made: nothing gets built on the beach. The result is Playa Guiones — five kilometers of jungle-backed sand with some of the most consistent learner-to-longboard surf in the world — and a town in the trees behind it that became the wellness capital of Central America without turning into a theme park. Twenty minutes north, Ostional hosts one of nature's genuine spectacles: the arribada, when tens of thousands of olive ridley turtles storm the beach at once.
What to do in Nosara
- Surf Guiones — mellow, consistent, warm; the reason half the town moved here. Board rental and coaching everywhere.
- The Ostional arribada — monthly mass nesting around the new moon, biggest Aug–Nov. Our 3-day Nosara & Ostional package is timed to it.
- Yoga at the institutes — drop-in classes at world-class studios; this is where teachers train.
- Río Nosara mangrove kayak — herons, caimans and the jungle side of town.
- Playa Pelada sunsets — the locals' cove, tide pools and a blowhole included.
Getting there
Fly (Nosara has its own airstrip, 45 minutes from SJO) or drive about 5 hours, the last stretch on honest Guanacaste dirt. Like Santa Teresa, this is a place we usually package — our Nosara trip includes the transport chain, or ask us to quote a private transfer.
Best time to visit
Surf and sun: December–April. Arribadas: strongest August–November, always clustered around the new moon — give us flexible dates and we aim your nights at the forecast window. Green season mornings are glassy and the town breathes easier.
Where to stay
Guiones is split by walking "sections" (K, L, M...) rather than streets — stay anywhere within ten minutes of the beach path and you have it all. Pelada for quiet, town center doesn't really exist, and that's the charm. Book early: Nosara has strict growth limits and beds sell out.
Insider tips
- Arribada forecasting is real: locals predict the wave days ahead from moon and tide. We watch it for you.
- No beachfront buildings means no beachfront restaurants — pack water and shade for long beach days.
- The dirt roads eat rental cars in rainy season; ATVs and the airstrip exist for a reason.
- Respect turtle protocol at Ostional: licensed local guides only, red lights, no flash. The community runs it and runs it well.
Nosara — questions we get every week
What is an arribada exactly?
A synchronized mass nesting: thousands to over a hundred thousand olive ridley turtles arriving on one beach over a few nights around the new moon. Ostional is one of only a handful of beaches on Earth where it happens — and the only one this accessible.
Nosara or Santa Teresa?
Similar spirit, different flavor: Nosara is quieter, more wellness-and-family, with the turtle phenomenon next door; Santa Teresa has more food-and-social energy. Surfers argue about the waves forever, which means both are great.
Can we see turtles outside arribada nights?
Yes — solitary nesting happens most nights in season, and hatchling releases at dawn are common Sept–Jan. The mass arribada is the jackpot, but Ostional rarely sends anyone home empty.