Flamingo Beach is one of our favorite beaches and lies on the west side of Flamingo town. It gets its name from the slightly pink-white sand. It is a little over 1km long, is fairly flat, uninterrupted and for the most part is calm. You get a great view of Las Catalinas Islands from here and the sunsets can be amazing. This beautiful beach is surprisingly quiet early mornings and weekdays, but beware of weekends and public holidays as it can quickly become crowded. Coco-Loco, one of the most popular restaurants in the area, sits closer to the south side of the beach and is right on sand. Best experienced late afternoon and at dinner time, get there early for a front row view of the sunset. There are two accommodation options on Flamingo Beach. Margaritaville on the North point and The Palms Residence on the South point. The North and South ridges are littered with luxury rental homes and condos.
Potrero Beach also lies in Flamingo and is often mistaken for Flamingo Beach as it is home to the new Flamingo Marina Development and the first beach you see when entering the area. Potrero Beach is a Dark Grey Volcanic Beach and on the left side close to Marina it is littered with Fishing Boats, Catamaran's and Dive Boats. The majority of the beach and to the right is sparse with a few Residences, Hotels and Restaurants fringing the back of the beach. The most popular facility on this beach is the Costa Rica Sailing Center & Hemingway's Restaurant. Here you can rent Paddle Boards, Kayaks, various sail boats and they offer sailing lessons and have a large fun group of members. This is also the focal point of Potrero's social and Live Music scene. If you are looking for a quiet local dining experience, then you should check outEstero Azul closer to the boat mooring area. We highly recommend this hidden gem during the day. You will only find local food and drinks here.
Good for Boogie Boarding but take your own as there are no Surfing Rentals on this beach.
Playa Penca is another one of our favorite beaches in the area and it’s amazing how different the beaches are in Costa Rica. Playa Potrero just next door is not considered an attractive beach but Penca is a beautiful Blonde beach, hidden and does not get busy. Iy is a great escape not too far off the beaten path. Penca is not a long beach but it has such charm and has a great view. Penca also connects to Playa Prieta , another hidden gem making a beach way a good distance when you combine the two.
To get to Playa Prieta, you need to trek through the trees at the North end by the Estuary for just a few minutes and hang a left when you get out of the trees by Villas Estival.
There are currently no services on Penca but there will be a very small and quaint outlet opening soon. Be sure to go with what you need.
Good for Boogie Boarding but take your own as there are no Surfing Rentals on this beach.
Conchal Beach or Shell Beach in English, is one of the most underestimated and missed out beaches in the area, and is another favorite of ours. It is mainly white in appearance and gets its name from the tiny white Seashells it is made up of. For a stunning beach, it is much less frequented and mainly due to the park and walk access from the Brasilito side, but it is getting busier down that side as it is the beach for the all-inclusive Westin - Reserva Conchal and the luxurious W - Reserva Conchal. We do, however, have a secret for you. If you access Conchal Beach via Matapalo, this will bring you to the far left of the beach to what is known as Puerto Viejo or Old Port. This name comes from Pirating days when Pirate ships would enter the bay and hide from the open sea. There is plenty of parking right at the beach and a small old local Restaurant & Bar called El Ecanto, nothing fancy but you can eat and drink. To get the best of Conchal Beach, walk to the middle where there is a Mangrove Estuary on the back of the beach, this is by far the most scenic and quiet area. If you are into snorkeling, take snorkeling gear! This is probably the only beach worth snorkeling in this area. Far right by the rocky outcrops is the clearest and most active, we have even seen Eagle Rays there in very shallow water. Avoid weekends and national holidays.
Good for Boogie Boarding but take your own as there are no Surfing Rentals on this beach.
