Nosara-Punta Guiones Information
This area is one of Costa Rica's
best protected regions, more than two thirds of the beaches
have been designated wildlife reserves, which translates into the
cleanest, most unspoiled beaches for you, and best of all:
very limited development, giving its visitors a sense of pristine
privacy. Come discover Costa Rica's best secret and see why others
have quietly return time and again to its breathtaking beauty.
Located in Costa Rica's beautiful Guanacaste province, in the
Nicoya Peninsula, Nosara/Punta Guines is famous for its clear skies and phenomenal weather.
Constant sea breezes cool the landscape and legendary sunsets will
enchanted you. A little bit farther than other, more developed,
Costa Rica's coastal towns, Nosara/Punta Guiones pristine beauty
will capture you the moment you arrive and reward your extra effort
with its incomparable magic.
Pristine, unspoiled, tropical beauty is what
best describes Nosara/Guines Beach. Imagine miles upon miles of
spectacular beaches. This is where the very best of Costa Rica
comes alive: stunning sunsets, one of the largest nesting grounds
in the world for the Olive Ridley turtle, the sunniest skies in
the country, birds, iguanas, monkeys, a naturalist's haven.
Explore
on the jungle trails, surf in any of several world class breaks,
swim in gentle coves, comb the beach for an infinite variety
of shells, play in fisherman's paradise, relax in a hammock surrounded
by tropical jungle where monkeys play in the trees and parrots,
toucans, wild orchids, bromeliads and other exotic plants and
wildlife abound. Although Costa Rica has never been associated
with having significant native culture presence (like its neighbors
to the North) there's sufficient and compelling evidence of the
existence of a firmly established culture in the region, especially
in the Pacific northwest area now know as Guanacaste. Nosara
was no exception, and many of the villagers today bear strong
resemblance to the indigenous "Chorotega" tribe that
once lived in the area.
Nosara/Guiones
Beach is rich with archeological history although no major sites
exist. It is not uncommon for landowners to find vestiges of
these ancient cultures, buried in the soil, while building or
planting crops. It is clear however that the area in Nosara was
at best sparsely populated and real settlement took place well
after the Spanish conquest.The lack of readily available slave
labor, along with the native people's unwillingness to be subjected
to bondage formed the roots of the present egalitarian conditions
enjoyed by all Costa Ricans.
The Nosara village is located approximatly 100 miles Northwest of the capital city San Jose where the majority of the international flights arrive. From the airport it should be nearly a 4 to 5 hour drive on a rental car or you can also fly with a local airline to Nosara airport on a short flight duration of 35 minutes and then make a 20 minute drive to my house.
There is the alternative of flying to Liberia international airport located in the heart of the Guanacaste peninsula close to all of the pacific area beaches and from there it is a 2 hour drive to my house.
Car rentals are available in any of the 2 international airports or at the local Nosara airport and it is advisable to get an SUV as 90% of the road is paved if coming from San Jose or Liberia but last section of about 17 km is on gravel and in our winter time it gets a little rough . Besides that you will probably want to visit other close beach areas wich will require an AWD vehicle.
However it is not imperative to rent a car if you fly into Nosara as you can take a taxi to my house and many services as grocery suplying can be delivered by a local mini supermarket.
Just a reminder that since Costa Rica is relative close to the ecuatorial line our weather seasons are only two. Summer from end November thru beginning of April and rest of the year is Winter. This last season has the particularity of maintaining the same temperature of about 24 C degrees, sames as summer and only differes of getting lots of rain usually from mid day on.
The room and bed distribution is as follows:
- Main room has a king bed and its private bathroom
- second room has 3 bunker beds and its private bathroom and yes two of the bed can be arranged together to obtain a queen couple bed.
- third room has 2 bunker beds and 2 more single that can also be positioned together for a couple.
- there is a mezannine with 4 extra single beds where kids love to sleep.
The design and position of the rooms and also the open dining/ranch room permits a very nice permanent sea breeze. There are also plenty fans for guests convinience.
As offered in the web site and included in the price it is the service of a Cook that will be good for breakfast and lunch . Her working hours are from 6.30am thru 3.00 pm. Also included is a handy man that besides doing all the house maintainance, will serve you in any way, including staying for security if you decide to go out any night.
It is known as Nosara beach and also as Punta Guiones beach. Total length is close to 6 km ( about 3.75 miles). It is a protected area by the government because of its biological conditions principally because the turtles that lay their eggs there frecuently. For this reason there have been NO house or other construction permits since many years ago in the first 200 meters from ocean to land . The exception to the rule are the 10 houses of the south bound that were constructed before the edict.
My house has that particular benefit and is the only one in that condition available for rent.
The rocky formation right at front of the house incentives the formation of incredible nice waves at full tide for great surfing. However, surfing on low tide is also possible at the other end of the beach ( northbound) and can be reached on a 30 minutes walking or a 10 minutes driving by the public road.
Nosara has a number of beaches providing a wide array of characteristics.
Playa Guiones is the principal and the longest (7km) with
white sand and rolling surf. Its incorporation into the Ostional
Wildlife Refuge giges its pristine condition as development has
been strictly limited.
Playa Garza is protected by a reef line approximately
a kilometer out to sea, and is the ideal place to launch your sport
fishing adventures. This sleepy village located at the edge is
not unlike the idyllic settings made famous by travel and adventure
writers throughout history.
Playa Pelada's beautiful crescent shaped beach
is fringed by luxuriant vegetation providing welcome shade. Wandering
the beach you will discover natural caves, a blow hole, surf fishing,
and local fisherman who will take you to see dolphins or turtles.
Playa Nosara lies at the delta where the Rio
Nosara and the Rio Montana meet. It offers the greatest diversity
of flora and fauna. Explore the river via canoe or kayak and find
out why Costa Rica has been designated one of the most biologically
intense places in the world. This black sand beach is also a favorite
place for local fishermen using hand lines to haul in precious
snook from the nearby lagoon.
Ostional, the beach adjacent to Playa Nosara
is another black sand beach which happens to be one of the world's
largest nestling grounds of the Olive Ridley turtle. Approximately
once a month you can witness one of the most stunning displays
of Mother Nature beauty. The nestling, locally referred to as
the "arribada",
often involves hundreds and sometimes thousands of turtles who
swarm ashore lo lay their eggs.
Surfing - Nosara and Guiones Beach offers you
world class surfing with the country's most consistent breaks.
Famous around the world for its consistency and year 'round pristine
warm waters, Nosara and Guiones Beach have become a popular surfing
destination. Kilometers of beach break, with a number of peaks
insure that the crowds are never a problem.
This is the perfect longboard/shortboard wave with plenty of medium
size (playful overhead to exciting double overhead) surf. Perhaps
the most consistent spot on the coast, Nosara and Guiones Beach
deliver waves 95+ percent of the time, and often while the rest
of the coast is flat, Nosara and Guiones Beach are still pushing
through some fun sets.
Horse Back Riding - How many times have you pictured
yourself galloping a horse along the beach? Here, you can do it
every day! Hit the trails to waterfalls, jungle, and return along
the shores. This is a favorite activity of most visitors so be
sure not to miss it.
Sport fishing - No area in the world offers better
sport fishing than Costa Rica's Pacific Northwest. Monster blue,
black and striped Marlin, Sailfish, Tuna, Wahoo, Dolphin (mahi-mahi),
Grouper, Snapper, Amberjack, Mackerel, Bonito, Rainbow Runners,
Blue Runners and much more.. They all abound in this magical waters.
Fishing packages feature state-of-the-art equipment including
tournament quality rods and reels, aboard new, fast, and comfortable
craft. Fishing packages include boats with experienced English
speaking captains, refreshments and lunch, and unforgettable memories.
Turtle Nesting Tours - Ostional is THE place
for turtle watching. Approx. a 25 minutes drive from the village
of Nosara, it is famous of its monthly "arribada". Depending upon
the season, the "arrival" involves thousands of olive ridleys
over a three day period. At times, the entire beach is covered
with these mysterious creatures laying millions of eggs in the
black sand.
Canoe/Kayak Tours - The Nosara and Montana river
mouths, and its mangroves create a biologically diverse ecosystem
teeming with flora and fauna. These magical environmental presents
the area's greatest potential for wildlife observation. Explore
this world via canoe or kayak and discover a wildlife lover's paradise.
Including many species of birds, monkeys, coatis, raccoons, squirrels,
armadillos, deer, wild cats, crocodiles and more.
Snorkeling
- The beaches in the Nosara area are known
for their pristine waters, tide pools, offshore reefs,
even a cargo ship sunken over fifty years ago! There are
a number of nearby places so be sure to bring your snorkeling
gear. if you don't have any, don't worry, you can rent
it at Hotel Café de Paris or at Coconut
Harry's Surf Shop
The communities of Nosara/Guiones Beach thrives thanks to the
hard effort and dedication of its residents, both foreign and native,
who have in common a strong sense of civic duty. Although the town
appears small a surprising number of services exist. Listed by
way of example are the following:
Listed by way of example are the following:
| |
- Clinic
- School
- Police
- Churches
- Hotels
- Travel
|
- Pharmacy
- Post Office
- Red Cross
- Restaurants
- Tour and Activities
|
Police
Chances are you'll never ever need them,
but they are in town next to the post office. Stop
in and say hello and show them that gringos can be
a friendly bunch.
Clinic
Provides general treatment for the comunity and visitors as well
as for emergencies. The Clinic was established two years ago and
was a great necessity to the town. The nearest hospital - in the
town of Nicoya- is an hour away and as transportation is often
limited, the clinic fulfills a key role in the lives of people
in the zone.
Pharmacy
A small but reasonably well-stocked pharmacy operates
in town. It is open during normal business hours Monday through
Saturday and closed at noon for an extended lunch.
Airport - Smaller planes arrive in Nosara on
a daily basis. Sansa, the country's domestic air service flies
in everyday at approximately 12:00 noon and leaves almost immediately
thereafter back to San Jose's International Airport. It takes about
40 minutes compared to the car ride which may take 5-7 hours. The
rates are cheap too, which makes it the most convenient way to
visit Nosara if you don't have a lot of time.
Animals
Iguanas are everywhere! As are howler monkeys, coatis, possums,
skunks, a great variety of birds, anteaters, armadillos, etc. etc.
Remember not to get too close, and please don't feed them.
| Name
|
Breakfast
|
Lunch
|
Dinner
|
Cocktail Bar
|
Days a week
|
| Cafe de Paris |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
7 |
| Dolce Vita |
NO |
NO |
YES |
YES |
6 |
| Casa Tucan |
YES
|
YES
|
YES
|
YES
|
7
|
| Marlin's Bill |
NO
|
YES
|
YES
|
YES
|
6
|
| Guilded Iguana |
YES
|
YES
|
YES
|
YES
|
7
|
| Lagarta Lodge |
YES
|
YES
|
YES
|
YES
|
6
|
| Harbor Reef |
YES
|
YES
|
YES
|
YES
|
7
|
| Estancia Nosara |
YES
|
NO
|
YES
|
YES
|
7
|
| Villa Taype |
YES
|
YES
|
YES
|
YES
|
7
|
| Last Resort |
YES
|
NO
|
YES
|
YES
|
7
|
| Giardino Tropical |
NO
|
YES
|
YES
|
NO
|
7
|
| Rancho Tico |
NO
|
NO
|
YES
|
YES
|
7
|
| Rancho Campesion |
YES
|
YES
|
YES
|
NO
|
7
|
| Olgas' |
NO
|
YES
|
YES
|
NO
|
7
|
| Iguana Loca |
YES
|
YES
|
NO
|
NO
|
6
|
| Disco Tropicana |
NO
|
NO
|
NO
|
YES
|
6
|
| Bambu Bar |
YES |
YES |
YES
|
YES
|
6
|
|
