Playa Tamarindo. Home to many expats and a place travelers spend lazy beach days and wild nights. This tiny little beach town has so much to offer from a wide variety of different restaurants to adventure spots to get your heart racing to giant palm trees to set up your hammock and listen to the sea breeze (or howler monkeys).

One of the many great things about Tamarindo is you will always find something to do and never get bored…unless you choose to be bored and that’s also wonderful. If you want things to do but don’t fancy sitting in a shuttle for 2 hours one way to get to your jam packed mega super awesome combo tour, here’s a little list to get you started.

1.  Sunset Sailing

This is one of my favorite things to do. There are a few great options to choose from. The Marlin del Rey is great if you are looking for a catamaran and the Antares is great if you’re looking for a sailboat. Both include open bar (yikes) and lunch and will only set you back $85.  You also stop and dock along the way to enjoy some snorkeling and for those of you who’ve had too many cervezas then you can just float around on the noodles. No judgment. The sailing ends at sunset which is such a beautiful way to cruise on back to shore.

2. Zipline

The beauty of having a zipline right in Tamarindo is that you DON’T have to sit in a shuttle for a long time to do an excursion. Some of them you end up spending your entire day traveling and about 1.5 hours of actual activity. Not today folks….fancy a 5 minute drive to 7 cables, 2 suspension bridges and a tree climb? Want to do horseback riding too? Tamarindo Eco Adventure Center is a one stop shop. It’s ran by a sweet local family too. Check it out here.

3. Beach and Pool Crawl

The Beach and Pool Crawl is rated #1 on trip advisor for things to do in Tamarindo. Everyone meets at Sharky’s Bar in Tamarindo every Sunday for a pre-party between 12:00-1:00pm. Once you had a few beers and mingled with fellow crawlers you make your way on an old American school bus and we head on out to the coast. Tunes are blasting and you get to know your neighbors as you drive out of town to explore 3 amazing secret spots. There are pool parties with a DJ, beach volley ball and margaritas with live entertainment, and you end the epic day watching the sunset with your new friends with a blazing beach bonfire in the background. The party doesn’t stop at sunset! The bus ride back is the best dance party and the highlight of the day. www.beachandpoolcrawl.com

4. Estuary Tour

Tired of the beach? Probably not… but let’s say you want to switch up the scenery a little. Tamarindo also has an estuary and mangrove! You just walk up to the boats situated all the way to the right on Tamarindo Beach next to Pangas Restaurant and there will be plenty of locals happy to take you. You can see monkeys, crocs, birds, and other wildlife right here in town. I suggest going in the morning to beat the heat. Bring your camera, you won’t want to miss this!

5. Surf Lessons

Tamarindo Beach is THE best place to learn how to surf. It’s best for beginners to take lessons and to then go out and improve on their own without feeling intimidated by difficult waves and advanced surfers giving you the stink eye. We recommend S.A.L.T, Surf Culture, or Surfing Coconut.

Here’s a few surf spots to try:

Capitan Suizo

While this spot is protected by the island, it picks up the perfect amount of swell to learn on and invariably is more protected from the wind. Here the waves break gently and roll softly to the shore allowing the beginner surfers to get to their feet with more time than other spots. Check here mid tide coming to high tide for the best waves.

In front of Witches Rock.

This is the most popular spot to learn in Tamarindo. This spot picks up waves from the north and the south meaning there is almost always something to surf here. The wave breaks a little faster than Capitan Suizo and will be more crowded but for good reason. Expect small to medium sized waves. There is almost always a wave at most stages of the tide but again, the best time would be mid tide coming up to high tide.

Tamarindo is a place where you can be really occupied or super chill. The choice is yours but in the end, having options are great!

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