Arrive Tamarindo and check in to your hotel. Costa Rican beaches don't come any more beautiful than Tamarindo's seemingly endless curve of coral-white sand and the best surf in the country. A beach trail that leads north along the cape through dry tropical forest is good for birdwatching, exploring tidepools and snorkeling off shore. The area north of town is protected within the Las Baulas Marine National Park including a 400-hectare mangrove estuary where you might encounter monkeys and crocodiles. You can plan meals on your own at any of the numerous restaurants and cafes just 10 minutes walk into town.
Days are free to relax at the beach, swimming or boogie boarding in the surf.
Leatherback Sea Turtles laying eggs in the sand from October-April. Playa Grande is the world's fourth largest leatherback turtle nesting site and the only major site remaining on the eastern Pacific Coast. Register to see the turtles at the ranger station next to the hotel entrance. Carefully abide by the ranger's instructions and monitor young children to avoid disturbing the turtles. While the group awaits it turn, you can visit the outstanding Turtle Museum to learn about the natural history of these ancient reptiles before you observe them.