On a clear day you can see the Lake of Nicaragua, the Pacific Ocean and the lowlands of Guanacaste. The main attraction, easy to reach, is the area of Las Pailas where there is a 2 hour trail to see all the fresh volcanic activity consisting of hot mud pools hotsprings with sulphur and a beautiful forest with important wildlife . The area is excellent for horseback riding and for swimming in natural pools with waterfalls. There are also sulphur hotsprings for taking baths. Access from the Panamerican highway is only possible during the dry season and 4W drive is recommended.
Temperatures can be high with mosquitoes, but perfect for observing wetland birds.
There are trails to see the wildlife of the dry tropical forest. The trail to the look out point offers a spectacular view of the wetlands and the Tempisque River Basin. The most popular tour offered by the hotels is a boatrip on the Tempisque River and the Park to see the birds, monkeys, iguanas and huge American crocodiles. This beach is good for surfing near the estuary and has safe swimming and a good beach. Tamarindo offers a great variety of little hotels and restaurants of all categories, as well as bars and pubs for entertainment.