One-Week Itinerary To Costa Rica's Gold Coast

The northwest coastline of Costa Rica is often referred to as the Gold Coast. This stretch of land in northern Guanacaste is revered for its beautiful beaches, dry tropical forests, five-star resorts, quaint boutique hotels, gastronomic variety, world-class waves and adventure tours. If you only have a week to spend on the Gold Coast, here’s how you should spend it.

You can discover this beautiful area – and more – by booking Culture Trip’s nine-day, small-group Costa Rica tour, and experience the country with our Local Insider.

Fly into Liberia

Relax poolside at the hotel after your flight to Costa Rica

The Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport in Liberia is the best airport to fly into if you are planning to spend your time on the Gold Coast. From here, you’re only about an hour or so from all of the places and activities that you will enjoy in this upcoming week. You can definitely stay in one hotel or resort for the entirety of your week, and then venture out each day to explore something new in this zone. Playa Tamarindo or Playa Flamingo both have an assortment of accommodation types and are central to the other places you’ll want to see.

Hit the waves on Playa Tamarindo with a surf lesson

Tamarindo is one of the most popular beach and surf towns in Guanacaste. This lively town is packed with fantastic restaurants, cute boutique stores, yoga studios, beachfront bars, plenty of surf lesson options, surf shops, grocery stores, banks, medical centers, weekly markets and accommodation for every budget and personal preference. Everything is within walking distance in Tamarindo, so this is a great spot to just cruise around by foot and check it all out. Go for a surf or swim, grab some delicious grub, perhaps take a yoga class or pick up some unique souvenirs, and then make sure you’re on the beach with a cocktail for sunset.

Take an estuary tour

See crocodiles on an estuary tour near Tamarindo

There is an estuary that separates Tamarindo from Playa Grande to the north. This river is home to a very healthy population of crocodiles, as well as supporting other wildlife like monkeys, coatis, raccoons, and an impressive collection of birds. You can take a two- to three-hour guided estuary tour from the Tamarindo or Playa Grande side, where you will get to experience this unique ecosystem and the wildlife that resides there.

Lola’s beach day

Relax in the sun at Lola’s on Playa Avellana

Playa Avellenas is a gorgeous beach to the south of Tamarindo. This expansive stretch of coastline is great for surfing, swimming, and beach strolls. It’s also the location of the famous Lola’s, a beachfront restaurant with a real live beach pig as their mascot and beloved pet. You can actually see Lolita soaking up some sun on the beach, or cooling off in the shallow sea in front of the restaurant. This beautiful establishment is a great place to post up for the day, enjoy some delicious food, icy beverages, shade and the idyllic scenery.

Go snorkeling

Head out on a snorkeling tour and hopefully you’ll catch a glimpse of dolphins

Heading north, you will reach Playa Flamingo, a white-sand, crescent moon-shaped beach. This is the perfect starting off point for a kayak and snorkeling adventure. This half-day at sea is an exciting way to experience the marine ecosystems of the Gold Coast. There are several small islands and a vast coastline to kayak and snorkel along. Sea turtles, whales, jumping stingrays and dolphins are not uncommon up here. When you get back to shore, you can enjoy a frozen coconut cocktail at Coco Locos and watch one of Guanacaste’s magical sunsets.

Spend the day at the Costa Rica Sailing Center

Rent a sailboat for the day and explore the waters around Playa Potrero

Just a short drive north of Playa Flamingo is Playa Potrero, where the Costa Rica Sailing Center is located. This amazing place has everything you could possibly need for the perfect day in the sun. There is a pool, volleyball net, restaurant, bar, paddle-board, kayak and small sailboat rentals – and more often than not some sort of live music or fun event such as trivia or karaoke. Most sunsets end with a beach bonfire here. It’s a wonderful place for the whole family: the bay is protected, so the water is perfect for swimming, paddle boarding and other fun water activities.

Go for a hike

Head into Costa Rica’s Santa Rosa National Park for a day of hiking

The Santa Rosa National Park is an incredible place to go hiking. This nature-rich park is home to several beaches, multiple ecosystems – including the rare dry tropical forest – all six species of Costa Rica’s wildcat, hundreds of species of birds and some of the most peaceful and picturesque hiking in all of Guanacaste.

Visit a waterfall

Llanos de Cortez can’t be missed on a trip to the Gold Coast

If you have time before your flight out of Liberia, there is a magical waterfall just 30 minutes south of Liberia called Llanos de Cortez. It is an easy and relatively short hike from the parking lot to get to the waterfall. This is a quick but well-worth last adventure before you leave the Gold Coast.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.