Playa Guiones
Playa Guiones
4.5
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4.5
1,048 reviews
Excellent
780
Very good
201
Average
37
Poor
18
Terrible
12
samkohn
Toronto, Canada6 contributions
Jan 2020
Our favorite time of day here is the sunset walk , its a good few kms of soft sand lots of dogs and surfers . people cycling on the beach doing Yoga chatting kids playing . its shallows are great for body surfing our just watch the sights . Sunset here is spectacular
Written 11 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sabsnyc
Hamburg, Germany270 contributions
Jan 2020 • Friends
Every day around five the latest ( you can come here all day) it’s good to come to the beach and watch the sunset while having a beer or even better while jumping the waves .
It’s a very natural kept beach so no typically white sand to sit .
You will find yourself a small log to sit on.
High tide is following the sunset so there wo t be no dry spot . Make sure you bring only a towel or secure your belongings up high.
It’s definitely worth it!!!!
It’s a very natural kept beach so no typically white sand to sit .
You will find yourself a small log to sit on.
High tide is following the sunset so there wo t be no dry spot . Make sure you bring only a towel or secure your belongings up high.
It’s definitely worth it!!!!
Written 15 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sweet-spot_for_travel
Province of Guanacaste, Costa Rica252 contributions
July 2021 • Friends
Guiones beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in CR, right up there 2nd to Playa Grande ( IMO)
The town is going through a major real estate boom atm so there is a lot of construction going on but I have to say the villas that are being built are in good taste ( tropical modern) and many trees are being preserved to be able to blend with the landscape. I’d wait a year before visiting though if you don’t want to be awaked by construction noise at 7 am !
The road getting there is HORRIBLE like really bad, 45 min of bumpy pot hole filled dirt road before you even get to the town. And they want to keep it that way it seems.
Next are the actual Guiones town roads, they are dirt and the tuc tucs and quad bikes def have no intention of slowing down when passing pedestrians so you get a mouthful full of dirt on what is essentially a very pedestrian street. Made me think of a tropical burning man, you need goggles and boots ! Again they like it that way.
What makes this town cool is the obvious draw to surfers and the many restaurants and cafes, the variety of food is refreshing after having visited other parts of CR.
I can imagine it must have been a cool understated little town once upon a time, unfortunately it seems to have become a little more polished ( minus the roads) and commercial in the last 4 years.
With that seems to come the influx of upper scale West Coast boho chic crowd.
Was there over the 4th of July weekend and if it weren’t for the tropical vegetation I could have been in a California Beach town by the looks of majority of patrons. Not very Costa Rican.
Nevertheless it was an interesting few days. My favorite part by far being Guiones beach itself.
Playa Pelada was awesome too.
We also took some time to drive to Ostional and walk the beach and saw many turtle tracks, old nests and egg shells.
The town is going through a major real estate boom atm so there is a lot of construction going on but I have to say the villas that are being built are in good taste ( tropical modern) and many trees are being preserved to be able to blend with the landscape. I’d wait a year before visiting though if you don’t want to be awaked by construction noise at 7 am !
The road getting there is HORRIBLE like really bad, 45 min of bumpy pot hole filled dirt road before you even get to the town. And they want to keep it that way it seems.
Next are the actual Guiones town roads, they are dirt and the tuc tucs and quad bikes def have no intention of slowing down when passing pedestrians so you get a mouthful full of dirt on what is essentially a very pedestrian street. Made me think of a tropical burning man, you need goggles and boots ! Again they like it that way.
What makes this town cool is the obvious draw to surfers and the many restaurants and cafes, the variety of food is refreshing after having visited other parts of CR.
I can imagine it must have been a cool understated little town once upon a time, unfortunately it seems to have become a little more polished ( minus the roads) and commercial in the last 4 years.
With that seems to come the influx of upper scale West Coast boho chic crowd.
Was there over the 4th of July weekend and if it weren’t for the tropical vegetation I could have been in a California Beach town by the looks of majority of patrons. Not very Costa Rican.
Nevertheless it was an interesting few days. My favorite part by far being Guiones beach itself.
Playa Pelada was awesome too.
We also took some time to drive to Ostional and walk the beach and saw many turtle tracks, old nests and egg shells.
Written 11 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris T
1 contribution
July 2024 • Family
Traveled to surf. Arrived Monday July 8th and woke up early to surf July 9th And there was a giant brown patch (1000 feet wide) of raw sewage in the lineup . A local woman walking her dog and local resident said she sees sewage in the lineup more often than not after rain. The locals have been trying to solve the problem but it is difficult because 1) old leaking septic tanks 2) damaged rotor tanks because roots get into the tanks 3) heavy rainwater causing septic tanks to flood and leach into the soil 4) the nearest sewage dump site is in Santa Cruz to it is suspected there is rampant illegal sewage dumping (ie: into the streams). There is a local agency that tests the waters and the water fails after a rain (fails for high fecal bacteria levels). The local also said that the surf schools deny the problem and tell the tourists it’s just an algae bloom. She said the entire community is on septic and struggling with the rampant development causing horrendous sewage problems. Sad news. Costa Rica has such beautiful beaches with world class surf.
Written 13 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Scott C
Panama City, Panama903 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
Great beach venue for beginner to intermediate surfers.No fishing allowed...? Was a great place for surfing no doubt but very anti-fishing. Not even casting a net, using free dive harpoon and pole are prohibited. Sorry, as a die hard fisherman and sushi lover I was sad I couldn’t do anything there. The beach is really clean. No houses close by. About a five minute walk to any toilets
Written 12 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SuLouWill
Waltham, MA270 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
We loved the easy walk from our hotel to this beach. We loved that the waves were great for body surfing, boogie boarding or beginner surfing. We really loved watching the sunset on this beach. In the evening there were venders bringing things for sale (including one that was selling cold beer from a cooler) but they were all polite and left us alone after the first “no, gracias”.
Written 21 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Justin V
Saint John, Canada57 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
Lots of waves, great for surfing and great for watching surfers.
The sunsets are amazing every night.
Everyday at 5 am the surfers arrive and 7 pm they go home :) loved how everyone does their part to keep this beach clean, there is no garbage and very natural with no “development” on the beach.
The sunsets are amazing every night.
Everyday at 5 am the surfers arrive and 7 pm they go home :) loved how everyone does their part to keep this beach clean, there is no garbage and very natural with no “development” on the beach.
Written 11 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JamesFFC
Maidenhead, UK611 contributions
Sept 2020
It feels a bit weird giving a very beautiful beach a very low rating, but here is my reason...
There is very limited shade on the beach. Most of the trees are very short at the back of the beach (more like shrubbery), meaning that you really need to bring your own protection if you don't want to look like a lobster by 11am. An umbrella rental service would make good money on Playa Guiones.
Despite that, this is an uncrowded beach. The river estuary on one side of the beach (section further away from Playa Pelada) is beautiful and has some good opportunities for bird watching. The sea is a bit too rough to swim in for children but would be fine for more experienced swimmers.
There is very limited shade on the beach. Most of the trees are very short at the back of the beach (more like shrubbery), meaning that you really need to bring your own protection if you don't want to look like a lobster by 11am. An umbrella rental service would make good money on Playa Guiones.
Despite that, this is an uncrowded beach. The river estuary on one side of the beach (section further away from Playa Pelada) is beautiful and has some good opportunities for bird watching. The sea is a bit too rough to swim in for children but would be fine for more experienced swimmers.
Written 26 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
3grom Dad
Seal Beach, CA22 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
Great beach for surfing. It is a long spread out beach break. But it still managed to be a little crowded. Maybe 15-20 years ago it was magic, but now it has more development and people. Still a good spot
Written 16 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MontrealMan
Montreal, Canada323 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
Beautiful, extra wide beach with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, spectacular sunsets, warm waters, waves, and smooth sand. The charming village of Nosara is nearby, and thanks to Costa Rica’s biodiversity leadership, a green zone runs along the entire beach with no new development allowed. Many surfing and swimming options for all ages, including some calm pooled areas of water encircled by rocks. This beach is approximately 7 KMs loving and takes about 90 minutes to walk from end to end .
Written 29 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi! We will staying on playa guiones on the north side for a brief stay.. are there restaurants and bars right on the beach in this area? From what I can see online it looks like most of the restaurants are on the main part of the beach.. can I walk from the north end to that area?
Thank you!
Written 20 October 2021
Hello,
Can anyone comment on what areas are currently undergoing construction and what the best section is to rent a property in?
Many thanks
Written 17 April 2019
bradley9580
Orange County, California
Will be visiting Playa Guiones for the first time . Need advice . Rent a golf cart or rent a car ? My family and I will certainly want to explore surrounding areas .
Written 5 November 2017
If you are going to be there for a week or more I would recommend a a 4 x 4 and a golf cart. Its fun to travel around on a golf cart but for traveling away from town you will need the vehicle. Unless you are very good at navigating I would hire a guide with 4 wheelers to carry you to the falls, out of the way beaches, etc. Its not fun to be lost in the pouring rain! (during the rainy season)
Written 7 November 2017
Where else would you recommend visiting then? I will be with three seasoned travelers all in our early 20's. We are looking for a place much less tourist filled than the other places we have found. Our main focuses are on hiking, outdoor adventure, wildlife, or just relaxation. Also not looking to be too expensive or hard to get to from San Jose, any help would be so appreciated!
Written 3 November 2017
archieglenny
Buenos Aires, Argentina
which is the best date to go surfing at Guines?? (Best waves)
Written 16 April 2017
Puede ser de diciembre hasta abril. Mucho cuidado con el camino, se recomienda un carro alto, la ruta 160 es complicada, incluso hay que pasar por riachuelos, suerte y buenas olas!!!! Pura Vida. Facebook: Tourism In Costa Rica-Turismo en Costa Rica
Written 17 April 2017
I will be staying for the whole month of June. Would it be cheaper to rent or buy a dirt bike/atv since the place I'm staying will be a little off the beaten path. I'm thinking maybe buy one, then sell it when I leave? Or does anywhere do long term rentals?
Written 21 March 2017
I haven't needed to use one but there are plenty of ATV rental places where I believe it's about 50 dollars a day. You could try and buy one but they do get stolen a lot from talking to ex pats who live here and it might be a hassle to then sell but I can't answer that fully
Also a warning, you are coming in the rainy season and the roads are pretty treacherous at the best of times. In the rainy season some become totally unusable.
Best of luck with your travels.
Written 21 March 2017
Can someone provide a reference for a van and driver from Liberia to Nosara?
Written 14 January 2016
Gypsy Cab Company Nosara.....they are fair and reliable. I have used myself and found their prices and reliability make them the shuttle of choice for me....highly recommended.
Written 16 January 2016
Any way to get rental bikes around Playa Guiones?
Written 20 December 2015
Yes, go see DVD Dave Malbon at the Frog Patch, close to the Gilded Iguana Restaurant. Dave rents bikes, surfboards, snorkeling gear, boogie boards and DVD's. His prices are fair and he is a local great guy.
Written 22 December 2015
Alyson S
Arlington, Virginia
Are there many yoga studios near this beach? I'm looking to further my practice while enjoying the beautiful views of the Costa Rican beaches.
~Namaste
Written 4 November 2015
Also. We often take yoga classes at the Harmony Hotel in Playa Guiones. Fabulous classes.
Written 6 November 2015
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