Tamarindo Review

Most tourist books give Tamarindo a negative review, citing it to be a fashion-conscious, cosmopolitan beach town with more of a spring break vibe than a regular Costa Rican chill out vibe. I didn´t find any of that to be true, although I am here while it´s still the off season and I suppose in comparison to the rest of Costa Rica the guide books do have a point.

I found Tamarindo to be convenient, for lack of a better word. There is one main strip, there are several cheap internet cafes, multiple supermarkets, and many surf shops competing to give lessons. For those reasons, I settled in for 5 nights instead of my originally planned 2 nights. But, having been there, done that, I don´t think I would come back.

Tamarindo is not like the rest of Costa Rica that I have seen. The restaurant prices are higher, more English is spoken than necessary, and the clothing shops are priced like the U.S. When you are used to eating three meals per day for under $10, this comes as quite a shock. But, the $10/night cheap and cheerful hostel I stayed in, Blue Trailz Surf Camp, balanced the rest out.

The main beach is quite large, curving around the bay. There are restaurants and a few hotels on the beachfront side, but most of the shops, hostels and rental car companies seem to be on the inland side of the main road. The difference between high and low tide is dramatic, with low tide stretching the beach to at least 200m from the beach wall, and high tide causing the waves to reach the car parks.

After 5 days and nights here, my top picks and recommendations are as follows:

Breakfast - Buon Appetito, on the main street towards the cul-de-sac. Eggs, toast, fruit salad of banana, pineapple and papaya, and juice or coffee for $6.
Lunch - Homemade casado (meat, rice, beans, plantains) sold out of the back of a truck on the main road, $4.
Dinner - On the cheap, go for Nogui´s at the cul-de-sac and get the fish tacos for $4. They are supposed to be an appetizer, but the two tacos are large and filling. Get an Imperial, and you have a complete meal including tax and tip for $7. For a nicer meal, go to Copacabana on the main road, beach front. With live Brazilian music and generous portions, my $20 was well spent on a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, a large fillet of Mahi Mahi, and a crepe with cholocate sauce and vanilla ice cream.
Alternatives - Wok n Roll, an asian restaurant on the gravel road has decent sushi and I had an excellent beef, tofu and mushroom noodle bowl. The only downside is that it´s US prices.

Other recommendations:

--Surf lessons - Blue Trailz offered a beginner lesson for $25. I was one of three in the group lesson, but it was small enough to get plenty of personal attention for 2 hours.
---Yoga or Pilates classes - $15 per class offered by Mariel, an amazing instructor. The classes were very challenging, and mostly in Spanish, but Mariel will provide the necessary instructions in English as well. The studio is located up the gravel road (the secondary main road) on the second floor facing the street. There are banners in the window you can see from the street and a schedule posted on the door (there are classes every day).
--Beaches - Walk to the southern point of Playa Tamarindo and walk around the rocks to the coves and beaches farther south. After about 30 minutes you´ll hit another river, where you can set up camp to lay out, or wait for lower tide and cross to continue down more beaches. These are much less crowded and more picturesque than the main beach, but there aren´t any facilities or restaurants, so go just after breakfast and make it back for lunch.

I have definitely enjoyed my time in Tamarindo, but it feels more like a revisit to my Santa Cruz college town than what I would look for in a Costa Rican beach experience. Compared to Nosara and Manuel Antonio, Tamarindo is over-developed and pricey, but it has excellent surf waves and conveniences for tourists on its side. I don´t see it losing popularity any time soon, but it´s important to know that it´s not necessarily like the rest of Costa Rica or even the rest of the West Coast beaches.