Located on the Nicoya Peninsula 2 to 2.5 hours from LIR airport, Nosara (centered on Playa Guiones) is famous for its protected 200-meter Ostional wildlife refuge buffer, consistent year-round surf, and wellness community, while Sámara (40 minutes south on paved Route 150) offers a traditional, walkable Costa Rican beach town around a calm, coral-reef-protected swimming bay.
Drive south down the Nicoya Peninsula—a region globally recognized for its traditional Blue Zone longevity culture in inland cantons like Nicoya and Hojancha—and the pace of life slows noticeably. Here, Nosara and Sámara attract travelers and residents who prioritize nature conservation, surf, and wellness over highway speed.
1. Nosara & Playa Guiones: The Forest-Buffered Surf Sanctuary
In Playa Guiones (the coastal heart of Nosara), no beachfront high-rises or seawalls exist. Because the first 200 meters of coastline form part of the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge, every walk to the waves passes through a lush green belt of native coastal forest teeming with howler monkeys and coatis. Guiones offers one of the most reliable surf breaks in Central America alongside world-renowned yoga institutes (like Bodhi Tree), Del Mar Academy international school, and farm-to-table cafés. Keep in mind that many internal roads remain unpaved by community choice, making a high-clearance SUV or quad essential, and real estate prices in Guiones rank among the highest in Costa Rica.
2. Sámara: Walkable Traditional Village & Reef-Protected Bay
Just 40 minutes south of Nosara (and reachable entirely on paved highways via Nicoya and Route 150), Playa Sámara feels completely different: a classic, flat Costa Rican town grid that meets a five-kilometer crescent bay sheltered by an offshore reef and Isla Chora. Families and long-stay visitors love Sámara because children can swim in gentle waves, everything in town is reachable on foot or by bicycle, and housing costs are substantially more approachable than in Guiones.
Joshua ten Brink has spent more than two decades living, photographing, and developing residential communities in Costa Rica. Through WildPhotography.com he documents Costa Rica's wildlife, coastlines, cloud forests, and everyday life across Guanacaste, the Central Valley, Arenal, Monteverde, and the Southern Pacific.
Common Questions About Nosara & Sámara Guide
Is the road to Sámara paved?
Yes—if you drive from Liberia Airport (LIR) via Santa Cruz and Nicoya down Route 150, the road into Sámara is 100% paved (about 2 hours). The coastal gravel road between Sámara and Nosara (Route 160) has been progressively upgraded, though rainy-season drivers should always check creek/bridge status.
Bookable Tours & Excursions Mentioned in This Guide
Explore verified small-group and private excursions in this region via Viator and GetYourGuide.
Rainforest Sloth Sanctuary, Coffee, Cacao & Llanos de Cortés Waterfall
ICT-certified naturalist guide with spotting scope, private rainforest trail for wild two- and three-toed sloths, hands-on coffee & cacao roasting tasting, Llanos de Cortés waterfall swim, and traditional Costa Rican casado lunch.
Departure: 7:30 AM hotel or condo pickup in Playas del Coco, Playa Hermosa, Ocotal, Papagayo, or Liberia
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