Playas del Coco, Near Papagayo

Playas del Coco is a quiet fishing village at the heart of Costa Rica’s famous Gulf of Papagayo.  This is a large, calm body of water in the northwest part of the Guanacaste Province. This area is known for outstanding sunny weather, several marinas and golf courses, high end resorts, and a handful of upscale residential projects.

 

What to See & Do

There’s plenty to do in the area, so much so that you really do not need to go far to enjoy a full, authentic Costa Rican experience.  So if you are suffering from FOMO (fear of missing out), do not worry! We will be sure you get a proper taste of what Costa Rica has to offer during your time with us.  We offer a handful of activities and can arrange a wide variety of area tours.

 

When to Visit

What is generally considered the best time to visit is Costa Rica’s summer season, which runs roughly from mid-November to early May.  That’s the period when we generally see the least rainfall.  But there are also several blocks of very good weather during “green season”, most famous of which is the veranillo or “little summer, that tends to occur in late June or early July.  Temperatures average around lows of 72 degrees and highs of 90 in most months (22 to 33 Celsius), making it an ideal beach destination.

 

Misconceptions about Green Season

There’s a general misconception that “green season” = rainy season.  Rainfall in the dry tropical forest of Costa Rica is a funny thing — it can absolutely pour for 1 hour and be absolutely lovely for the entire rest of the day.  And the amount of rainfall produced in that short period can be incredibly intense, the weather that immediately follows is serene, beautiful and perfect for vacation.  The upside of visiting during green season is that the flora and fauna is in full bloom, lush, green and radiant. For many locals, the best time to travel internally are the very start and end of green season, when the landscape is green.  That tends to occur in early May and late November. The absolute rainiest part of the year is September and October. Even then, average rainfall days are 17 and 16, respectively. So your odds of seeing rain, even in the “wet” months are about 50/50.

 

Popular Questions

 

Are you on the beach? 

Villa Buena Onda is not on the beach.  We are located on the hills of Coco, with amazing views of the Papagayo Gulf. We are a 8 minute ride to Coco by car. We offer a scheduled transportation for an extra amount.

 

How far is the beach?

By car, Coco is a 8 minute ride.  Playa Hermosa is a 15 minute ride and Playa Ocotal 15 minutes.  We can provide transport to all nearby beaches.

 

Can I walk to the beach? 

Downtown Coco is an easy, 35 minute walk (3km / 2 miles) on mostly flat roads.

 

Read more about our common questions.

 

Drive Times to Other Popular Locations:

 

Point of Interest	Category	Drive Time	Notes
Four Seasons Resort	Hotel	45 min	One of the top golf courses in the region, large marina
Hotel Rio Celeste Hideaway	Hotel	2 hrs	Very interesting and unique hotel property
La Fortuna (Arenal Volcano)	Volcano	3 hours	Perhaps the most iconic site in Costa Rica
Las Catalinas	Beach	45 min	Unique planned beach town, mediterranean design
Liberia airport (LIR)	Airport	27 min	Fastest and most convenient way to visit the area
Liberia	City	45 mins	Closest city to Villa Buena Onda
Llanos de Cortes Waterfalls	Waterfall	1 hour	Off beaten path site, large waterfalls in a secluded spot
Monteverde	Mountains	2 h 45 min	Quaker founded town in the cloud forest
Numu Brewing Co.	Beer	30 min	These guys brew good beer and offer a nice tour
Palo Verde National Park	National Park	1 h 30 min	See giant crocs and wetland birds: ibis, spoonbills, storks
Playas del Coco	Beach	8 mins	Closest beach to Villa Buena Onda
Playa Conchal	Beach	1 h 35 min	Home of Conchal Resort, another good golf course
Playa Flamingo	Beach	1 h 40 min	Marina is jumping off point for many water based tours
Playa Hermosa	Beach	15 min	Very nice beach that’s super close to VBO
Playa Nosara	Beach	2 h 40 min	Popular beach with yoga fans and surfers
Playa Ocotal	Beach	15 min	Dark sand beach that’s different than anything you’ve seen
Playa Panama	Beach	20 min	Quiet beach spot, near hotel Mangroove
Playa Potrero	Beach	50 min	Sleepy fishing village
Playa Tamarindo	Beach	1 h 30 min	One of the best known beach towns in the area
Poor Calzon Beach	Beach	20 min	Fantastic, hidden beach very close to VBO
Rincon de La Vieja National Park	National Park	2 hours	Hot springs, mud baths and a taste of cowboy culture
Rio Perdido Lodge	Hotel	1 h 25 min	Excellent complement to VBO, an adventure/nature lodge
San Jose airport (SJO)	Airport	3 h 40 min	Costa Rica’s capital city and largest airport
Santa Rosa National Park	National Park	1 h 30 min	Less visited, gigantic National Park