The Nosara area, just minutes away from your secret hideaway at Joya Escondida, is known as a mecca for surfers and yogis, and a favorite to families alike. Whether you’re looking for peace or fun, Nosara has tons of activities for everyone. Aside from taking a surf lesson or a yoga class, here’s a “TOP TEN” list of the best activities to complement your perfect vacation in Nosara.
WORLD CLASS SURFING
Of beaches stretching 200 kilometers along Costa Rica’s northern Pacific coast, the real pearl, Guanacaste’s Playa Guiones, just 20 minutes away is a surfing hotspot. The beaches are blessed with a tropical climate, and the breakers are no stranger to beginner and expert shredders. Whether you’re looking for a remote getaway or a crowd favorite, this area has truly top-tier waves. Whether you need lessons, are a beginner, or an advanced surfer, you can surf all day or surf everyday at different beaches near Joya Escondida along the coast.
This year’s rainy season is controlled by the El Nino weather pattern in the Pacific. The typical result is some rain, but not enough to ruin your day; greener jungles and more wildlife; and most notably, more beautiful landscapes, more powerful and consistent waves, cheaper prices, and less crowds. …in many ways, CR at its finest!
SPORT FISHING
Joya Escondida is a great place to be near the famous sport fishing area off the shores of Nosara, and you’ll find options for all budgets. The unique ocean floor topography where the deep water shelf bends in toward the shore means shallow water meets suddenly with deep water near the coast. “Deep Sea Fishing” may be encountered a mile or less from the shore, so you don’t have to go very far to have a wide variety of species, like blue, black, and striped marlin, yellowfin tuna, sailfish, mahi mahi, snapper, snook and much more. And you can fish almost all year long. You can try rivermouth, spear, inshore and offshore fishing, from one hour to a whole day. Check the options that Nosara has to offer for the best fishing tours here.
HORSEBACK RIDING
Horseback riding is both a relaxing and exciting activity. Riding through lavish jungle trails, with magnificent views of the beach, waterfalls and mangroves, the guide will explain to you all about the wildlife and plants that you encounter in the way, like howler monkeys, mot mots, Guanacaste trees. There are many options in Nosara for all experience levels and all ages, and you can be sure that they show love and respect for the horses. There are different tours and packages from an hour to a whole week, including sunset and even moon rides, riding lessons and holistic yoga-equestrian retreats. Check Here!
ATV TOURS
Discover Nosara in a way that’ll get your adrenaline flowing. An ATV tour is the best way to get the most out of your trip, enjoy the best scenery through rivers, beaches, dirt roads, hills and mountains. Explore Guiones and nearby places like the San Juan Mountains, Malanoche waterfall, Garza beach or remote beaches like Camaronal, Barrigona, Marbella, Ostional, San Juanillo, where you can surf, watch turtles hatching, snorkel or take a swim. And if you want to go at a slower pace, you can always rent an ATV, UTV or even a golf cart to explore on your own.
EXPLORE THE RIVER
Explore Boca Nosara, or Nosara rivermouth, where the inland river converge with the ocean, surrounded by mangroves and rich wildlife. Boca Nosara also converges with the Río Montaña. In this adventure you can find many incredible birds, howler monkeys, basiliscus, iguanas, and maybe even a crocodile. Whether you prefer to explore in a quiet riverboat or a more adventurous kayak or SUP tour, there are many options for you to choose.
SNORKELING
Imagine a secluded beach with clear and calm waters or a deserted island with pink sand filled with marine life. Well, that is a snorkeling tour in Nosara. You can visit San Juanillo, considered one of the best places for snorkeling in Guanacaste, the reef so close to the coast and the pristine water make it the ideal place for snorkeling. Or you can go to Isla Rosada, an island with pink colored sand that can be reached only in low tide, close to the reef and perfect for snorkeling. Other tours can also take you to explore the marine life of other beaches close to the Nosara area.
OLIVE RIDLEY TURTLES
The Ostional National Wildlife Refuge extends all the way to Ostional, Nosara, Pelada and Guiones, that’s why all the area close to the beach is protected, keeping the rich wildlife and ensuring a safe place for the turtles to hatch. Ostinal turtle beach is only 10 minutes from Joya Escondida. The Olive Ridley Turtles make their way to the coast in tens of thousands in what is known as “arribada”, to lay their eggs on the beach. 45 to 55 days later (depending on a number of factors), the newborns come out and start their long journey to the ocean. If you want to experience this exceptional natural phenomenon you need to go with a local certified guide and pay a fee to the Refuge to help them maintain their operations (they do a great job monitoring the turtles and the whole process). There are many tour operators that you can contact so you don’t miss the arribadas.
NOSARA CIVIC ASSOCIATION TRAILS
Developed by the Nosara Civic Association, 18 km of incredible trails expand throughout the Nosara district. Discovering the trails is a must to explore Nosara, and they’re marked so you won’t get lost. Either for taking a walk off the beaten path or running, biking and even horseback riding protected of the tropical sun. Parts of the trails have views of the ocean, stunning views of the river and swamp mangroves, or verdant forest where you can find exotic birds and occasional mammals. To get the most out of the wildlife it’s recommended to visit early in the morning. The Nosara Civic Association has a digital map of the trails.
DIVING
Diving in the Pacific clean blue waters is a spectacular way of getting to know the unique marine life of Nosara. Costa Rica is known for its incredible and vast biodiversity and the coasts of Nosara are no exception. Buceo Gavilana is the only diving center in the area, located in Playa Garza, a 20 minute drive from Joya Escondida. The equipment is available for rent and they have all you need for safety and comfort. They offer many options, like a lessons and certification, open water diving, night diving, apnea, divemaster, and more.
BIKING
If you’re passionate about biking, Nosara is popular among cyclists. The beauty of its scenery makes bike tours something you shouldn’t miss. There are many different trails for all levels, and some businesses that offer high quality equipment and tours. You can also rent a bike to go around the town and its beaches on your own.
LATIN MUSIC DANCING
OK, Eleven things to do: Salsa is one of the most popular dances in Costa Rica, and many bars have latin music nights all around Nosara, specially the ones for locals. Costa Ricans love to dance they’ll be willing to help you at any time and show you some dancing moves. If you want lessons, there are places like El Bar that has Latin music lessons every wednesday night, Selina with salsa lessons every Monday night, or Bodhi Tree with salsa every Monday during the afternoons. It won’t be hard to find a dancing teacher in Nosara!