PLAYA CONCHAL

This beach and Conchal make up Bahía Brasilito. The surf and drop-offs are gentle to moderate, depending on the area. A mangrove swamp and Isla Loros lie at the southern end of the beach. Here, visitors can enjoy sunbathing, swimming, walking and taking in the maritime scenery, as well as gorgeous sunsets.

PLAYA TAMARINDO

Playa Tamarindo, along with Playa Grande and Playa Ventanas, make up Bahía Tamarindo. This beautiful beach features rocky areas and an island (Capitán) at its southern end. Its luxuriant greenery includes pink trumpet trees, tamarinds and coconut palms. Excellent and varied services are offered, allowing visitors to enjoy the beach by day and the nightlife after sunset. A Blue Flag beach, Tamarindo is ideal for relaxing, walking, horseback riding and sport-fishing and diving tours, as well as visiting the mangrove swamp and observing nesting sea turtles. South of the bay lies the most important stretch of coast for surfing.

PLAYA LANGOSTA

Separated from Tamarindo by Punta San Francisco, this cove has two main areas divided by the mouth of the Río San Francisco. To the north the coast is rocky and unsuitable for swimming; to the south is a mangrove swamp. Both areas are very pleasant for walking and observing the scenery and diverse bird species. A Blue Flag beach, Langosta is quite popular with surfers.

PLAYA OCOTAL

Set in a cove bordered by hills, this beach has gray sand and little surf. At its southern end is Punta Cirial, surrounded by crystalline waters. This beach is ideal for swimming, sunbathing and water sports such as diving and sport-fishing, which are offered in various parts of the region. Magnificent views of the Gulf of Papagayo are enjoyable from the heights of the adjacent hills. Ocotal is a Blue Flag beach.

RÍO TEMPISQUE

Born on the slopes of Orosí volcano, this river runs 159 kilometers. Its tributaries include the Colorado, Salto, Bebedero, Bolsón, Diriá and Cañas rivers. Tours on this navigable river offer sightings of the numerous bird species that inhabit the mangrove swamps on its banks. The Tempisque's lower basin is home to Palo Verde National Park.

RÍO COROBICÍ

Located a few kilometers from the city of Cañas, this beautiful river can be run in rafts. Its Class I and II rapids are suitable for anyone wanting to take the trip featuring lovely river scenery and observation of birds such as herons and toucans. The Corobicí is one of the only rivers in the entire region with rapids.

LLANOS DEL CORTÉS WATERFALLS

These are located a few kilometers north of the town of Bagaces, on the highway to Liberia, where a turnoff to the left leads to this spot. Several meters tall and surrounded by lush greenery, the waterfalls form a beautiful curtain that falls into a pool where visitors can enjoy a swim and a small, light-sand beach.

RÍO LIBERIA CANYON

A few kilometers from Liberia on the road to the Santa María sector of Rincón de la Vieja National Park is a deep canyon carved by the Río Liberia. From a scenic point of view the canyon is breathtaking; in addition to the canyon itself, the Rincón de la Vieja volcano may be seen, and the vegetation here is different from that in the lower parts of the region.

LIBERIA

Known as the "white city," Liberia is a typical flatland town with wide streets, old buildings and houses of bahareque (a material similar to adobe but made with cattle dung and straw). The city has managed to combine old edifices, customs and traditions with modernism and new buildings, including malls and various services. Recent years have seen much urban development, and the new facilities of the Daniel Oduber Airport allow it to receive regular and charter flights from several cities in Canada and the United States.

GUANACASTE CULTURAL EXPRESSION

Guanacaste is known for its music, which is the most popular form of artistic expression in the province. "Music is an important character to be respected and appreciated," and seems to be a natural ability among Guanacaste's sabaneros.

As a complement to music, Guanacaste's traditional dances have been preserved throughout time like oral tradition, and are the truest representation of what social and cultural life once was in the Guanacaste province. Greatly influenced by the Andalusian zapateado from Spain, dances include El Punto Guanacasteco, Los Amores de Laco, La Cajeta, La Flor de Caña, El Torito, El Zapateado, El Pavo and La Botijuela, among others.

One of Guanacaste's most important staples, corn is the base of many of the region's typical foods and beverages: tortillas guanacastecas, tanelas, tayuyas, tamales, pisques, tamal dulce, arroz de maíz, nacatamales, rosquillas, bizcochos, pozol, atol, chicheme, chicha, pinol and more. Key places to enjoy these foods and beverages are the markets in Liberia and Nicoya, and the famous Cooperativa de Mujeres (Women's Cooperative) in Santa Cruz.

Source: Content and Images from Costa Rica Tourism Board - www.visitcostarica.com