Free 20-page PDF guide
Guanacaste, Costa Rica: pick the right beach base
Where to stay, eat and explore on the Gold Coast, from Papagayo to Nosara, with the local businesses I trust from the Travel With Glen Verified Network.
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What's inside
- Pick your baseSeven areas compared: who each one fits, who should skip it, beach and swim notes, and drive times from Liberia Airport.
- Where to stay, eat and bookAbout 60 businesses from the Verified Network, each linked to its listing, with the places I've visited marked.
- Glen's PicksThe places I've been to in person. Nobody can pay to get on this page.
- Practical tips and plansDry vs green season, LIR vs SJO, transfers vs a rental car, money, beach safety, and 3-day and 5-day plans.
- Papagayo, Hermosa and Panamá
- Playas del Coco and Ocotal
- Flamingo and Conchal
- Tamarindo
- Nosara
- Sámara
- Liberia and La Cruz
Own a business in Guanacaste? A limited number of vetted Verified Network businesses can be featured in the guide for the 2026 to 2027 edition. Listing in the network stays free.
Ask about a feature Planning now? Read the full Where to Stay in Guanacaste guide, or compare SJO vs LIR.