Playa Hermosa Puntarenas

Playa Hermosa (Puntarenas Mid Pacific Coast) Virtual Tour

Playa Hermosa is well known among international surfers as the host for the annual world surfing championship. The beach is several miles long but the main surfing actions take place around the township. As we drive south on the main coastal highway from Jaco towards Manuel Antonio, Playa Hermosa comes up on the right hand side after 10 minutes or so starting with the village at the northern end of the beach.

Despite being a small community located on just a narrow stretch of land between the highway and the beach, the area has many small hotels and eateries well suited to the surfing market, and generally the young and the young-at-heart. Its beachfront location also attracts a large crowd of locals from the cities on holidays and weekends.

On the beachfront going from south to north, the first prominent sign belongs to The Brisas Del Mar Cabinas, followed by Hermosa Beach House, Tortuga Del Mar Beachfront Lodge, The Plaza Resort which offers 2-bedroom condos, and Cheesecake House restaurant.

Next up is Sandpipers Inn and Restaurant, located next to Hotel Fuego del Sol. The tallest building in the village is the 3-storey apartment complex of Marea Brava, which also offers outbound tours and a restaurant and bar.

On the coastal road going north to south, Surfing Coffee is first, then Hermosa Built Surf Shop, F&F Real Estate, Digital Reader Web Design and Chiclets Tree Canopy Tours. A Remax sales office is next up, followed by Rippers Sports Bar, Jaguar ATV Tours and a soda. Next we have Pizzeria Internet Café and Jungle Surf Café, and they are followed by Cabinas Rancho Grande, Cabinas Brisas Del Mar, a mini supermarket and Rooms Costanera B&B.

More cabinas follow in the compound of Cabinas Las Arenas, then Dos Gringos, a popular restaurant, with a surf shop nearby. Restaurant Bongo is next up followed by Restaurant Las Olas. Cabinas Las Ulas and Surf Inn Hermosa are next in sight, followed by Katin Surfside Hotel and the Ola Bonita Aparthotel.

Finally, Cabinas and Restaurant Vistas Hermosa, and the Backyard Hotel and Bar with oceanfront rooms and suites at the southern end of the village, sum up our tour of Playa Hermosa on a rainy afternoon in late April 2010.

Away from the township more lodging options are available such as Playa Hermosa vacation rentals which offer beachfront houses in quiet and enclosed residential communities.