Samara

The road from Nicoya to Samara carries on through the town center of Samara until it reaches the beachfront; the 3-block stretch is in effect the main street of Samara village, teeming with businesses and pedestrians.

Our tour begins from Hotel Giada on the left, which hosts one of Samara’s most popular restaurants, specializing in Pizzas. Skynet Tours, Cocos Restaurant and an art gallery follow. Alamo Car Rental is next and its office sits at the entrance of Hotel Samara Beach. From here to the beach we have a mix of sodas and makeshift shops, leading up to a children playground and a congregation of streetside vendors at the bottom of the street.

Back to the top of the street on the right, opposite Hotel Giada, a commercial complex called Patio Colonial houses a variety of services including Economy Car Rental, a dental office, Las Delicias Bakery and Ice Cream, Aroma Café, and Ikabebe baby clothes shop. Century 21 takes up the corner position in the next complex called Plaza Samara Condominio.

Before we proceed to the next block on the main street, we take a right turn now as a detour, and we find, on the left, a church, Banco Nacional, a large hardware store, Samara Language School, El Dorado Restaurant, Pizzeria and Bar; on the right, there is a mini plaza with realty and rentals offices, and La Terazza B&B. Signs of Camping Aloha, Villas Pepitas and Restaurant La Manglar point to a small road on the left which leads to the beach.

Back at the Plaza Samara Condominio outside Century 21, continuing to the next block on the right, Cabinas Arenas, Samara Property Co and Internet Samara are up next, and a variety of boutiques shops, with Pizza Paraiso located among them. Coldwell Banker has an office here, located next to Arriba Restaurant and Restaurant Las Brasas.

The village football field takes up the entire next block on the beachfront, sharing it with a mini-super and the police station.

With the football field on the right, the main street now veers off to the left, parallel to the beach. On the left we have a school, followed by Hotel Casa del Mar, Super Samara Internet, Kamar home-for-rent, Villas Kalimba, Hotel Casa paraiso and Camping Locos. Opposite them on the beachside, starting again from the top, we have Casa Perla Mar, Joe’s Restaurant, Leo Tours, Beach Club Hola Restaurant and Tree House Inn which has horses, kayaks and Surfboards for rentals. Up next are Casa Velena, Cabinas La Angla and La Vela Latina Beach Bar. The beach road now veers to the left and after about 100 meters it joins up with the coastal road that heads south to Playa Carillo and Punta Islita.

On the coastal road, after about half a kilometer, we see the entrance for Hotel Las Brisas del Pacifico, which has a premium spot on the beachfront at the southern part of Playa Samara. Next to the hotel entry we find a sandy lane that leads to the beach, passing Kors Art Gallery, Cabinas Bar and Restaurant Bahia, Casitas las Divas. And here is Hotel Las Brisas del Pacifico just round the corner as we turn into the beachfront lane, which continues for a few hundred meters with a few sodas and cabinas on the left facing the beach. This side of Samara Beach is quiet and peaceful and you can see the beach stretching for miles to the north; a perfect spot to spread out on a sun lounger with a book.

Turning back towards the village center on the coastal road, we pass Aparthotel Mirador and Budget Rent-a-Car on the right, followed by three consecutive turnoffs to the beach on the left. Positioned between the turnoffs are Casa Tortuga with rooms for rent, Tico Adventure Lodge, Triskalliar Tours, Sol Azteca Mexican, Bel Vedere B&B, and two mini-markets just before we touchdown at the village main street.