Tamarindo is a

district A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

of the Santa Cruz canton, in the Guanacaste province of

Costa Rica Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...

, located on the

Nicoya Peninsula The Nicoya Peninsula () is a peninsula on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. It is divided into two provinces: Guanacaste Province in the north, and the Puntarenas Province in the south. It is located at . It varies from 19 to wide and is approxi ...

. The town of Tamarindo is the largest developed beach town in Guanacaste. Main attractions in the area are

surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suitabl ...

and

eco-tourism Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide funds ...

History

Tamarindo was created on 27 November 1995 by Decreto Ejecutivo (English: Executive Order) 24820-G.

Geography

Tamarindo has an area of and an elevation of .

Settlements

Besides Tamarindo, towns in the district include Villarreal, Santa Rosa, Garita Nueva, Hernández and San José de Pinilla.

Villareal

The nearby town of Villareal has a both a public elementary school and a public high school, two full size soccer fields, multiple restaurants, two large stores, multiple hardware stores, a police station, a church, several car repair shops and a gas station.

Langosta

Just east of the centre of Tamarindo, there is a three-way intersection. To the left is the road that leads to the Banco Nacional de Costa Rica, and also a secondary exit from Tamarindo. To the right is the road that leads to Langosta.

Tourism

Beaches

Playa Tamarindo is a long, rocky beach with excellent waves near the mouth of the

estuary An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environment ...

. Currents can be strong, especially on a falling tide. Tamarindo has two main breaks for advanced surfers: Pico Pequeño, a rocky point to the right of the Hotel Tamarindo Diriá, and the excellent river mouth break across from Cabinas Tsunami called El Estero. The biggest waves can reach a height of up to 12 feet, although this is a rare occurrence and is only seen during June, July and August. The beaches in the area are generally clean and recent efforts by the government and local business organizations are proving themselves. While the beach has not regained its Blue Flag Status, in September 2008 it did get a clean bill of health from the Costa Rican government. The town is trying to regain its Blue Flag Status.

Fishing

Tamarindo is known for world-class fishing tourism, and a variety of captains and charters services are available. Costa Rica requires
fishing license
from the INCOPESCA (Instituto Costarricense de Pesca y Acuicultura), the government agency that manages, regulates and promotes fisheries and aquaculture.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census, Tamarindo had a population of .

Transportation

Road transportation

The district is covered by the following road routes: * CR RNS 152

National Route 152 * CR RNS 155

National Route 155

Airport

Tamarindo is the most accessible location along the northern Pacific coast of Costa Rica with an

airstrip An aerodrome (Commonwealth English) or airdrome (American English) is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for publ ...

. Liberia International Airport is the closest international airport to Tamarindo, about an hour away.

Public transportation

There is a scheduled daily bus service to and from San José, as well as a paved highway to San José with driving time of 3.5 to 6 hours depending on traffic.

Gallery

Las Baulas National Marine Park Panorama 3 CRI 08 2009

References

External links

{{commons category, Tamarindo
Tamarindo Beach Videos

Information about surfing conditions in Tamarindo

Tamarindo Directory

Tamarindo Visitors Guide

Incopesca

Costa Rica Fishing Charters
Districts of Guanacaste Province Populated places in Guanacaste Province Districts of Costa Rica Surfing locations in Costa Rica