Destination content © Christopher P. Baker, used from Moon Handbooks Costa Rica, 5th edition.
Maps © Avalon Publishing Group, Inc.
NOSARA
Nosara boasts three of the best beaches in Nicoya, each with rocky tidepools where the seawater is heated by the sun—great for soaking. They are part of the Ostional Wildlife Refuge and are backed by hills smothered in moist tropical forest. Playa Nosara extends north from Punta Nosara and the river estuary to Ostional. It’s backed by mangroves. An arribada occurred here for the first time in 1997. More are expected. Tiny Playa Pelada is tucked in a cove south of Punta Nosara, and has a blowhole at the south and a bat cave at the north end. Playa Guiones, separated from Playa Pelada by Punta Pelada, is a ruler-straight, five-km-long expanse of white sand washed by surf and, hence, popular with surfers. Swimmers need to beware of strong riptides.
The sleepy village of Bocas de Nosara is five km inland from the coast, five km south of Ostional, on the banks of the Río Nosara. It maintains a simple traditional Tico lifestyle, but otherwise offers little of appeal.
A large foreign community lives four km south of the village, where about 200 homes (almost all owned by foreign residents) are hidden amid the forest in the area known as the Beaches of Nosara. The roads are an intestinal labyrinth. Like any maze, it’s easy to enter but getting out is sheer puzzlement, with dirt roads coiling and uncoiling like a snake. The Nosara Civic Association (tel. 506/682-0008, nosaracivicassociation@yahoo.com), the property owners’ organization, keeps a tight rein on development.
The maritime zone fronting the beach is protected by the Forest Service, and wildlife abounds in the sprawling primary forest: coatimundis and howler monkeys are particularly common. About 40 hectares are protected in the private Reserva Biológica Nosara (belonging to Lagarta Lodge) along the river, which harbors caimans and crocodiles.
For further information on Nosara, visit www.nosara.com or www.nosaratravel.com.
Entertainment and Events
In the village, the most atmospheric bars are Bambú, with live marimba on Saturdays; and Disco Bar Tropicana, with disco on Saturdays at 9 p.m. The Gringo Grill at Blew Dog Surf Club has an eight-ball tourney on Saturday at 2 p.m.; live music on Friday nights; and live tango on Monday nights.
Café de Paris has an open-air movie Fridays at 7 p.m. (free).
Sports and Recreation
Nosara Surf Shop (tel. 506/682-0186, fax 506/682-0451, www.safarisurfschool.com) is run by two Hawaiian brothers, who have a “Safari Surf School.” It sells and rents boogie boards and surfboards.
Corky Carrol’s Surf School, at Harbor Reef, offers lessons ($50 private; $30 pp group) and surfboard rental. Both Corky’s and Casa Río Nosara offer jungle tours, kayak rental, plus horseback riding and boat trips. Boca Nosara Tours (tel. 506/682-0610, www.holidaynosa.com) offers horseback riding, fishing, plus canoeing and birding.
Iguana Expeditions, at the Gilded Iguana, offers sea-kayaking (from $35).
Black Marlin Sportfishing, also at Harbor Reef, and Aventura Pelada Sportfishing (tel. 506/682-0173) offer sportfishing.
Tuanis rents snorkel gear ($5 daily) and offers guided turtle tours to Ostional ($10).
Information and Services
Tuanis (tel./fax 506/682-0249, tuanisart@racsa.co.cr) has a splendid selection of batiks, hammocks, and swimsuits; the shop also acts as a tourist information center and rents cruiser (“banana”) bikes ($8 daily, $40 weekly).
Nosara Surf Shop rents ATVs (from $25 daily).
There’s a Red Cross (tel. 506/682-0175), on the northeast side of the soccer field in Nosara; a clinic 600 meters east of the soccer field operates an ambulance and is open 7 a.m.–4 p.m. Mon.–Thurs., 7 a.m.–noon Friday. Boutiq L’Salud (tel. 506/682-0282), south of the soccer field, is the local pharmacy.
The police station, on the northeast side of the soccer field, has no telephone; call the public telephone (tel. 506/682-0088 or 506/682-0288) outside the station.
A bank was being built at last visit, next to Café de Paris.
The post office (7:30–11:30 a.m. and 1:30–5:30 p.m. Mon.–Fri.) is at the north end of the runway.
Café de Paris (7 a.m.–9 p.m.) has an Internet café with satellite connection ($10 per hour). Nosara Office Center (tel. 506/682-0181, newsfund@racsa.co.cr) offers email, fax, and photocopying services.
Café de Paris also has a laundry, as does Mini-Super Delicias del Mundo ($6 per bag).
Getting There
Sansa (tel. 506/257-9414, www.grupotaca.com) and Nature Air (tel. 506/220-3054, www.natureair.com) have twice-daily service between San José and Nosara.
A bus (tel. 506/222-2750) departs San José for Nosara from Calle 14, Avenidas 3/5, daily at 6 a.m.; the return bus departs from Bocas del Nosara at 12:45 p.m. A bus departs Nicoya for Nosara at 5 a.m., 10 a.m., noon, and 2:30 p.m., returning at 5 a.m., 7 a.m., noon, and 3 p.m.
Budget Rent-a-Car is represented at Hotel Villa Taype.
There is no longer a direct road link between Nosara and Nicoya. You must drive south 15 km to Barco Quebrado and turn inland; the dirt road meets the paved Nicoya-Sámara road at Terciopelo.
Clemente Matarrita sells gas at his little “Servicentro Nosara” in Bocas de Nosara.
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