Playa Hermosa and Playa Panamá

Playa Hermosa, separated from Playas del Coco [1] to the south by Punta Cacique and from Bahía Culebra [2] to the north by Punta Ballena, is a pleasant two-kilometer-wide curving gray-sand beach with good tidepools at its northern end.

The road continues one kilometer to Playa Panamá, a narrow two-kilometer-wide gray-sand beach in a cove bordered by low scrub-covered hills—a bay within a bay. The beach is popular with Ticos, who camp along it. Weekends and holidays get crowded.

The road dead-ends atop the headland overlooking Playa Arenilla and Bahía Culebra [2].

The much-troubled Cacique del Mar residential project atop Punta Cacique has been resurrected and is slated to host two five-star boutique hotels.

Entertainment

Villas del Sueño has live bands three nights weekly in high season, plus guest appearances in low season. Sports fans might check out the charmless, overly air-conditioned Upperdeck Bar (tel. 506/2672-1276, noon–1 A.M. daily).

Tours and Recreation

Diving Safaris (tel. 506/2672-1259, www.costaricadiving.net [3]) has daily two-tank dive trips ($65), night and Nitrox dives, and certification courses. Snorkelers can accompany dive boats ($30).

Resort Divers de Costa Rica (tel. 506/2672-0000, www.hilton.com [4]), at the Hilton Papagayo, offers surfing trips, sportfishing, snorkeling, and scuba trips.

Aqua Sport (tel. 506/2670-0050) offers all manner of water sports, plus boat tours and fishing. Dream Fishing (tel. 506/8705-4919, www.dreamvacationwithfishingtrip.com [5]) also offers sportfishing.And Velas de Papagayo (tel. 506/2223-2508, www.velasdepapagayo.com [6], $100 pp) has snorkeling, sunset, and nighttime sailing trips out of Playa Panamá.

Getting to Playa Hermosa and Playa Panamá

A Tralapa bus (tel. 506/2221-7202) departs San José [7] for Playa Hermosa and Panamá from Calle 20, Avenidas 1/3, daily at 1:30 P.M. (five hours). Transportes La Pampa buses (tel. 506/2686-7245) depart Liberia [8] for Playa Hermosa eight times daily, 4:30 A.M.–5:30 P.M. Buses depart Hermosa for San José at 5 A.M., and for Liberia 6 A.M.–7:10 P.M. daily.

Carol at J and C Tours (tel. 506/8879-4029, www.jandctours.com [9]) specializes in transfers by minivan and can arrange all manner of tours.

A taxi from Coco [1] will run about $5 one-way; from Liberia about $15.