A sheltered, seldom-busy bay beach that anchors the more affordable, local side of the Gold Coast.
Playa Potrero runs along a sheltered bay from the point at Flamingo north to the edge of Potrero village, giving it calm, swimmable water favored for stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking. The dark tan sand is not the area's most scenic, but the beach stays quieter than its neighbors and keeps a local, unhurried feel. A handful of fig trees near the Bahia del Sol hotel offer some of the only natural shade.
Follow Route 911 north from Flamingo about five minutes into Potrero village; beach access points run along the main road through Surfside and the older town center.
Potrero
Tour operator based in Puerto Potrero running ATV and side-by-side UTV trips through the mountains and beaches around Guanacaste, plus catamaran cruises and other day tours. Operating since 2004.
Potrero
Manta Ray Sailing runs private sailing and snorkeling charters along the Guanacaste coast from a mooring near Flamingo Marina, with a fleet that includes the luxury Bali 4.1 catamaran, the New Manta catamaran, the original Manta Ray catamaran and a center-console fishing boat called the Margarita. Every tour includes a full meal, open bar, snorkeling gear and paddleboards, with morning, sunset and full day departures. The multilingual crew also trolls for fish along the route.
Potrero
PADI dive center operating daily out of Playa Potrero, running boat trips to the Catalina Islands, Bat Islands and local reefs. They offer guided dives, PADI certification courses from Open Water through technical levels, and run with a marine conservation focus. The shop opened in 2024 and works with small guide-to-diver groups.