A wellness and surf town on the Nicoya Peninsula's Pacific coast, inside one of the world's Blue Zones. Playa Guiones draws surfers and a deep yoga-retreat scene, with Playa Pelada and the town of Nosara nearby, all set back from the beach behind a protected wildlife refuge.
Nosara is a surf and wellness town on the Nicoya Peninsula, set inside one of the world's recognized Blue Zones where residents tend to live unusually long lives. Playa Guiones is the main draw: a long beach with a consistent break that works for beginners and stronger surfers alike, plus a dense cluster of yoga studios and retreat centers. The whole area sits behind a protected wildlife refuge, so development is held back from the sand and howler monkeys, iguanas, and birds are part of daily life.
Most visitors base themselves in the Beaches of Nosara, the Guiones and Pelada area near the coast, rather than the inland town of Nosara, which is where locals live and run errands. Guiones puts you within walking or biking distance of the surf, restaurants, and studios; Pelada is quieter and more residential, with tide pools and a calmer feel. Stays range from yoga retreats and boutique hotels to long-term rentals popular with the remote-work crowd.
From San Jos茅 it is about 5 hours by car, with the final stretch on rough, partly unpaved roads where a 4x4 helps, especially in the green season. A small airstrip in Nosara (NOB) takes domestic Sansa flights. Most visitors stay near the beach in Guiones or Pelada and get around by bike or golf cart; the inland town of Nosara, a few kilometers back, is where the bank, clinic, and errands are.
The dry season runs roughly December through April, with reliable sun and the busiest crowds around the holidays and March. The green season from May to November brings afternoon rain, lush landscapes, and fewer people; September and October are the wettest, and some roads flood, but the surf stays consistent and prices drop. The mass turtle nesting at Playa Ostional typically peaks in the rainy-season months.
A map and checklist of every beach along this coast. Beach guide.
Boutique hotels, jungle lodges, hostels, and private villas, verified and current. See all 21.
Playa Guiones
A luxury vacation home rental and management company with a portfolio of high-end villas concentrated in Playa Guiones and Playa Pelada, including beach club properties and hillside homes with ocean views. The company handles guest services and property management for owners in addition to bookings.
Playa Pelada
Domo Hotel Boutique occupies a high-end renovation of a landmark building in Playa Pelada, with 13 one- and two-bedroom suites built around a tiled courtyard pool. Each suite has its own living room and kitchen, and the hotel offers concierge services to arrange tours and activities around Nosara. It is within walking distance of the beach and restaurants.
Playa Guiones
Esh Hotel & Spa is an adults-only luxury boutique hotel (13 and older) with suites and one-bedroom villas that include private plunge pools, set in jungle grounds near Playa Guiones and Playa Pelada. The hotel earned a MICHELIN Key in 2025 and includes Vitalis Spa, an on-site restaurant called Almar and a partnership with the Costas Verdes reforestation program. It is a member of Design Hotels.
Fine dining, beach bars, local sodas, and cafes worth your time. See all 26.
Playa Guiones
Al Chile is an open-air Mexican restaurant and bar next to the Sunset Shack hotel in downtown Guiones, making tortillas and salsas from scratch daily. The menu runs breakfast in the morning and a full Mexican-inspired lunch and dinner service after 11am. It sources some produce from a local organic farm.
Playa Guiones
Almendros Cantina is a relaxed neighborhood bar and restaurant in the Esperanza area near Guiones, known for its chifrijo and Costa Rican bar snacks. It is one of the few Nosara restaurants offering delivery. The cantina draws a mixed crowd of locals and residents looking for an easygoing meal.
Nosara
Celajes Restaurante is a family-run spot near the Nosara airstrip serving a long menu of Costa Rican staples: casados, ceviche, seafood and burgers. The plain exterior gives way to a wide-ranging kitchen that works well for groups and families on a budget. It draws a steady mix of locals and visitors passing through the airport side of town.
Park guides, catamarans, sportfishing, ziplines, rafting, and more. See all 20.
Nosara
The Ostional Integral Development Association is one of two official community guide groups authorized to lead visitors into the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge, where entry without a licensed guide is prohibited by law. Guides walk small groups onto Playa Ostional to see nesting olive ridley turtles or, during an arribada, the mass nesting event that draws hundreds of thousands of turtles ashore between July and December. Reservations go through the association's own phone lines rather than a website.
Nosara
AGLO is the second official community guide association authorized to lead turtle-watching tours inside the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge. The group posts real-time updates on its Facebook page when an arribada begins, including which nightly time slots have guides available, since the mass nesting event cannot be scheduled in advance. Guides lead small groups onto Playa Ostional to view nesting olive ridley turtles under red-light-only conditions required to protect the animals.
Nosara
A hilltop yoga and meditation retreat center overlooking the Pacific and a protected turtle-nesting beach. It hosts week-long retreats, workshops, and teacher trainings led by visiting facilitators, and offers a shuttle reservation service for arriving guests. The center focuses on meditation, kirtan, and spiritual programming.
Transport, property management, concierge, chefs, spas, and practical help. See all 37.
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Playa Guiones
A vacation rental and property management company serving Nosara homeowners since 2014, handling guest care and full-service home management. It manages a portfolio of villas and homes around Guiones and Pelada and offers concierge-style guest support. Booking and management inquiries run through its website.
Nosara
A tico-owned property management and vacation rental company based in Playa Guiones, handling everything from booking guests to daily maintenance for homeowners. The company also runs its own curated portfolio of vacation rentals and offers concierge support for guests during their stay.
Nosara
A private chef and catering service led by Chef Casper Homewood, cooking on-site at villas, retreats, and small events across Nosara with menus built around locally sourced ingredients. The team handles full-day meal service for surf trips and wellness retreats as well as one-off dinner parties and celebrations.
Yoga studios, spas, and wellness in Nosara.
Nosara
A hilltop yoga and meditation retreat center overlooking the Pacific and a protected turtle-nesting beach. It hosts week-long retreats, workshops, and teacher trainings led by visiting facilitators, and offers a shuttle reservation service for arriving guests. The center focuses on meditation, kirtan, and spiritual programming.
Playa Guiones
A wellness resort in the Guiones jungle offering daily drop-in yoga classes, week-long surf-and-yoga retreats, a spa, and Balinese-inspired accommodations. The property runs its own surf school and added Bodhi Residences for longer stays. Reservations are handled through an online booking system.
Playa Guiones
A Yoga Alliance certified training school steps from Playa Guiones, running in-person 200-hour, 300-hour, and specialty yoga teacher trainings. The school has operated in Nosara since 2003 and schedules multiple cohorts through the year. Programs are residential and held on-site.
Playa Guiones
A massage studio in North Guiones founded by therapist Juan Carlos Saldana in 2009, offering signature bodywork and a range of massage services. Sessions use locally produced organic coconut oil and essential-oil aromatherapy. Appointments are booked online in advance.
Playa Guiones
The spa at The Gilded Iguana in Nosara, offering massages, facials, and full spa-day treatments. It is open daily and bookable online, serving both hotel guests and outside visitors.
Banks, ATMs, and medical help in Nosara, checked against live sources.
The main full-service national bank in the zone, by the gas station and hardware store. Branch visits can mean long lines; bring ID. National BCR line is 2211-1111.
ATM by the gas station alongside the BCR branch; dispenses colones and US dollars. Carry a cash backup, as ATMs here can run empty on weekends and holidays.
Second national bank option, in the Guiones commercial area. A private bank, Lafise, also operates near the BCR by the gas station.
Private urgent care and emergency service with stitches, wound care, lab, x-ray, and ground, air, and water ambulance transport. Same number on WhatsApp.
Public CCSS primary-care clinic for basic and routine care, not major emergencies. It has had documented staffing shortages and inconsistent hours, so confirm locally; serious cases go to Hospital La Anexi贸n in Nicoya.
Pharmacy serving the Guiones area, open seven days a week, with over-the-counter and prescription medication.
Nearest public CCSS hospital and where serious emergencies from Nosara are taken, about an hour or more on partly rough roads. Call 911 first; dispatch coordinates transport.
In an emergency, dial 911. See the full emergency numbers page.
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