North Guanacaste's main dive hub on the Gulf of Papagayo, a short drive from Liberia airport. Playas del Coco is the lively town with the dive shops and sportfishing fleet, Playa Hermosa the calmer beach to the north, and Ocotal a small bay to the south, all with quick access to the Catalina and Bat Islands.
Why visit Playas del Coco
Playas del Coco is North Guanacaste's dive capital, the launch point for boats heading to the Catalina and Bat Islands, where divers come for manta rays, bull sharks, and big schooling fish. The town wraps around a gray-sand bay on the Gulf of Papagayo and stays busy after dark with restaurants, bars, and a working sportfishing fleet. Day trips run easily to calmer Playa Hermosa just north and the small horseshoe of Ocotal to the south.
Why people stay
Coco works as a base because almost everything sits close together and Liberia airport is only about 30 minutes away, so you trade a short transfer for a town with banks, clinics, pharmacies, and a real grocery run. Divers and anglers stay here to be near the boats; families and couples wanting quieter sand often pick Hermosa or Ocotal and drive into Coco for dinner. You get reliable services without the resort-corridor prices found further along the Papagayo peninsula.
The dry season, roughly December to April, brings the clearest skies and the calmest, warmest water, which is prime for diving and the busiest stretch for visitors. Bull shark season at the Bat Islands typically peaks in the wetter months from about May to November, when the town is quieter and rates drop. Green-season afternoons can bring heavy rain, but mornings are often clear.
Beaches of Playas del Coco
A map and checklist of every beach along this coast. Beach guide.
Costa Rica Villas operates ten all-inclusive luxury villas in gated communities above Playa Ocotal and Playas del Coco, with private pools and Pacific Ocean views over the Bay of Papagayo. All-inclusive rates cover a private chef, bartender, housekeeping, and daily laundry for washable items, with an eight to twenty person capacity depending on villa. The company also arranges weddings, fishing charters, and canopy tours for guests, and is 25 minutes from Liberia airport.
Beachfront resort on a hillside above Playa Ocotal, roughly a 10-minute drive from Playas del Coco, with 59 rooms and an infinity pool overlooking the bay. The property has operated as one of the longer-running resorts on this stretch of coast and includes an on-site restaurant and bar. It is positioned close to Ocotal's dive sites and beach club.
Beachfront boutique hotel on Playa Hermosa in the Gulf of Papagayo, with a 24-hour front desk and an on-site restaurant. It markets itself on first-class hospitality and gastronomy in a quiet beach setting.
Latin fusion and Mediterranean restaurant in the Pacifico retail village in Playas del Coco, with a casual-chic atmosphere. The kitchen leans on fresh, seasonal ingredients and a rotating menu.
Sports bar and brewhouse on Ruta 151 in Playas del Coco, home to Angry Goats craft beer and the town's brewery since 2015. It runs many TVs and projection screens for live sports alongside a bar-and-grill menu.
A beachfront restaurant in Playa Ocotal, set in a restored 1917 hacienda home right on the sand. It serves a bar-and-grill menu and cocktails and also hosts private events at its beachfront venue.
Costa Rican-owned tour company in Playas del Coco operating the Happy Coco catamaran and the Alore sailboat for morning snorkel, sunset and private BBQ tours along the Papagayo coast. Trips include snorkeling, drinks and food prepared by the crew.
Blue Kai Fishing Charters is based in Playa del Coco and runs full day, half day and combination bottom fishing and beach day trips on a fleet of Hatteras and Viking sportfishers. The crew, led by captains Angel, Bryan and Al, targets sailfish, marlin, yellowfin tuna and roosterfish, and offers pickup from hotels across Guanacaste and Tamarindo. Booking runs through their own online system, with phone and WhatsApp using the same US number.
Catamaran Ocean Tours picks passengers up directly on the beach in front of their hotel in the Papagayo area and sails a trimaran and a catamaran out of Playas del Coco, both with open bar and snacks included. Their signature Excelsior trimaran cruise runs five hours daily with a 2pm departure, and they also book private events on board. The company responds through WhatsApp and has active TripAdvisor and Google review pages.
Optometry practice in Plaza Colonial run by Dra. Zaimy Lopez Aparicio, offering eye exams, prescription glasses, and contact lens fitting, including pediatric vision therapy. A second location serves Playa Potrero.
Blue Sea Construction is a home building and maintenance company based in Playa Hermosa that covers the northwest Pacific coast including Playas del Coco, Playa Ocotal, and Playa Panama. Alongside custom home construction, the company runs a handyman maintenance service covering drywall, electrical and plumbing repairs, painting, and general upkeep for rental and primary properties.
Daniel Rojas is a private chef serving villas and vacation homes across the Papagayo Peninsula and Playas del Coco area, cooking traditional Costa Rican and international dishes with local seafood and produce. He offers custom menu planning for dietary restrictions, family-style dinners, buffet setups for large groups, and food delivery, and typically works with an assistant to serve and clean up. He has more than 20 verified reviews from guests booking multi-day meal packages during villa stays.
Spa and wellness center in Playas del Coco offering massages, couples rituals, facials, HydraFacial treatments and a private mineral tub. Service is available in English and Spanish, with packages from short relaxation massages to multi-hour signature rituals.
Banks, ATMs, and medical help in Playas del Coco, checked against live sources.
Banks and ATMs
Bank
Banco Nacional (BNCR) Playas del CocoPlayas del Coco (El Coco), Sardinal
State bank branch with ATMs that dispense colones and US dollars; travelers report low or no withdrawal fees on BNCR machines, though your own bank's fees may apply. Branch phone and hours not verified.
Bank
BAC Credomatic, El CocoPlayas del Coco (El Coco), Carrillo
Private bank branch with ATMs in Coco. Phone is the BAC national call center, not the branch direct line.
Medical
Clinic
Coco Medical CenterPlayas del Coco, Sardinal+506 2670 1234Mon-Fri 8:00am to 10:00pm; Sat 8:00am to 5:00pm; Sun 9:00am to 6:00pm
Private urgent-care and medical center serving Coco, Hermosa, and nearby beaches; WhatsApp +506 8303 6655 and air-ambulance coordination. Call 911 first for life-threatening emergencies; serious cases go to Liberia.
Local pharmacy in Coco; a mobile line +506 8457 1770 is listed for contact and delivery.
Hospital
Hospital San Rafael Arcángel (Liberia)Av. Central, Liberia, about 30 to 40 minutes from Coco+506 2690 5500Open 24/7 with an emergency department
The main private hospital in Guanacaste, in Liberia, with a 24/7 emergency room and surgery; closest private hospital to Coco. Alternate line +506 2666 1717.
Hospital
Hospital Enrique Baltodano Briceño (Liberia)Barrio Moracia, Liberia, about 30 to 40 minutes from Coco+506 2690 2300Open 24/7 with an emergency department
The public CCSS regional hospital for Guanacaste; where 911 takes serious public-system emergencies from the Coco area.
