The gateway beach into the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, with an offshore reef just out from shore.
Blue Flag beachTurtle nestingProtected area
Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge
Playa Manzanillo fronts the village of Manzanillo at the southern end of the coastal road, right at the edge of the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge. Calm, clear water and an offshore reef make it a common put-in point for snorkeling and kayak trips into the refuge. Sections of this beach have held Bandera Azul Ecológica awards up to 5 stars.
SwimmingCalm, good for swimming
SurfNot a surf beach
Good for
Swimming
Snorkeling
Boat launch
Wildlife
Facilities
Parking
Restaurants
Shade
Getting there
The coastal road from Puerto Viejo ends at Manzanillo village, about 13 kilometers southeast; the beach fronts the village directly.
Sea turtles
Species: Hawksbill, Green turtle
Nesting season: June to October, with hawksbill nesting most often reported July-October
Nesting is centered on Gandoca Beach further south, but hawksbills have been documented nesting directly on Playa Manzanillo.
A grassroots nonprofit founded by sea turtle biologist Dr. Christine Figgener that runs nightly research patrols and beach protection on Gandoca and nearby South Caribbean nesting beaches. COASTS accepts visitors and volunteers to join patrols during leatherback (March-July) and green/hawksbill nesting, pairing conservation work with turtle encounters. Contact the organization directly to arrange a visit or volunteer stay.
A community-run guided night walk on Playa Gandoca inside the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, departing nightly from the Gandoca operations center between February and July. Park rangers patrol ahead and radio guides to active nests, mainly leatherback (peak April-May) with green and hawksbill also possible; cameras and white light are prohibited to protect the turtles.
The Costa Rica chapter of WIDECAST (Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network), coordinated through Latin American Sea Turtles (LAST) and led by Didiher Chacon, has run sea turtle conservation and volunteer patrol programs on Gandoca beach since the 1990s. Volunteers and visitors join night patrols during leatherback nesting season (March-July) to monitor nests and protect hatchlings on the Gandoca-Manzanillo refuge coastline.