Nosara
At this small beach town we found the people (a mixture of Ticos and North American ex-pats) friendly, the water warm and the waves consistent. We stayed four weeks and didn't go further than walking distance from the beach. Aside from surfing, which we did most days, we explored the local area extensively. Playas Guiones and neighbouring Pelada always had something interesting to show us, from black vultures devouring a shark carcass to a flock of roseate spoonbills in a sheltered lagoon and every day an amazing sunset behind lines of white water rolling over the outer reef.
In August the weather was pleasantly hot and we had the whole 6 km stretch of beach to ourselves most days. There are a couple of surf shops where you can hire gear or get lessons and it's possible to go on walking or quad-biking tours with local organisations.
Highlights
Surfing
There are some very good surfers in Nosara. We weren't two of them, but we did improve during our stay and we thoroughly enjoyed our time in the water. The waves are generally crumbly and a bit mushy with a tendency to close out when the swell gets too big. Conditions are perfect for beginners but the experienced boardriders also seemed to have a good time. We saw shortboarders carving it up at high tide and one or two longboarders managed to hang ten for what seemed like minutes at a time.
We spent most of our time in the shorebreak. Niall, having only surfed twice before, is now popping to his feet consistently and catching loads of waves. I finally straightened out my dragging back knee which has crippled my pop-ups for years and I got a couple of nice long rides along green waves as a consequence. I probably should have spent more time out back, but I confess to being a little daunted by the size, especially after getting thoroughly spin-cycled on more than one occasion.
My worst surfing mishap was a small cut and accompanying large bruise on my leg but Niall really showed the way when it came to fin injuries. In the last week of our stay he had an argument with his ten foot pop-out and finished up having his nose glued back together in the back room of a bar. The other patrons variously admired, examined and helped tend to his injuries before immortalising the whole affair in song. Some beer was consumed and everyone pronounced it a very satisfying experiment - except Niall who was lucky not to be concussed and had to be fed painkillers and taken home.
Eating
Café de Paris
Very nice for croissant breakfasts.
Harbor Reef
Good steak and banana splits - if the rescue animals don't get all the fruit first.
The Gilded Iguana
Great casados, beer and first aid!
La Luna on Playa Pelada
Fantastic lunch and iced coffee; lovely beachfront location.
Sleeping
Canadian Condos
Just 50 yards from the beach. Secluded, peaceful and beautifully kept. Hummingbirds visited the garden every day and we had some close experiences with coatis and howler monkeys coming right to the edge of the forest by the swimming pool. At night we sat on our verandah and watched the fireflies and lightning storms. By far the nicest accommodation we saw in Nosara and quite reasonably priced.
