Samara Costa Rica which is located at south of Nosara in the Nicoya Peninsula is one of the rare jewels of the country and truly one of the best place to be on your holidays. What makes this place so unique is that it offers one of longest white sandy beaches in Costa Rica, the waters are shallow and gentle plus there are the attractions of the nearby coral reef and Isla Chora, the wooden island in the bay.
Traveling to Samara will take about 4 hours if you driving from San Jose but if you are in a hurry, you can take the flight (which operates daily) from San Jose which only takes about 40 minutes and cost you around USD100 one way. The long Samara beach is a great place for honeymoon couples to spend private moments either by taking a leisurely stroll, horse back riding and even taking a swim in the ocean as the waters are safe for swimming, to top it up, enjoy the magnificent sunset as you end the day together with your spouse or partner. Although Samara Costa Rica is famous for its fishing and farming industries but in the recent years, tourism and real estate have been developing fairly quickly as more and more foreigners are buying up the land in the area either for development or building their holiday home.
Samara Costa Rica is a “fully equipped” tourist spot where it has a full range of restaurants, pubs, clubs and last but not least world class accommodation at the fraction of the price that you would pay else where. Leading the way is Hotel Giada with room rates starting from as low as USD20 per night for a standard room is definitely value for money and within most people’s budget. Hotel Giada is designed with a tropical paradise theme and conveniently situated on the main road to Samara beach. The hotel has proper tourist facilities such as 2 swimming pools, Jacuzzis, restaurants and the rooms are cozy and well equipped. Hotel staffs are generally helpful and multi-lingual with English, Spanish and Italian being the main languages that they know.
At Las Brisas del Pacifico, Samara Beach will delight you with the bungalows surrounded by flowers and the cooling shadow of the large almond trees. Don’t be afraid if you hear a deep howl or grunts over your roof. It is probably a troop of howler monkeys hanging around your bungalow. Las Brisas del Pacifico has bungalows on the upper part of the hotel’s property that offer breathtaking views of Samara Beach. The 2 swimming pools invite you to float around on a hot Costa Rican sunny day. Sip on your favorite tropical drink while you enjoy the refreshing pool. At Las Brisas del Pacifico Hotel you can dine at the International cuisine restaurant and take in a mesmerizing sunset while you enjoy a glass of wine. You and your mate can enjoy a truly romantic evening surrounded by the sun’s last gleams while you taste exquisite dishes of typical and international cuisine.
Another great place to stay in Samara is the Hotel Las Brisas del Pacifico, quite a mouthful especially if you don’t speak Spanish so I just call it Las Brisas. The hotel is located right on Samara beach offers bungalow styled accommodation set amidst lush garden and greenery. The hotel is a great place to just relax, unwind and enjoy the Costa Rican sun. Las Brisas also offers easy accessibility to the beach and great rates which range from USD28 to USD32.
Hideaway hotel is another affordable hotel that is highly recommended especially for couples. The hotel is quaint and cozy as there are only 12 rooms available and it’s surrounded with beautiful and lush gardens and tropical plants and flowers. Service is personalized to your requirements, staffs are bi-lingual and the rates are affordable starting from USD32 per night.
There are plenty of things to do throughout the day depending on your budget and interest. Top of the list is sports fishing where you can try your luck on landing the “big one” out in the open sea. Go on one of the chartered boats usually with the other tourist or anglers unless you are rich enough to charter one exclusively for yourself. There are plenty of fish in Pacific waters such as rooster fish, marlin, tuna and many more. The surrounding area is famous for turtle nesting and you can visit them at the nearby Playa Camaronal and Ostional Olive Ridley. For the nature lovers you can hop to the national parks in the area such as Barra Honda and Palo Verde. Other than these, you can also go kayaking on the Ora river, dive at the nearby coral reefs or visit Isla Chora.