I have been down for the count. I mean seriously ill. I really don’t blame Costa Rica, I promise, but it has been a rough haul getting over my stomach infection. Well…getting toward getting better. Enough of that, I just wanted to let you know where I have been and why I did not finish showing you Tamarindo.
This picture is from James Kaiser. http://www.jameskaiser.com
It gives you a good idea what the city is like as it curves around the beach.
We stayed here:
This was our one trip out to a bar. The water was great there. The singer is an expat from Austin, Texas who sings a bluesy style of music. He was great.
Playa (beach) Tamarindo is beautiful, and the little city is located right up next to the sand. The city is a crazy quilt of little shops, restaurants and bars. The main street that runs parallel to the coast is paved and it is a very walkable little community. The sidewalks are sketchy, but drivers are conscientious.
It is surprisingly small. There are only 500 permanent residents with there being about 5000 in the city at the height of the season. The city is all about the beach during the day. Surfing, excursions and sun rule the daylight. At night, the restaurants and bars get hoppin’.
The food is good. There is a small food court with Tico Tacos we really liked,
Longboard’s serves fried plantains, fried yucca, and fried sweet potatoes instead of French fries. The BBQ sandwiches were really good.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g309253-d1847240-Reviews-LongBoards_BBQ-Tamarindo_Province_of_Guanacaste.html
My favorite was Patagonia. Argentinian food. Yummy. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g309253-d3781345-Reviews-Patagonia_Argentinian_Grill_Restaurant-Tamarindo_Province_of_Guanacaste.html
The cost at the restaurants is comparable to the US and all the restaurants we visited took US dollars. Here is the Trip Advisor’s list of best restaurants.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g309253-Tamarindo_Province_of_Guanacaste.html
My advice is go to the packed restaurants unless you have a tougher stomach than me. I am almost certain I got sick at a restaurant that did not have many customers. Crowded restaurants sell a lot of food and don’t have stuff sitting around. The expatriate community will tell you where to go. We found out the next day from some expats they did not recommend the restaurant because it had a new owner and was not dong well. Too little, too late.
The hotels and condos are all walking distance from the city center. We only rented a cab one day to take us out to Playa Grande. Cabs are not cheap and you are lucky if you find one with cold air conditioner. The ride from the airport to Tamarindo is about $25.00 each. You have to reserve your ride from the airport to the beach in advance or it is crazy expensive. If you have a large group (4+), check into getting a car it is about $85.00.
We loved our visit and can understand why Hubby’s brother and Sister in Law fell in love with the place and bought a home there.
Pura Vida.
Karen