Camaronal Beach is located on the Nicoya Peninsula of Guanacaste Province between the beaches of Carrillo and Islita with a wildlife refuge that preserves the rainforest.

Playa Camaronal doesn’t have a lot of buildup from hotels and tourism, because it is a wildlife refuge. Some of the animals that the area regularly sees passing through or calling it home include sea turtles (it is an important nesting site), American Crocodiles, crabs, iguanas, monkeys, armadillos and many different species of birds including hummingbirds, trogons, hawks, kingfishers and warblers to name a few.

The main role of the reserve is to make sure that the landing sea turtles are safe, and have a place to lay their eggs with the greatest possibility for survival. The species of sea turtles that land at Camaronal consist of Olive Ridleys, Black Sea Turtles, Hawksbills and the largest turtle on the planet: Leatherback Sea Turtles. Olive Ridleys land in mass at beaches further north along the peninsula, but they land one by one at Camaronal.

When heading to Camaronal, you’ll want to bring a bathing suit, towel, shorts, tee shirts, aquatic shoes (flip flops or sandals are fine), rain gear, sun block and insect repellent. You will probably need to plan your trip from nearby beaches of Playa Samara, Carrillo or Islita, and boats are likely to be your best bet for heading into the area. If you do plan on driving in yourself, you may want to reserve a four wheel drive vehicle.

Playa Camaronal is 3 hours and 39 minutes from San Jose and the Juan Santamaria International Airport. It is 2 hours and 15 minutes from Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport in Liberia, Costa Rica. You will find some great accommodations in the area including Villas Playa Samara, Hotel Punta Islita and El Sueno Tropical. The area can be reached by plane via airports at Punta Islita and Playa Carrillo. The domestic airlines in Costa Rica are Nature Air and Sansa Air.

Items to bring: a bathing suit, towel, shorts, tee shirts, aquatic shoes (flip flops or sandals are fine), rain gear, sun block, insect repellent
Distance from San Jose:3 hours 39 minutes
Distance from Liberia: 2 hours 15 minutes
Hotels nearby: Villas Playa Samara, Hotel Punta Islita, El Sueno Tropical
Ways to get here: boat, rental car (4X4 preferred), plane, private shuttle