The black sand beach of Playa Negra on the Pacific Coast in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, is a long stretch of beach which backs up to a grand forested expanse.

This beach to the south of the small city of Tamarindo is home to some very good surf breaks. It is also to the north of Playa Blanca, and near to a number of other beaches that serve up good surf. To check the surf in Playa Negra look here. This part of Costa Rica is well known for its consistently good conditions for surfing, and Playa Negra stands in distinction from many of the others nearby for the role it played in the 1994 film The Endless Summer II.

In and around Playa Negra, Costa Rica, you can find a number of places to stay. Some of these places are upscale resorts, whereas others are more budget friendly establishments. The lodgings in the area consist of Hotel Playa Negra, Finca Buena Fuente Residence Hotel, Azul Ocean Club Hotel and Indra Inn.

When planning your trip to Playa Negra, you should consider bringing a swimsuit, a fishing pole and tackle box, a camera, a surfboard or boogie-board and snorkeling gear. The waters further off the coast are filled with Wahoo, Marlin, Tuna and others, so fishing trips are held regularly. There are companies operating scuba expeditions in the area, as well, and you can set off from the beach if you care to have a swim or snorkel.

Playa Negra is reachable via plane through the domestic airlines of Nature Air and Sansa Air. The nearest destination that Nature and Sansa fly to is Tamarindo where you would be able to find transportation on to the beach. The drive time from San Jose is five hours and thirty-four minutes, from the international air in Alajuela it’s three hours and forty two minutes and from Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport in Liberia, Costa Rica, it is one hour and eighteen minutes.

Location: Playa Negra, Guanacaste.
Items to bring: a swimsuit, a fishing pole and tackle box, a camera, a surfboard or boogie-board, snorkeling gear
Distance from San Jose: 5 hrs 34 mins
Distance from Liberia: 1 hr 18 mins
Hotels nearby: Hotel Playa Negra, Finca Buena Fuente Residence Hotel, Azul Ocean Club Hotel, Indra Inn
Ways to get here: plane, rental car, bus, shuttle, taxi