Esterillos Beaches
The smooth brown sand seems to stretch on for miles, bordered by bright green palm trees, almond trees and coconut trees as far as you can see. Besides simply admiring the scenery, Esterillos is a great beach for surfing. Welcome to Esterillos, a collection of beach communities, named for the region's estuaries and rivers: Esterillos West (Oeste), Esterillos Center (Centro) and Esterillos East (Este), each have their own exit of Highway #34. Costa Esterillos Estates is in between Oeste and Centro.
Esterillos Oeste Beach
The beach is by far the town’s biggest attraction. Along the gray sand, you will find local families barbecuing under the palms, fishermen putting out their boats, and surfers lined up for the next big wave. The beach is long and it’s easy to find a spot all to yourself. A beach trail/road runs along the ocean, making it convenient to pull your car right up.
With its larger waves and riptides, the beach isn’t great for swimming, but you can wade in the shallow waves.
For calm water, check out the tidepools on the northern end at low tide. These are a great place to bring kids to see the crabs and fish living in the small pools. In between rock formations, there are a few perfect places to take a dip in the tranquil water. Another notable attraction at Esterillos Oeste is the large statue of a mermaid jutting out of the tidepools. You can walk out to La Sirena at low tide to get a picture, or just view her from the shore at any tide. Playa Esterillos Oeste is a well-known surfing beach. It is the most popular of the Esterillos beaches, but usually doesn’t get too busy. Experienced surfers come here to take on the beach break, but it’s also a good spot for those just starting out.
Esterillos Centro Beach
Esterillos Centro has wonderful mangrove zones, combined with the spectacular landscape that forms the Bejuco River, that separates Esterillos Centro from Esterillos Este. The beach is characterized by it's beauty and natural richness, but most importantly by it's impressive landscape, covered by tropical forests, palm and almond trees.
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Esterillos Este Beach
Esterillos Este is a peaceful beachside community with a character all its own. Tourists come to Esterillos Este to enjoy the picturesque sunsets and calm, tranquil waters of the North Puntarenas coast. The smooth brown sand seems to stretch on for miles, bordered by bright green palm trees, almond trees and coconut trees for as far as you can see.
Esterillos Este has one of the best sunsets on Costa Rica. It is especially famous for horse back riding. What could be more picturesque then horse back riding on the beach into the sunset?!