Oh, the Beautiful Beach!
Playa Ocotal is a calm, sandy beach nestled in a small cove along the coastline of Costa Rica’s sublime Gulf of Papagayo. About a third of a mile long, it is a great place to relax or swim and is one of the best snorkelling beaches in the area. Snorkeling and scuba diving become delightful experiences due to clear waters and the wide range of marine life. Feel like you are floating in an aquarium as you watch colourful fish with many different shapes and sizes. Right from shore you can access both beginner and advanced snorkeling and scuba diving sites. We have a bio abundance of marine life that is enviable and makes even a quick shallow snorkel a memorable experience.
Playa Ocotal is also one of the most quiet and clean beaches and proudly exhibits Costa Rica’s Blue Flag for cleanliness. A light sea breeze is often present to help you quickly dry off and keep you from getting too hot. At times the sea air carries a whitish blue mist that many believe holds magical energy. The mist is deemed to be rich in small electrically charged particles that are healing and beneficial to all living things. This uncrowded beach always has lots of room to picnic and play, or to find a quite spot to hang a hammock, read and have an afternoon nap.
RELAX
Soft, sun kissed, salt and pepper sands line the shore. No need to worry about a sun umbrella as there are numerous almond trees and other beautiful native foliage along the beach that provide ample shade for lounging and a picnic. Sit back and enjoy the view. Watch the pelicans and frigate birds catch fish. See who is first to spot the dolphins or devil rays jumping offshore. If you are lucky you might even see a humpback whale! Early evening is a great time to sit and unwind while watching the sun go down.
Beautiful Sunsets!
EXPLORE
Walk along the beach to find the howler monkeys that come to eat, sleep and play in the trees. Early morning is a great time to look for the small crabs that burrow in the sands and discover the interesting seashells the tide has washed up. During low tide there are tide pools to explore and they make a great shallow, warm water children’s splash pool to sit in and play. At sunset, if you’re really lucky, you might even see a turtle!
Turtle Tracks!
PLAY
The soft sand is great for building sandcastles or playing frisbee. Locals often practice soccer skills. The water is clear, warm and generally very calm. The soft rolling waves that gently rock and sway while you swim and frolic in the water make it easy to get in and out of the ocean. The calm waters are great for Stand up Paddle boarding or boogie boarding for little ones.