"Best Secret Beaches on Earth Just south of the popular surfer’s paradise of Samara Beach, Playa Carrillo is one of the least developed spots on the Nicoya Peninsula. Framed by mountains, the laid-back fishing village has a white-sand beach just off a palm-lined boulevard (there are no unsightly beachfront buildings). Known among divers for its excellent coral reef teeming with marine life, the beach is protected by rocky headlands, providing calm, warm water for swimmers. Accommodations such as El Sueno Tropical are off the beach, but quite reasonably priced. Don’t miss the La Selva Zoo and Bromeliad Gardens at the southern end of the bay."

"For travelers looking for a few more niceties of home like high-speed wireless, a business center, and multiple televisions showing professional hockey, football, and basketball games, the Hotel El Sueño Tropical on the north Pacific coast is a popular favorite. The resort is set in the three acres of tropical gardens and consists of 16 rooms with three levels of luxury — standard, deluxe, and bedroom apartments. For meals, guests can partake of American, Italian and Tico, with fresh fish supplied daily by local fishermen. The surf paradise of Samara lies minutes away, as do many area activities including snorkeling, horseback riding and zip-line tours."