Playa Junquillal

Junquillal runs for a couple of kilometres of dark gold sand backed by trees on the Guanacaste coast south of Tamarindo, and what defines it is what is not there: no strip, no bars along the sand, a handful of small hotels and houses set back among the trees and a scatter of residents, with the beach empty for most of its length on most days. Surf breaks along it, beach breaks rather than points, consistent enough to ride and without the crowds of the towns north. Olive ridley turtles nest here and a community project protects the nests. Rip currents are strong and the beach is not supervised.

What you actually see

• The empty beach - the long dark gold sand with almost nobody on it.
• Beach breaks - the surf along the length of the sand.
• Turtle nesting - the olive ridley nests and the community hatchery.
• Backing trees - the vegetation behind the beach with the small hotels.

When to go

December to April in the dry season for the weather; the surf is often better in the wet months from May to November, when the beach is emptier still. Turtle nesting runs mainly from July to December.

Honest expectations

Rip currents are strong and there are no lifeguards. There is almost nothing in the way of restaurants or shops and a car is needed. The sand is dark rather than white. Access roads are unsurfaced in places.

Nearby

Tamarindo lies north; Playa Negra is between them.