Sámara is a small beach town on the Nicoya Peninsula of Guanacaste, Costa Rica. It’s calm, it’s beautiful, it’s safe for families, and it hasn’t been ruined by over-tourism. If you’re planning a trip to Costa Rica and want a beach base that actually feels like Costa Rica — not a resort corridor — Sámara is the right choice.
We live here. This is the guide we’d give a friend.
Where is Sámara?
Sámara is on the central Pacific coast of the Nicoya Peninsula, about 3 hours from Liberia Airport and 4.5 to 5 hours from San José. The easiest way to get there from the airport is a private or shared shuttle. We offer both — see our Private Shuttle from Liberia to Sámara and Shared Shuttle from Liberia to Sámara.
What is Sámara known for?
Sámara is famous for its protected bay, which creates calm, swimmable water almost year-round — rare on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. It’s one of the best places in the country to learn to surf. The town itself is small and walkable, with good restaurants, local bars, and no traffic lights. The surrounding area has diverse wildlife, working ranches, and accessible nature.
Top things to do in and around Sámara
For ocean adventures, the options out of Sámara are excellent. You can go snorkeling or kayaking to Isla Chora Wildlife Refuge, take a sunset catamaran with dolphins, try stand-up paddleboarding, or go fishing offshore. All of these are bookable through our tours page.
On land, the nature tours around Sámara include ATV rides through private jungle trails with ocean views (available as 2-hour and 3-hour options), horseback riding in Sámara, mangrove kayaking, hiking the Sámara trails, and the only gyrocopter tour in the region — a flight over the coastline from the Buena Vista Airstrip with pilot Jorge. Details at Gyrocopter Tour.
The most memorable experience in the area is the Turtle Nesting Tour in Ostional — a nighttime excursion to watch hundreds of olive ridley turtles nest on the beach. It happens during a 3-day window each month and is considered one of the great wildlife events in Central America.
Getting around
Most of Sámara is walkable. A golf cart rental is popular for exploring the surrounding beaches and hills — we offer golf cart rentals directly. For day trips to La Fortuna, Monteverde, or Monteverde, our private and shared shuttles cover all major destinations.
Best time to visit
Sámara is good year-round, but the dry season (December–April) is most popular — sunny days, no rain, and peak prices. The green season (May–November) brings lush landscape, fewer crowds, cheaper accommodation, and afternoon showers that usually clear by evening. Turtle nesting season peaks between July and November.
Start planning
If you’re not sure how to put an itinerary together, our Free Vacation Planning service connects you directly with a local who knows Sámara inside out. No cost, no commitment — just good advice from someone who lives here.