The Nosara Guide
Why Nosara.
When to come,
and how to get here.
Everything we tell friends before they visit, written down.
No stock-photo clichés, just what it's actually like to plan a trip here.
Why Nosara
A town that decided
not to change.
Nosara sits on Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula, and it has spent decades quietly refusing to become a resort strip.
There are no traffic lights.
Most roads inside town are still unpaved by design, a rule the community has fought to keep, and the tallest thing on the skyline is the tree canopy.
That restraint is exactly what draws people back.
The Nicoya Peninsula is one of the world's five recognized Blue Zones, regions studied for the unusually high number of residents who live active lives well past 90.
Locals will tell you it's the diet, the water, the sense of community, or all three.
Whatever the reason, that same slower rhythm is part of what a stay here feels like.
Playa Guiones, the main beach, is a nearly four-mile stretch of consistent beach-break surf.
Conditions change with the swell rather than the clock, so we track the forecast and match your sessions to your level, not the other way around.
Around it, a genuinely international wellness scene has grown up: yoga shalas, farm-to-table kitchens, and a community that moved here from somewhere else and decided to stay, much like we did.
When To Go
Two seasons.
Both worth planning around.
Nosara doesn't really have a bad time to visit, but the two seasons feel genuinely different.
Knowing which one you're booking changes what you pack and what you plan.
Dry Season
December to AprilSunny, low humidity, and the easiest roads of the year.
This is peak season: villas book up earliest, restaurants fill, and the ocean tends to be calmer and clearer for swimming and snorkeling.
- Best for first-time visitors and families
- Book villas 4 to 6 months ahead for December to March
- Consistent sun, minimal rain
Green Season
May to NovemberShort afternoon showers, a jungle that turns dramatically lush, and noticeably fewer crowds.
Mornings are almost always clear, and swells tend to be bigger and more consistent, which is why many surfers actually prefer this stretch.
- Lower villa rates, more availability
- Best window for Ostional turtle arribadas
- A 4x4 is worth requesting for back-road access
Just north of Nosara, the Ostional Wildlife Refuge hosts one of the largest sea turtle nesting sites on the planet.
Olive Ridley turtles nest in mass arrivals called arribadas nearly year-round, with the biggest waves of turtles typically arriving between July and December, while Green and Leatherback turtles nest between October and March.
We can arrange a guided visit timed to the lunar cycle that drives it.
Getting Here
Closer than
most people expect.
Nosara is served by Guanacaste's Liberia International Airport (LIR), not San José.
Landing in Liberia instead of the capital can save you hours of driving.
As of 2026, 13 airlines connect LIR to 32 destinations across North America, Central America and Europe.
From the United States
Nonstop · Multiple CarriersUnited, American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, Alaska and Sun Country all fly this route.
United alone runs around 16 flights a week from the US.
From Canada
Nonstop · 6 CitiesLiberia has more direct Canadian routes than any other Costa Rican airport.
Toronto now flies year-round via Porter Airlines, alongside Air Canada, WestJet and Air Transat.
From Europe
Nonstop · SeasonalEdelweiss Air flies the only nonstop route from Europe, seasonally from Zürich.
From other European cities, including England, the shortest path is currently a single connection through the US.
~3 hours
A scenic drive from LIR down the coast, roughly 60 miles.
We arrange private transfers so it starts the vacation instead of feeling like part of the commute.
~30 minutes
Regional carriers fly small aircraft from Liberia straight to Nosara's airstrip if you'd rather skip the drive entirely.
We can help arrange this too.
Before You Pack
A few things
we tell every guest.
Roads & Getting Around
Many roads in and around Nosara are unpaved on purpose.
A 4x4 is worth it, especially in green season.
If you'd rather not drive, we can arrange private transfers for the whole trip.
Money & Language
US dollars are accepted almost everywhere alongside Costa Rican colones.
Spanish is the local language, but English is widely spoken across restaurants, tours and shops.
What to Pack
Pack reef-safe sunscreen, since regular sunscreen is genuinely discouraged near the reef, along with a light rain layer if you're visiting between May and November, and water shoes for the tide pools at low tide.
Turtle Etiquette
If you visit during an arribada at Ostional, go with a certified local guide, skip the flash photography, and keep your distance from nesting turtles and their tracks.
Surf Levels
Playa Guiones breaks gently enough for a first lesson and holds a real swell for experienced surfers.
It really comes down to the swell on a given day rather than the time of day, so we track conditions and help you pick the best dates for your level before you book anything.
Book Early in Dry Season
December through March is high season.
If those dates matter to you, the villas that fit large groups tend to go first, sometimes 4 to 6 months out.
Frequently Asked
Quick answers
before you ask us.
Liberia's Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR), not San José.
It's roughly a 3-hour drive or a 30-minute regional flight from there to Nosara.
Yes.
Nosara sits within the Nicoya Peninsula, one of only five Blue Zones identified worldwide, regions with an unusually high concentration of residents living active lives past 90.
Dry season, December to April, offers the most sun and easiest roads and is Nosara's high season.
Green season, May to November, brings short afternoon showers, fewer crowds, better surf swells, and lower rates.
Many roads in town are unpaved by design, so a 4x4 makes life easier, particularly during green season.
If you'd rather skip driving entirely, we arrange private transfers.
At the nearby Ostional Wildlife Refuge, Olive Ridley turtles nest in mass arribadas nearly year-round, peaking July through December.
Green and Leatherback turtles nest October through March.
We can time a guided visit to the lunar cycle.
Edelweiss Air runs the only nonstop route from Europe, seasonally between Zürich and Liberia.
From other European cities, including England, the fastest option is usually a single connection through a US hub.