Hi there,
From La Fortuna we went to Playas del Coco. We had read that it is full of American retirees and that it is very quiet. Since we arrived, everything looked much more organized and cared for. Well-paved roads and retirees from here to there in their golf carts.
One thing that shocked me from the first moment is that people on the street speak to you in English instead of speaking to you in Spanish. It is something that also bothered me in Cabo San Lucas. In addition, the fact that tourism is mostly from the United States makes prices more expensive. Playas del Coco and Bahía Drake are the two places in Costa Rica where food was more expensive.
We had a reservation at the M&M hotel, which was a stone’s throw from the beach. The location was good, but the hotel was old, and the finishes were horrible.
The first afternoon we were on the beach that is right in front of the hotel and the water is brown, something very common in Costa Rica, especially in the Pacific side.
The next day we went for a walk to one of the sides of the beach. As the tide was low, we walked along the rocky part that is covered with water in the afternoon. We saw some fish, but the water was cloudy, and visibility was poor. Afterwards, we stayed for a while on a hidden beach soaking up the sun. Here there were only locals who, after a morning of work, had eaten grilled fish right there and rested in hammocks.
From Tortuguero we have been obsessed with chicken skewers. Almost every day we bought them and made plantain or boiled yucca.
In the afternoon we went, already equipped with a camera, to the other side of the beach and although the sand was black, the water was cleaner and crystal clear. We spent the rest of the afternoon there.
The next day, we walked 2 hours to Playa Calzón de Pobre. We passed a spectacular house area at the top of the mountain.
We got to the beach, and we were alone. The sand was white and the water crystal clear. When Diego was going out to look for the masks to snorkel, a stingray almost brushed my foot. We spent a couple of hours enchanted seeing fish and there was a puffer fish that followed us all the way.
When we finished snorkelling, many people had arrived at the beach. It was the weekend so there were tourists and locals. In addition, each group with their music at full volume. So, we started the way back with that midday sun.
Miraculously we found Patrick, an American who lived between Costa Rica and the USA, he did us the favor of taking us to the town. He was so nice that he left us at the door of the hotel. I will always remember him fondly because he saved us from that walk back.
Then we went to one side of the beach and swam towards a platform that was a few meters from the shore. When we returned, we realized that the towels that the hotel gave us had been stolen. We were outraged because you must be very mean to steal used towels; In addition, they are harming their own people who live from tourism.
We explained what happened to the receptionist thinking that they were going to want to charge us for the towels. The receptionist told us not to worry and was more mortified by our stuff than the towels.
Here I must point out that we were a bit unhappy with this hotel because the facilities were very old. But the perception improved since they changed our room when we asked for it, and because the receptionist perfectly managed the theft of the towels. It was the only hotel in Costa Rica to which I gave 4 stars.
Playas del Coco was a destination that I liked because of the tranquility and good vibes it has. The location of the hotel was perfect, and the beach was very long so you didn’t get bored exploring. Also, there were other beaches nearby. It is more expensive since almost all tourism is North American, but you can find options with affordable prices.
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