New years in tamarindo costa rica

Tamarindo at night…. still hot

We did see this sloth…

Fireworks all over

In our desperate attempt to flee Chicago during the cold winter months, I stumbled across a city in Costa Rica that is know for being the location to be during New Years celebrations. A quick Airbnb reservation and a flight booked into Liberia (LIB) airport and we were on our way.

Arrival

Arriving at the airport is a fairly smooth process. Our flight was a redeye and arrived early in the morning so there were no other passengers in the arrivals area when our flight arrived and we made it through immigration within minutes. Liberia airport is a good distance away from the resorts and beach towns in the Guanacaste area so pre-booking transportation in advance is recommended. There are drivers standing ready at the airport exit but you should negotiate as they start with high price offers first off. Booking in advance gives the peace of mind that you already know how much you spent and will have someone at the ready when you get there.

The Drive to Tamarindo

The drive is a little over an hour to Tamarindo depending on traffic but journey is quite scenic as drive through different areas of northern Costa Rica. If you are prone to car sickness, you may want to prepare yourself as the roads get pretty windy in some areas.

The Town

Best beach sunset I ever experienced….

As you get into Tamarindo you will notice that is a town with all the creature comforts catered to the tourists that arrive there daily. There are many restaurants of different cuisines and all the services and stores that you would expect.

The humidity is extremely high this time of year so expect to sweat but it is worth it.

There are plenty of places to go out at night if you want to hang out in a low key bar or the common is to buy a drink or drinks at a liquor store or cerveceria and stroll along the beach at night. You will come across plenty of people reveling on the beach especially around New Years making for an entertaining evening.

NEW YEARS

The beach on New Years is one big fiesta with many people starting early in the day to hang out, have barbecues, and partake in beach sports like volleyball. There are random spots setup for music along the beach with a random DJ here and there.

At night the beach party escalates with fire dancers and fireworks up and down the entire beachfront. The plan for the countdown in Tamarindo should be to grab some drinks in a carry pack and head to the beach and enjoy all that the beach provides as everyone else does. There are friendly people all over so whether you are looking to just spend time with your own group or to strike up a conversation with some new people the beach will provide.

ENJOY…..