Tamarindo

Tamarindo is a town and district of the Santa Cruz canton, located on the Nicoya Peninsula on the Northern Pacific coast of Costa Rica in the Province of Guanacaste. The district has a population (as of 2011) of 6,375 (3rd Biggest district of Santa Cruz, second being Veintisiete de Abril and first Santa Cruz it self). The main attractions are surfing and eco-tourism.Towns belonging to the district besides Tamarindo are Villarreal, Santa Rosa, Garita Nueva, Hernández and San José de Pinilla.TourismBeachesPlaya Tamarindo is a long, rocky beach, with excellent waves near the mouth of the estuary. Currents can be strong, especially on a falling tide. Tamarindo has two main breaks for advanced surfers: Pico Pequeño a rocky point to the right of the Hotel Tamarindo Diriá and the excellent river mouth break across from Cabinas Tsunami called El Estero. The rest of the beach breaks are perfect for learning. The biggest waves can reach a height of up to 12 feet, although this is a rare occurrence and is only seen during November and December.Some eco-friendly activities that may be done in Tamarindo and Neighboring beaches include, watching turtles during their nesting season, diving, snorkeling, body surfing, zip-lining, estuary trips, horseback riding and fishing. During the December to April period when the water turbidity is low, fishing may be done from the shore.