Welcome to Sámara, on the southern coast of the Nicoya Peninsula. Playa Sámara is one of Costa Rica’s more welcoming coastal towns, known for its local culture and calm, family-friendly beach.
Unlike surf hubs with rougher waves or heavily commercialized resort towns, Sámara keeps a low-key “village” feel. The town center sits right on the edge of the sand, so you can walk from an open-air cafe straight into calm, gentle water.
Here’s our guide to Sámara and how to get there without the stress.
Top things to do in Sámara
1. Swim safely at Playa Sámara
Playa Sámara is a good beach for families, toddlers, and beginner swimmers. The crescent-shaped bay is protected by a coral reef offshore, which breaks the heavy Pacific swells. That creates calm, gentle, lake-like waves and mild currents, one of the safer beaches in Costa Rica for casual swimming and wading.
2. Learn to surf or stand-up paddleboard (SUP)
The waves inside the bay are slow, rolling, and gentle, which makes Sámara a good spot for learning to surf or paddleboard. Local surf schools line the beachfront with instructors who can get children and adults up on a board during their first lesson without the fear of heavy wipeouts.
3. Kayak to Chora Island (Isla Chora)
Look out across the bay and you’ll see a pink-sand island offshore. Rent a kayak or take a guided boat tour to reach Isla Chora. This protected nature reserve has a hidden white-sand beach and clear water, a good spot for snorkeling with tropical fish, sea turtles, and crabs.
4. Walk the pink sands of Playa Carillo
Just 5 minutes south of Sámara is Playa Carillo, an untouched beach lined with leaning palm trees. There are no buildings, hotels, or restaurants on the sand here, just natural coastline. Carillo has a protected bay that stays calm, a favorite weekend getaway for locals and tourists alike.
Navigating the peninsula: getting to Sámara
The roads in town are paved, but reaching the southern Nicoya Peninsula from Costa Rica’s major travel hubs means navigating tricky terrain.
- From Liberia Airport (LIR): roughly a 2-hour drive.
- From San José Airport (SJO): about 4 to 4.5 hours, crossing the Tempisque Bridge.
The highway down to the southern peninsula has winding mountain passes, sudden drop-offs, and slow-moving truck traffic. During an afternoon tropical downpour, visibility drops and potholes can become invisible. Reaching neighboring beaches like Playa Buena Vista means crossing unpaved, dusty gravel paths that can damage a small rental car.
Travel safely and smoothly with Beach Shuttles CR
Don’t let winding peninsula highways or unmapped backroads add stress to your vacation.
At Beach Shuttles CR, we make your transfer to Sámara easy:
- Door-to-door service: we pick you up from your terminal exit at LIR or SJO and drop you right at your Sámara beach hotel or rental villa.
- Family-first comfort: traveling with kids? We provide clean, certified child safety seats and boosters on request.
- Air-conditioned ride: sit back and enjoy the mountain and coastal views from our vans while a local driver handles the traffic.
Reserve your door-to-door shuttle transfer to Sámara with Beach Shuttles CR today!
