February in Nosara is dry season, which means it gets very busy! We highly recommend making reservations at restaurants you may want to visit at least one month ahead of your arrival, but the earlier the better. If you're interested in dining at Lagarta Lodge or Coyol (highly recommend getting a 5pm ressie for the sunset), definitely make a reservation well in advance!
Same goes for tours - if you're interested in doing any activities, go ahead and book before you arrive to Costa Rica!
Playa Pelada Restaurants
This is an exquisite dining experience, and offers a gorgeous sunset view! This restaurant is inside of an eco-lodge located right next to a nature reserve. The restaurant overlooks the jungle and ocean, so imagine looking at lush greens and ocean blues while fresh lobster is delicately melting in your mouth. We recommend getting a seat outside around sunset (5pm ressie)! Located in Playa Pelada.
Situated on the hills of Nosara (technically outside of Playa Pelada) and offers amazing sunset views. Known for their 48oz tomahawk steak that won't cost you $100, but everything there is delicious. The restaurant vibe is chic modern cabin? With a stunning outdoor area that features sick. sunset. views, and for the daredevils, a swing at the edge of the cliff for an aerial view of Nosara. Note that the restaurant is in the hills and takes ~25 minutes to drive. You will either need a car or schedule a taxi service to get up there, but we do think it's worth it!
Casual neighborhood Mexican spot with great tacos and margaritas!
Casual pizza spot; chill/beachy vibes and good for big groups
Playa Guiones Restaurants
One of our favorite spots! They have everything from fresh seafood (ceviche, seafood pasta, fresh mahi mahi) to curries to "casado", which is a traditional CR dish consisting of rice, beans, plantains, and a protein. Depending on the size of the group, you may or may not need a reservation, but doesn't hurt to call (+506 4702 2577). Their online reservation system often doesn't work.
Amazing thin crust pizza! And randomly delicious ceviche that's easy to miss on the menu - don't sleep on it. Also obsessed with their Passionfruit Caipirinhas - we love slurping down as many as they'll give us before sending us home.
Farm-to-table restaurant with high quality food and selection of beers and cocktails! There's a beautiful garden as you enter and then a nice outdoor area for dinner. This place is underrated and usually quiet, so go!
For the meat lovers! We've never been here but hear good things all the time. They have their own smoker in the back and apparently make bomb steaks. They have live music here too!
We've never been here, but been told we're dumb for that. Italian food in a jungle treehouse. Give us your review!
Another casual spot with a good assortment of foods: tacos, pizzas, casado, etc. People love this place - we think it's good but we don't like it as much as the other reccos :) Maybe we're missing something, let us know what it is.
For our veggie/vegan friends - Nosara is known as a super veggie/vegan friendly town because #wellness. There are many great veggie forward restaurants, and everywhere will accommodate you (but maybe don't go to LaBrasa)!
No frills, delicious, authentic lunch spot! Get a casado with whatever protein you want. ~$15 for a yummy, great portion lunch. One of Cory's faves! There is a location in Playa Guiones and Playa Pelada.
Bar right on the beach in Playa Pelada! Great place to grab drinks and food if you're having a beach day!
This is a vegan restaurant and it SLAPS. Rachel's favorite casual spot, but Cory, a meat lover, loves it too. The filet no fish and chalupa are the best dishes but everything is amazing. Great for breakfast too! The veggies are fresh, the flavors are bomb. They also have great juices and TREATS. We love getting a bunch of little sweet treats and sharing them. In Playa Guiones.
Misleading name because this is actually a vegan restaurant! Veggie friends they have a great selection of veggie burgers and bowls. In Playa Guiones.
Great/cute coffee spot in Playa Pelada, with good casual breaky and lunch options!
Haven't been but supposed to be another great coffee spot in Playa Pelada.
Favorite coffee spot in Playa Guiones. They also serve cocktails after a certain hour. Never had them but supposed to be good!
El Jardin Cafe
Cute coffee shop in Playa Guiones a little steel bus - great coffee and acai bowls!
Great bakery with coffee and pastries in Playa Guiones!
Nosara is known to be a wellness town so it isn't nightlife forward! Everything happens on an earlier timeline. It's popular to do an early dinner to catch the sunset, and then stumble on over to one of the places below for drinks and some live music. The great thing is we're usually up early to carpe diem!!
This is a bar in a hotel and is vibey. It's a juice bar during the day, cocktail bar at night, and they usually have a DJ.
Good place for day drinking or night time vibes! Great beer selection and cocktails as well. They usually have live music on the weekends.
Bar right on the beach in Playa Pelada! Great place to grab drinks and food if you're having a beach day!
Great spot for cocktails with a fun outdoor vibe. They also have live music sometimes!
Latest bar/club that is open in Nosara (around 1130pm close time). They usually have a DJ there.
Two new cocktail bars:
Bonfire on the Beach
A nice late-night recommendation is having a bonfire on the beach! Grab some drinks and make your way down any beach path. The sound of the ocean and starts are worth the trip. Bring a flash light and a speaker!
Nosara is a Blue Zone! For the unenlightened, the blue zones are five regions across the world where people live the longest lives, consistently reaching 100 years. These regions have a few things in common, including being active, connecting with loved ones, and eating & drinking (fine, they say drink moderately, but we'll let you interpret this one however you want). What this means is that Nosara offers activities, tranquility & tasty cocktails. So yes, what we're saying is, come to our wedding and you'll live till 100. It's been empirically validated. Find some of our recommendations for companies/business below. Also, use google to find day tours to volcanoes, waterfalls, further away if you're interested in that!
Sign up for a group activity here
Adventure
This is the most reputable zipline tour, and to be honest, the only one you should use in the area. Not because the others aren't safe, but this is just simply the best one. They pick you up right in Playa Pelada at the Nosara Beach Hotel, and it's a 4-hour journey ziplining through rainforests and jumping in waterfalls.
Tours are guided by our friend Junior and are so fun! Grab an ATV, ride through the mountains and jungle, stop at a waterfall you can jump in and freshen up, and eat some snacks. They also have a longer tour that includes a visit to a working coffee farm! Text him on Whatsapp: +506-8463-8161
Captain Marcos can fill all of your water dreams - he offers inshore and offshore fishing, snorkeling, spearfishing, etc.
Nosara is known as a surf town, so definitely grab a board and catch some waves or take a private or group lesson! You can also just walk by the beach and there are places to rent a surf board for the day for $10-20.
Nature reserve located in Playa Pelada that takes you right into the jungle where you'll have many opps to see some jungle creatures. The brochure linked has various options for how you can explore the reserve - everything from a 2-hour walk, to kayaking, to boating around! Recommend the 2-hour hike/walk!
Wellness
Nosara is also known as a yogi town. If you remotely enjoy yoga, or even just stretching or sitting in a peaceful room, then try yoga in Nosara. No need to make a ressie in advance, but recommend going to the studio 10-15 mins before so you get a spot.
The most stunning location we've ever done yoga! Take a class in the Akasha Shala, if you can. An open-air studio in the middle of the jungle; an instant anxiety reliever. Get a smoothie or acai bowl afterwards. We try to come here, like everyday, when we're in Nosara.
Second favorite yoga spot. They built a tropical garden around the studio, and it's zen zen zen.
Spas
WHERE IS COSTA RICA?
Costa Rica is located roughly 10 degrees north of the equator in Central America. It is bordered by Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. The Caribbean Sea is to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west.
WHAT TIME IS IT IN COSTA RICA?
Costa Rica is -6 hours Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The country does not change for Daylight Savings Time, so from mid-March to October, the time is the same as Mountain Standard Time (MST) in the United States. From November to mid-March, the time is the equivalent of Central Standard Time (CST) in the United States.
WHAT IS FOOD LIKE IN COSTA RICA?
The main staples of Costa Rican food are rice, beans, vegetables, fruits and meats. The food is generally tasty and comes in several popular variants. You can also usually find traditional American or European style plates on most menus.
WHAT LANGUAGE IS USED IN COSTA RICA?
Spanish! Since English is taught in schools, many locals, especially those who work in the tourism industry speak a high level of English as well!
DO I NEED A PASSPORT?
Yes, a passport is mandatory and you must have a plane ticket showing you are leaving CR within 90 days. You do not need to apply for a travel visa.
ARE MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED?
Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted in Costa Rica. A much smaller percentage of businesses accept American Express or Discover. ATM machines are available in most towns (we know of at least one near the main gas station in town). For Debit and credit cards, there is a chance you could be charged a foreign transaction fee. Please check withyour bank if you are unsure about
DO I NEED TO EXCHANGE MONEY?
Nearly everybody accepts the U.S. dollar, so if you have dollars, you do not need to convert it. You will usually receive change in local Costa Rica colones. The exchange rate goes between 500 and 585 colones to $1 USD. You can exchange money at banks or at the airport.
WILL MY CELL PHONE WORK?
Check with your phone carrier but most phone providers offer a daily rate to use your phone while traveling internationally.
Another option is you can turn off roaming and only use the phone when connected to a local wifi like at your hotel or an area restaurant. iphones for example you can use Facetime and text without fees while connected to a wifi.
Also, Whatsapp is most common way to communicate with business and Ticos.
DO I NEED AN ELECTRIC ADAPTER?
Outlets are the same as U.S. - no electric adapter or converter needed!
WHAT ARE THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES?
Temperature: Average highs in the 80's °f and average low of 70-80 °f .
WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?
It will be hot and we’ll be on the coast so be casual and comfortable! For everyday activities, we reccommend beachwear, sundresses, sandals, shorts, tank tops every day. It's too hot for jeans.
MEDICAL ACCESS?
There is a Pharmacy right in the middle of town with a doctor on-site.