21 Things to Do in Playas del Coco (Beyond the Beach)

A resident's list of the dives, hikes, day trips, and small-town pleasures that fill a week in Coco.

Playas del Coco offers far more than a beach day. The best things to do in Playas del Coco include scuba diving at the Catalina Islands, sportfishing, sunset sails, volcano hiking at Rincón de la Vieja, waterfalls, hot springs, and easy Guanacaste day trips, with most tour operators picking you up right in town.

We live and work here year round, managing about 40 vacation rentals in Coco and Ocotal, so this list of things to do in Playas del Coco is not copied from a brochure. It is what we actually do with visiting family and what our guests rave about. Some of it is in town, some of it is a day trip. All of it starts from Coco.

1. Dive the Catalina Islands

Coco is one of the main dive hubs on Costa Rica's north Pacific coast. Costa Rica's tourism board names the Gulf of Papagayo and the Santa Catalina Islands among Guanacaste's top dive areas. Expect rays, white-tipped reef sharks, and big schools of fish. Visibility changes with the season, so ask your dive shop for an honest read before you book.

2. Snorkel the coves at Ocotal

Five minutes over the hill, Playa Ocotal is a quieter gray-sand cove with rocky points at both ends. Those rocks hold plenty of reef fish on clear days. We send guests there when Coco's main bay is churned up. Bring your own mask if you have one; rentals in town sell out on cruise ship days.

3. Charter a sportfishing boat

The waters off Guanacaste are serious fishing grounds. The tourism board notes that multiple world records have been set in the northern Pacific. Half-day inshore trips chase roosterfish and snapper; full-day offshore runs go for sailfish, marlin, and tuna. Captains here will tell you straight what is biting, so ask before you pick a trip length.

4. Sail into the sunset

Catamaran and sailboat cruises leave Coco's bay most afternoons, usually with a snorkel stop at a nearby cove before the sun drops. Guanacaste sunsets in dry season are reliably dramatic. It is the single tour we recommend most often to first-time visitors, and the one guests mention most in reviews.

5. Hike Las Pailas at Rincón de la Vieja

An active volcano is close enough for a day trip. Rincón de la Vieja National Park covers about 14,083 hectares, and the Las Pailas loop passes bubbling mud pots and steaming fumaroles. Per SINAC, the national park service, the park opens Tuesday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and foreign adults pay 15 USD. Confirm hours before you drive; Mondays it is closed.

6. Soak in hot springs and volcanic mud

The foothills around Rincón de la Vieja are dotted with lodges offering thermal pools and mud baths fed by the volcano. Many people pair a morning hike in the park with an afternoon soak. It is touristy, yes. It is also genuinely relaxing, and the mineral mud makes for ridiculous photos.

7. Zipline through the dry forest canopy

Canopy tours are a Guanacaste staple, and several operators run courses within an easy drive of Coco. You will fly over dry tropical forest that turns lush green from May to November. Weight and age limits vary by operator, so check ahead if you are bringing young kids or grandparents.

8. Cool off at Llanos del Cortez

Near Bagaces, about an hour's drive inland, Llanos del Cortez is a wide curtain waterfall with a sandy swimming area at its base. The tourism board lists it among Guanacaste's top ten sights. Go early on a weekday if you can; weekends draw local families, which is charming but crowded.

9. Watch birds at Palo Verde

Palo Verde National Park protects wetlands along the Tempisque River and is one of the region's best birdwatching areas. River boat tours get you close to herons, jabirus in season, crocodiles, and howler monkeys. If you care about birds even a little, bring binoculars and a long lens. You will regret leaving them behind.

10. Ride horses through the hills

Horseback riding is part of Guanacaste's sabanero (cowboy) culture, not just a tourist add-on. Rides range from beach trots to half-day hill routes with volcano views. Ask how the horses are kept before booking; the good operators are proud to show you.

11. Take a surf boat toward Witch's Rock

Coco itself is not a surf town, and we tell people that plainly. But boat charters leave our bay for the famed breaks off Playa Naranjo in Santa Rosa National Park, including Witch's Rock. For surfers it is a bucket-list day. For everyone else, it is a beautiful boat ride with a story attached.

12. Step into history at Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa National Park protects Central America's best-known tract of dry tropical forest and the site of the 1856 Battle of Santa Rosa. La Casona, the historic ranch house, was rebuilt in 2002 and serves as the park's information center. It is the rare stop that works for kids, history buffs, and wildlife watchers at once.

13. Go underground at Barra Honda

On the Nicoya Peninsula, Barra Honda National Park protects a limestone cave system with stalactite and stalagmite formations, entered by ladder with a guide and harness. It is a real caving experience, not a walk-through show cave. Book ahead and skip it if tight spaces are not your thing.

14. Buy Chorotega pottery in Guaitil

In Guaitil de Santa Cruz and San Vicente de Nicoya, families still make pottery using pre-Columbian Chorotega techniques, shaping and firing pieces much as their ancestors did. Watching a bowl take shape on a hand-turned wheel is worth the drive on its own, and pieces cost far less than in beach town gift shops.

15. Play a round of golf

There are golf courses within a short drive of Coco, from a casual local course near Sardinal to resort courses on the Papagayo Peninsula and down the coast. Green fees and access rules change often, so check current details, or ask us and we will point you to what fits your budget.

16. Paddle the bay at sunrise

Coco's bay is calm most mornings, which makes it friendly water for kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. Go at first light, before the pangas start running, and you often have glassy water to yourself. Several shops in town rent boards by the hour.

17. Eat like a local

Skip the resort buffet for a night. Coco's food scene runs from family sodas serving casados (a plate of rice, beans, plantain, and a protein) to serious sushi and Italian spots. Our rule: if the parking lot has local plates at lunchtime, the food is good. Prices at sodas are a fraction of tourist-strip menus.

18. Enjoy the nightlife

Coco is the liveliest town on this stretch of coast after dark, with beach bars, live music, and karaoke that goes later than you planned. We wrote about what makes Coco different from other Guanacaste beach towns, and the nightlife is honestly part of it. If you want silence at 10 p.m., stay in Ocotal.

19. Walk the town

Coco's beachfront walkway and plaza are made for slow evenings: kids playing, vendors selling copos (shaved ice), fishing boats swinging at anchor. The town has been welcoming visitors longer than almost any beach town in Costa Rica; we tell that story in our post on the history of Playas del Coco.

20. Spot wildlife without leaving town

Howler monkeys, iguanas, magpie-jays, and parakeets are regulars in Coco's trees, and you will hear the howlers before you see them. Keep your distance and never feed them. For what else you might run into around the province, see our guide to the wildlife of Guanacaste.

21. Day trip to Las Catalinas or Tamarindo

When you want a change of scene, drive south. Las Catalinas is a car-free town with hiking and mountain biking trails behind it; Tamarindo brings surf lessons and a bigger restaurant strip. Both make easy day trips, and both make the case that Coco is a great base. Timing matters for roads and heat, so check our notes on the best time to visit Costa Rica.

Most of these things to do in Playas del Coco start with a pickup in town, which is exactly why we based our business here. Playas del Coco activities are easiest when you sleep five minutes from the dock. If you are thinking about more than a vacation, browse our current listings in Coco and Ocotal or send us a message through our contact page. We are happy to share which neighborhoods put you closest to the things you love doing.

Frequently asked questions

What is there to do in Playas del Coco besides the beach?

Plenty. Coco is a hub for scuba diving, sportfishing, sunset sails, and paddling, and it sits within day-trip range of Rincón de la Vieja volcano, Llanos del Cortez waterfall, Palo Verde's wetlands, and Santa Rosa National Park. In town you get restaurants, nightlife, a beachfront walkway, and wildlife in the trees overhead.

Do I need a rental car in Playas del Coco?

Not necessarily. The town center is walkable, and most dive shops, fishing charters, and volcano or waterfall tours include pickup in Coco. A car helps if you want to explore national parks at your own pace or make day trips to Tamarindo and Las Catalinas without booking a tour.

Is Rincón de la Vieja worth the trip from Coco?

We think so, especially if you have never walked past bubbling mud pots on an active volcano. Per SINAC, the park opens Tuesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and foreign adults pay 15 USD. Plan a full day, wear real shoes, and confirm hours before driving.

Cover photo: Elcocobeach, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Photo: NASA/Milan Loiacono, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons