Ostional Beach in Guanacaste Province: Perfect Destination for a Luxury Vacation Costa Rica

Ostional  Beach is one of the best tourist destinations for a luxury vacation Costa Rica; it is also located in one of the most popular tourist provinces, Guanacaste. This province is located Northwest of the country bordering with the Pacific Ocean; on this coastline is where Ostional Beach is located. Ostional Beach, its services, and surroundings make this an incredible tourist destination.

The Beautiful Ostional Beach

This beach on the Pacific Coastline of Guanacaste is of great natural importance; besides having great tourist services, it hosts an incredible natural phenomenon known as “arribadas”. Besides this incredible phenomenon of which the Olive riddle sea turtles are protagonists, there is more to Ostional Beach; there is a wildlife refuge protecting abundant biodiversity and there are other services available. Ostional Beach is located in the Nicoya Peninsula; it is not located as near from Liberia as other popular beach towns in the Province. It is a little over 2h away by car; however, it is a lot closer to Tamarindo which, as well as Liberia, also has an airport offering domestic flights. This beach is under the protection of Ostional Wildlife Refuge; this is also a popular tourist attraction in Costa Rica.

The Ostional Wildlife Refuge

This refuge comprises over 6 hundred acres of both land and water territory; the area is composed by the beaches of Ostional and Nosara, plus the town of Ostional. This refuge deals the conservation of the Olive Riddley turtle, but also with its impact on economy; on the one hand, it is important that large number of turtles survive. On the other hand, it is not the only factor to consider. This refuge, in union with other organizations, monitors a plan of sustainable egg harvesting; governmental association ADIO devised a plan in order to allow egg harvesting sustainably. There is a large number of turtles that doesn’t survive even by the action of a second round of turtles; considering this phenomenon, this are the eggs that are allowed to be harvested.

The Three areas that Comprise the Ostional Wildlife Refuge

• Nosara Beach

Nosara makes reference to a district; however, in this district, you can find 3 different beaches, the other beaches as Playa Guiones and Playa Pelada. Nosara Beach is not a very crowded beach, and it is surely the least crowded of the three; therefore, if you are looking for a more secluded location, this is certainly a good place for it. Nevertheless, good accommodations options can be found. Nosara Beach, though it is not too crowded, is actually popular for its good conditions for surfing. The sand in Nosara Beach is dark, and it is a long beach. There is a mangrove and rivermouth nearby; therefore, the fauna and flora of the area is wonderful. There are many water activities you can do in this beach and at the river; besides surfing, you can go fishing, and more.

• Ostional Town

The town of Ostional is a very laid-back town; as opposed to other tourist and very popular towns in Guanacaste, Ostional is not characterized by the overflowing luxury. Although it is tourist-friendly, and there are accommodation options, it is not as other towns with huge luxurious tourist infrastructures; therefore, if you seek luxurious lodging options, it is better to seek others nearby. Life in Ostional seems to be slower than other towns; it is a place to forget about stress and truly enjoy yourself. If you are looking for luxurious Costa Rica villa rentals, there are various options in towns nearby. Some of the options can be Tamarindo or Flamingo Beaches; whether it’s Costa Rica villa rentals or resorts, there is no doubt you will find good options in these towns.

• Ostional Beach

Ostional Beach has crystal clear water; the arribadas of the sea turtles are the biggest attraction. This is, on the one hand, good for tourism; on the other hand, the big affluence of tourists also harms the natural flow of events in the arribadas. The beach also presents rivers and mangroves with more than amazing vegetation; it also protects a large number of animal species, most of all birds. While walking on the beach, you can see the broken shells of turtle eggs; it is important that you remember that if you want to access Ostional Beach, access is restricted. There are specific access points and depending on the time of your visit, you might have to hire a guide. Turtles usually arrive at night and no flashlights are allowed; it is important that they are not disturbed to perform their ritual.

Accommodation Options near Ostional Wildlife Refuge

This area is not as developed as other areas in Guanacaste Province; nevertheless, you can find incredible options if you seek for a place to stay. If you expect to spend a luxury vacation Costa Rica, you can seek Costa Rica luxury rental homes in Tamarindo; this town is located to the North of Ostional Wildlife Refuge. It is just an hour and a half drive passing by wonderful landscapes. Another option not too far away is Flamingo Beach; located North of Tamarindo Beach, Flamingo is located less than two hours away from Ostional Wildlife Refuge by car. If you are looking for Costa Rica luxury rental homes you can find plenty in Flamingo Beach; apart from it, you can also find other tourist services you may need. There are other amazing beach towns with incredible options, but they are a little farther away.

Other Accommodation Options in Guanacaste Province for a Luxury Vacation Costa Rica

Guanacaste is a very popular area among tourists and there are several beach towns where you can spend the night; starting from the North down to the South is Papagayo Peninsula. This area has one through enormous development leaving as a result, numerous hotels, luxurious resorts, and Costa Rica luxury villas. In addition, there are various tourist services in there. A luxury vacation Costa Rica is, furthermore, more than guaranteed in the Peninsula or any of the Papagayo Gulf beaches. Including Hermosa, Coco, Ocotal Beaches and other towns like Las Catalinas; these are locations where you can find the best Costa Rica luxury villas. Other towns like Santa Teresa, near Guanacaste in North Puntarenas, are also great options.

When Should you Visit Ostional Beach?

If you’re interested in seeing this magical ritual of nature, it’s almost guaranteed you will any time of the year; sea turtles arrive in this beautiful beach constantly, although they do have higher seasons. The season in which there are numerous arribadas is the rainy season, also known as green season; from August to December, during the season, you might see numerous nesting turtles. In general, there can be three nesting rituals per month; what happens is that turtles lay and hide their eggs under the sand. Fifty days later, the hatchlings take place, and the baby turtles have to emerge and get to the water. Many threats haunt these little babies: predators, illegal poachers, and even subsequent rounds of turtles damage these eggs. Therefore, it is very difficult for them to survive.

The 4 Turtles that Arrive in Ostional Wildlife Refuge

The Ostional Wildlife Reserve was mainly created in order to protect the Olive Ridley sea turtle; nevertheless, there are other three sea turtles that can also been seen in the beaches of the reserve. You might also spot the Hawksbill sea turtle, the Green sea turtle, and the Leatherback sea turtle. The reserve is considered to be one of the most important nesting sites of the Olive Ridley sea turtle.

• The Olive Ridley Sea Turtle

This is one of the most numerous species of turtles around the world; however, they are considered to be in a vulnerable status of conservation. They are small in size but are popular for their massive arribadas. These turtles have a heart-shaped carapace which is also olive; this is why they are known by this name. They are usually found in tropical waters and they are the main priority of this reserve.

• The Hawksbill Sea Turtle

These are beautiful creatures that have a worldwide distribution; nevertheless, they are considered to be critically endangered. Although they look very similar to many other sea turtles, they have some distinctive features; the most relevant of all is the one that actually endangeres them. They have beautiful carapaces with designs that are reason for illegal poaching with decorative purposes.

• The Green Sea Turtle

This is a beautiful and large turtle species that can be found in tropical and sub-tropical waters; their shells are olive to black. These wonderful creatures are, like other sea turtle species, facing threats of extinction; they are sadly considered to be in an endangered status of conservation. Some of the threats they face are illegal poaching for food, fishing, and the development of real estate.

• The Leatherback Sea Turtle

This turtle species is characterized by having a distinctive carapace that is not as hard as that of other turtles; it is a kind of leathery texture, which is the reason for their name. They are considered to be in a vulnerable status of conservation; however, as in the case of the Olive Ridley sea turtles, these species has a site that protects their most frequent nesting ritual.

Getting to Ostional Wildlife Refuge

Ostional Wildlife Refuge is located two hours and a half from Liberia; therefore, if you arrive in Costa Rica through Liberia’s International airport, this is the time it takes you by car, you are over 4h away. Nevertheless, there is another option if this is your entry point; you can also take a flight to Tamarindo airport. This is an airport that only offers domestic flights; it is slightly closer to Ostional. Last but not least, there is also an airport in Nosara; this airport is located very close to Ostional Wildlife Refuge, less than 20 minutes away by car. However, if you want to stay in a place with amazing c there are recommendations. You could arrive in Tamarindo airport; this way, you could stay in the fabulous luxury rentals in Costa Rica of Tamarindo or Flamingo Beaches.

Recent Arribadas

This year, Ostional Wilflife Refuge also received many sea turtles for their nesting rituals; in fact, the last week of September was very crowded, over a million turtles visited Ostional Beach.  This is obviously a very good thing for the conservation of the turtles; however, this attracts tourists, and that is good for economy but bad for these beautiful creatures. It is important that when you visit Ostional Wildlife Refuge, you seek authorized guides; accessing the park through the authorized access points and respecting the rules of the park might help protect the turtles. Another important thing to do is to learn about these creatures; many people love objects that don’t know come from a turtle’s carapace, for example.

Are there other Tourist Attractions Nearby?

There are wonderful beaches and other tourist attractions nearby. Palo Verde National park is not too far away; Santa Rosa National Park and Guanacaste National Park are also not too far away. A good thing of this area is that it has national airports nearby; so, if you want to visit other attractions in the country, transportation will not be a problem. Regarding other services, the whole province is characterized by having amazing services. If you are in Ostional, services are more traditional; however, if you go to Flamingo Beach, for example, you can find all the services you need. This country is a place to connect with nature, but you also have the opportunity of enjoying luxurious services; you get the comfort and luxury you deserve. Whether it’s adventure, luxury or appreciation for nature, Ostional Beach is a great place for a luxury vacation Costa Rica. Plan a visit to this wonderful beach, it will be an experience of a lifetime; you will witness amazing natural miracles, you will never forget! Thanks for read: ''Ostional Beach in Guanacaste Province: Perfect Destination for a Luxury Vacation Costa Rica''. Share or comment this post. You will love read: Distances from Some Tourist Destinations in Guanacaste to Liberia: Luxury Vacations Costa Rica