Recreation

Tamarindo Adventures (tel. 506/2653-0108, www.tamarindoaventuras.com [1]) specializes in ATV tours and kayaking.

Blue Dolphin Sailing (tel. 506/2653-0446, www.sailbluedolphin.com [2]) offers day and sunset cruises, plus snorkeling aboard a 12-meter catamaran.

Sportfishing outfitters include Tamarindo Sportfishing (tel. 506/2653-0090, www.tamarindosportfishing.com [3]) and Papagayo Excursions (tel. 506/2653-0227, www.tamarindo.com/papagayo [4]), which also has ATV tours, horseback trips, kayak trips, and windsurfing and scuba diving, plus surf tours.

A dozen or so other outlets cater to surfers. Blue Trailz (tel. 506/2653-1706, www.bluetrailz.com [5]) is considered the best. Iguana Surf (tel. 506/2653-0148, www.iguanasurf.net [6]) rents surfboards, offers surf-taxi service to out-of-the-way surfing spots, and has surf lessons and courses, as do Witch’s Rock Surf Camp (tel. 506/2653-1262, www.witchsrocksurfcamp.com [7]) and Banana Surf Club (tel. 506/2653-0130, www.bananasurfschool.com [8]).

It might seem tame after real surfing, but paddle-surfing is fun nonetheless: You stand on a surfboard and paddle! Check it out with Costa Rica Paddle Surf (tel. 506/2653-4418, www.crpaddlesurf.com [9]). It has a daily sunset tour at 3:30 P.M.

If you want to dive, skip the only local dive shop and find a reputable outfitter in Playas del Coco [10] or Ocotal [11] instead.

You can rent horses ($10 per hour) at Hotel Capitán Suizo, which offers guided rides, as does Painted Pony Guest Ranch (tel. 506/2653-8041, www.paintedponyguestranch.com [12]), at Portegolpe.

Golfers can tee off at Hacienda Pinilla (tel. 506/2680-3000, www.haciendapinilla.co [13]), which has a par-72 course at Playa Avenallas, immediately south of Tamarindo [14]. The Langosta Beach Club has a superb air-conditioned gym (8 A.M.–10 P.M. Mon.–Fri., 9 A.M.–5 P.M. Sat.–Sun, $10 per day), plus yoga.

After all this activity you deserve a massage at one of the tables set up the beach, or at Hotel Capitán Suizo’s Aroma del Mar Spa (tel. 506/2653-0075).