www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I just returned from spending 5 days in Samara. It is in Guanacaste on the Nicoya peninsula and is a 4 hour drive from San Jose all on a paved road. You can take the bus (it's cheap)or take a shuttle with interbus or fly. I have going there for 5 years and it is my favorite beach town in CR. The beach is protected by an off shore reef so swimming is safe and the waves are small. The water is clear and clean as Samara gets the blue flag every year. The blue flag is only awarded if the water is very clean. The beach is a beautiful 4km cresent. You can walk to the next beach south, playa carrillo which is very undeveloped and even more scenic. The town is safe and fairly small but growing fast. Many european and Tico tourists with some americans. Lots of Italians have moved there and own some of the hotels and restaurants. A much better and safer destination than Jaco and only 2 more hours to get there. There always are lots of ticas there although most are younger. I always see lots of german women of all ages as well as Italian and canadian woman. There is some night life at 3-4 places more at the weekend. I stayed at the fenix hotel right on the beach with kitchen and pool for 70$ It is a 10 minute walk along the beach to town. The brisas del pacifico is also nice on the beach with pool, restaurant, bar also right on the beach 5 minutes from town. Lots of other places but I like to stay on the beach. There is a strip joint nightclub Fandango 15 minutes by car south of town, but I understand few women and lots of fisherman. A local american told me about a tico style club with ticas for 10$ It is called Mango's and is right next to the soda viagra. It is located between the 2 above mentioned hotels. So there is some action in Samara .

Very interesting post Zman.Sounds like a nice place to visit and with a tico girl bar on location.The tico bars can be fun and can find some good talent from time to time.Sounds like there is also a chance to get lucky with tourists or non pros.Definitely sounds like the kind of place I would like to visit.rbc100

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That sounds like a fun place, I am looking for a beach town to go to for a 1 night stay. I was maybe looking at Jaco but this sounds interesting. Anymore info, such as hotels that is right next to the action (Tico bars, clubs, etc.) Also where would you catch the bus and how much does it cost to get there from San Jose? I don't speak spanish, will it be a problem there?

Any info would be great.

Thanks

Semi

Thanks for the report Zman.

I will be engaging in a rapid-fire rape and pillage run from Flamingo and points south mid-January (might even try to run the jungle/mountain trails all the way to Montezuma).

We used to stay at Villas Playa Samara about 10 years back. We may be moving quickly (maybe not) depending upon our potential (or current) handmaidens.

I'll report our pursuits (if I am able to remember anything).

I think the regular bus costs around 8$ each way. I do not know where it leaves from, maybe some one else does. When I was in samara I saw a tourist bus a shuttle called Interbus that picks you up at a hotel in san Jose and brings you to your hotel in Samara door to door for 30$. If My novia did not have a car that is how I would go there. Samara is better than Jaco is all respects except that it is 2 hours further away. The hotels I mentioned are close to the Tico P4P place mangos. But there are cheaper hotels in town. You can walk everywhere except Fandangos. You don't need to speak spanish I did not know any on my first visit 5 years ago. 1 night isn't very long 2-3 nights would be better.

I spent new years eve and the next night in carillo at a hotel called Southland Guanamar. Pretty nice but it sits on a hill and it's a tough walk back up from the beach. Spent the next 3 nights in Samara in a hotel/pizza joint. Rooms were small but I had my lil 18-yr-old tica with me as always. We had a great time on the beach and shopping. Theres a cool bar called the gondola that i would recommend to all. It has pool table, ping pong, darts (2 boards), hammocks, and a good even ratio of tourists to locals. This may be the next big booming area. The local real estate dude (century 21) is from the southern u.s. and he moved there based on this belief. Since i'm not sure how many ticas are pros... I would suggest bringing your favorite(s) with you to this area.

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"With foxes, we must play the fox." ~ Thomas Fuller

thanks for that news ... i was in samara already 2 times but never heard about the tico-place. i will check that out ...

can you give me an update re tamarindo? how about the girl-scene there? any pros, semi-pros to meet? where and when? how about the strip-clubs? i wanna go down there for about 3 days but don't want to take a chica from sj with me ... for obvious reasons ...

thanks for your help buddies,
raul

There are several chicas that walk the beach "looking"" for "dates". Most carry a business card claiming to be Massaje Professionals (must be a local thing).

The hour just before dark seems to be the busiest for this traffic. Many of the finer hotels try to sting you big time to take a chica back to your room.

When in Tamarindo look for the guys with the large catamaran for an afternoon run. It's a riot, all you can drink, bocas, snorkeling, take a chica. Have her get you off in the water with the other "guests" (civilians) knowing what's goin' on.

Wanted to bring this post back up as I am planning to check out the area shortly after July 4 .Does anyone have any recent updates on the area and if ther is still some action to be found.Sounds like a nice beach area.rbc100

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In Search of Fine Kittens,
Please... Bring back the Muff

The last time I was in samara was in late dec. It is the nicest beach town in CR ask any tico. Clean beach and water safe for swimming.

It does get a little slow there in the off season though. July and august brings some european and american tourists but it is nothing like dec through april.

It would be laid back and relaxing although the tico bar with the girls I am sure would be open.

headed on my first trip to CR in january with a wingman and we are planning to spend all day friday through either mid afternoon saturday (or mid afternoon sunday) at one beach location. we will fly to save time.

as with most, we want it all - world class beach, world class chicas (and, might i add, no competition and cheap - LOL). i assume what we have going for us is that it is high season, and we are going on a weekend.

after much research posted on this great board, we have narrowed it down to tamarindo or samara (if anyone thinks that i am missing something, please speak up). any advice on which beach has the best chica action - pro, non-pro, does not matter as long as they are available. for what it is worth, we are both early 40's in shape.

any and all assistance appreciated.

We had intended to go to Samara two trips ago, but got a deal at the Barcelo resort in Tambor and wound up there instead. Then the next trip, we stayed at the Barcelo in Tamarindo. The Barcelo resort in Tambor is awesome, though there isn't much of a town. But I didn't care for Tamarindo at all. Frankly, I'm tired of beach towns like Tamarindo and Jaco where a "hey dude" surfer/stoner-type ambience permeates everything.

On the trip coming up, we're planning to hit the Carribean again, which to my eyes has the prettiest and most unspoiled beaches I've seen in CR, all just south of Puerto Viejo. Those familiar with my past history out there know where I WON'T be staying this time...

But if you're strictly talking "chica action", Jaco is by far the best for mongering. Other locations offer much fewer options, and you will need some serious game to score right out of the chute with the non-pros.

I'm going to check out some properties next month in both Samara and Nosara. I've read the posts regarding Samara in this segment but was wondering whether anyone knows whether there's any nightlife/action in Nosara. Thx.

After going to Puerto Viejo during my CR trip for the last 4 years, I've decided to head back to the Pacific coast this year. I have booked a room in Samara and will check out there and Carrillo for a few days at the end of May. Any body have any new nuggets since the last post in 2006.

Extracted from this Thread are these:
http://www.fenixhotel.com/
http://samarabeach.com/brisas/index.html << from a guide to Playa Samara
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review ... caste.html
http://www.costa-rica-life.com/Playa-Samara.html << from another GP site--mentions Bar Gondola in passing

Don't forget TripAdvisor is a good peer-reviewed guide to "civilian" doin's.

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED