Tamarindo private schools are also some of the best in the region. Tamarindo is a full-on, oceanside city (a “city” that’s about 1 square mile, but still!) with a wide array of grocery stores, restaurants (easily 50 within walking distance!), basic medical care, shopping, and other everyday amenities. Tamarindo, sometimes called Playa Tamarindo or Tamarindo Beach (for the eponymous beach along its coast) is located at GPS coordinates 10.300846258789758, -85.84060195323838, about 23.5 kilometers (15 miles) south of Playa Flamingo and 78 kilometers (48.5 miles) southwest of Liberia, the capital of Guanacaste province and home to Liberia International Airport (LIR, also known as the Daniel Oduber International Airport).

Just so we’re on the same page, let’s boil both towns down to their absolute basics.

Now, let’s get a little more in-depth: Tamarindo vs. You’ll also notice that residents lean more toward the family and retiree demographics.Īs I said – those are my top-level, simplified, just-the-basics comparisons. While Flamingo has access to all major services and good dining options, it’s somewhat more spread out, so it’s not a huge walking town like Tamarindo. The brand-new marina (inaugurated 2023) is now a huge draw, calling out to those who love boating and yachting. But it also offers superb investment potential, as many visitors make their first Costa Rica trip to Tamarindo and, therefore, vacation rental potential is great.īy comparison, Playa Flamingo is best known for its white-sand beach, complete with swimming and snorkeling, as well as deep-sea fishing. And, at only about one square mile (but a PACKED one square mile), Tamarindo is also supremely walkable. Playa Flamingo, I would say this: Tamarindo is a surfing beach that attracts a younger crowd, as it has lots to do and incredible nightlife. That said, if you asked me for my knee-jerk, top-level, most down-to-basics comparison of Tamarindo vs. I strongly (note: strongly) recommend you visit both (and any other towns on your shortlist) before you make any major decisions. Yes, there are ways to compare and contrast the two but ultimately, there’s the very real component of how you feel about which town suits you best. Playa Flamingo, let me say this: Life and lifestyle are both very personal decisions – ones that you’ll need to make for yourself. Before I get into the differences of life in Tamarindo vs.

Flights to playa flamingo costa rica