ATV Riding in Playa Hermosa: Rivers and Forest Trails

Cross rivers and rugged trails to discover hidden village paths and forest views

A two-hour ATV riding experience in Playa Hermosa where you operate your own machine through forest trails, river crossings and rural villages. You start at a meeting point, ride the main street into Sardinal, cross rivers while moving through the forest, pass through Obandito to meet local residents, loop back toward Sardinal with a rest stop in the park, and return to your starting point. A live guide in English or Spanish leads the route. Children from age eight can ride as passengers.

Step-by-step itinerary

2-hour ATV tour through forest and villages

• Meet at tour starting point
• Ride 20 minutes on Main Street to Sardinal Town
• Take rocky and mud road
• Cross rivers and explore forest views
• Head towards Obandito
• Visit Obandito town and local villages
• Ride back towards Sardinal
• Stop at park for 15 minutes
• Return to Playas del Coco

The experience

You meet at a designated point and ride your ATV into Sardinal Town, spending the first twenty minutes on the main street before the road turns to rocky and mud terrain. The route then takes you through river crossings where you feel the forest close around you. This is where the trail narrows and the riding demands your focus. The guide leads you through to Obandito, a local village where you stop to meet residents and see how people live outside the tourist areas.

The return follows the same general direction back toward Sardinal, with a fifteen-minute park stop to rest and drink water before the final ride back to Playas del Coco. The whole loop runs two to two and a half hours depending on conditions and pace. Bottled water is included. You'll need at least moderate fitness and a steady hand on rough terrain. Children under eight ride as passengers with an adult, not as operators.

What’s included

• Bottled water.
• live guide in English or Spanish.
• ATV operation on forest trails, river crossings and village roads.

Options for this experience

4 options

Artola TownGuide in English or Spanish · 8 departure times: the first at 09:30, the last at 14:00Meeting point: G73X+JR, Guanacaste Province, Artola, Costa Rica

RIU/Palace HotelGuide in English or Spanish · 9 departure times: the first at 01:00, the last at 13:00Meeting point: Hotel Riu Guanacaste, Playa Matapalo, RIU Guanacaste Route, Guanacaste Province, Sardinal, 50503, Costa Rica

Coco BeachGuide in English or Spanish · 7 departure times: the first at 09:30, the last at 13:00Meeting point: Del Coco Beach, Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica

Secrets HotelGuide in English or Spanish · 7 departure times: the first at 09:30, the last at 13:00Meeting point: Secrets Papagayo Costa Rica, 10 km northwest from the Panama Beach main entrance, Papagayo Golf and Country Club, Guanacaste Province, Papagayo, 50503, Costa Rica

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day10 departure times: the first at 01:00, the last at 14:00

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (15 and older) · Child (8 to 14 years) · Under 8: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Cocoloco Adventure

Is this one for you?Choose this if you have a free afternoon and want to operate your own machine rather than ride as a passenger: the rocky forest trails and river crossings demand your attention and control, so it suits riders comfortable handling an ATV on uneven terrain. The two-hour length fits between other activities without consuming a full day.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (8 to 14 years). Children under 8 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I ride an ATV if I've never done it before?

Yes. The guide leads the route at a pace that works for riders new to ATVs, and you control your own machine throughout. The terrain includes rocky and muddy roads plus river crossings, so you need moderate fitness and comfort handling the bike on uneven ground, but no prior experience is required.

What happens at the river crossings?

You ride your ATV through shallow rivers as part of the forest section of the route. The guide leads the way and shows you the crossing. The water is part of what makes this trail distinct from paved roads, and the forest around it is where you see the most vegetation and wildlife habitat.

Do I get to meet people in Obandito?

Yes. The route passes through Obandito village, and the stop there is built in so you can see the town and meet local residents. It's a working village, not a tourist site, so the interaction is brief and genuine.

What's the difference between the four pickup locations?

Artola Town, Secrets Hotel, Coco Beach and RIU/Palace Hotel are the four starting points you choose at checkout. The route and duration stay the same. You pick whichever location is closest to where you're staying.

How much of the two hours is actual riding versus stops?

Most of the two to two and a half hours is spent riding. The main planned stop is fifteen minutes in the park near Sardinal. The village visits in Sardinal and Obandito happen while you're moving through, not as separate halts.