Things to do in Tamarindo
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Tamarindo Bar Crawl: VIP Entry, Shots & Games Nightlife TourYou’ll jump right into Tamarindo’s nightlife with VIP entry to lively bars and clubs, welcome shots to break the ice, fun games that get strangers laughing together, and unlimited shots between stops thanks to Mr.Shots. Expect sticky floors, new friends from everywhere, and moments you’ll remember long after your voice is gone.
Rio Celeste & Sloth Watching: Rainforest Hike & WaterfallA guided rainforest tour from Liberia that combines hiking to Rio Celeste waterfall, live wildlife watching (sloths, toucans, poison frogs), and a swim at Llanos de Cortés waterfall, all in one eight- to ten-hour day. A bilingual guide leads the route, and the tour includes an air-conditioned vehicle, lunch, and hotel pickup. Children from age one are welcome; moderate fitness helps with the hiking sections.Is it for me?Most rainforest tours from Liberia stick to one waterfall or one wildlife spot. This one combines Rio Celeste's hike and sloths with a second waterfall you can actually swim in, so you get the jungle immersion and the water time in a single day without splitting your time between two separate tours.
Costa Rica: Private River Wildlife Tour & Local LunchYou’ll float quietly through Costa Rica’s tropical dry forest on a private river tour, spotting monkeys and crocodiles with your guide before sharing lunch at a local family’s home. Watch pottery being shaped by hand and soak up real-life moments you’ll remember long after you leave.
Tamarindo & Flamingo: Canopy Zipline Tour with Wildlife SightingYou’ll soar between ancient trees on this Tamarindo & Flamingo canopy tour, spotting monkeys and birds as you zipline high above Costa Rica’s dry forest. With hotel pickup included and friendly local guides leading every step, you’ll end up with dusty shoes, new laughs—and probably a story you’ll want to tell later.
Tamarindo Beginner Surf Lessons with Local InstructorsYou'll spend a private session in Tamarindo's warm water with a local surfer who teaches you to paddle, balance, and catch waves at your own pace. The lesson includes your board, rashguard, bottled water, and hotel pickup. Most beginners catch at least one real wave and leave understanding not just how to surf, but why it matters here.Is it for me?Book this if you want to learn to surf without arranging a board, transport, or guessing whether a group lesson will move too fast or too slow — the private format and included gear mean you show up and the rest is handled.
Guanacaste: ATV Beach Tour with Playa Minas & Hotel PickupYou’ll ride ATVs from Brasilito through dusty forest trails down to quiet beaches like Playa Minas and Bahia de los Piratas. Expect salty air, local guides who know every shortcut, plenty of laughs (and dust), plus hotel pickup and time for swimming or hiking if you want it. You might leave sandy but you’ll remember those views.
Surf Lesson in Tamarindo: Private, Group & Semi-PrivateA surf lesson in Tamarindo, Costa Rica, taught by local instructors in private, semi-private or group format for all ages and skill levels. Equipment, rashguard, leash and water are included. Lessons run two hours and are tailored to beginners, intermediate and advanced surfers alike. The instructor speaks English or Spanish, and safety protocols guide every session.Is it for me?Book a private lesson if you want one-on-one attention and a pace set entirely around your progress; choose semi-private or group if you'd rather learn alongside other surfers and share the energy of the beach. The two-hour window fits a morning or afternoon without eating your whole day, so you can explore Tamarindo's restaurants and shops before or after.
La Leona Waterfall Cliff Jumping & Tubing Private AdventureA private full-day adventure combining cliff jumping on the Colorado River, a moderate-to-challenging hike to La Leona Waterfall with ropes and caves, and a 1.5-hour white water tubing run. The day spans seven to nine hours and includes lunch, water, snacks, video of your jumps, and a private guide in English or Spanish. Sturdy closed-toe shoes and a good fitness level are required.Is it for me?This is a private tour, so you move at your own pace with a single guide rather than in a group. It suits anyone who wants to choose their own cliff height and control the intensity of the day without waiting for others to catch up or holding a group back.
Sunset catamaran Tamarindo: Snorkel and sail the PacificA 5-hour sunset catamaran tour from Tamarindo takes you sailing along the Costa Rican Pacific coast with time to snorkel, paddleboard, kayak or float at a secluded beach, then returns as the sky turns coral and gold. The crew serves a full meal and unlimited drinks, and depending on the season you may spot dolphins, sea turtles or humpback whales. A local crew and rooftop lounge with 360° views set the mood.Is it for me?The boat rocks with the Pacific swell, so if motion sickness is a concern for you, talk to the crew about timing and positioning on deck — many travelers find the rooftop lounge and forward sections calmer than below. The snorkeling and water activities are optional; you can stay on deck or in the lounge the whole time and still have the full experience.
Tamarindo ATV and Zipline Tour: 10 Treetop CablesAn ATV and zipline combo tour from Tamarindo puts you on your own semi-automatic Honda ATV (or paired on a double with a driver) to ride through backroads and forests, then sends you 10 stories up into the canopy to zipline down a series of cables above the dry tropical forest. The tour runs 2.5 hours with a trained bilingual guide, helmet, goggles and water included; pickup from your hotel is available on some options, and children from age 4 can ride along on shared ATVs.Is it for me?Book the "ATV Tour with Transportation" option if you're staying in central Tamarindo and want pickup and drop-off handled; choose "Meet at office" if you have your own transport or prefer to drive yourself to the starting point. Ride solo on a single ATV if you want to control the throttle, or pair up on a double ATV if you're traveling with kids or prefer to be a passenger through the backroads and forest.
Kayaking and Snorkeling to Capitan Island, TamarindoKayak and snorkel trip from Tamarindo to Capitan Island, the only island within Las Baulas National Park, created by volcanic eruption. You paddle across open ocean for about 25 minutes, land on white sand, explore lava fields and rock formations, walk through tide pools to see sea urchins and starfish, then snorkel at a couple of stops in the surrounding clear water. The trip runs three hours total, includes all equipment, a guide in English or Spanish, water and snacks, and meets on Playa Tamarindo in front of El Chiringuito Restaurant.Is it for me?The paddle across open ocean takes about 25 minutes each way and you spend three hours total on the water and island, so this suits an afternoon when you're comfortable with moderate paddling and want to move between snorkeling stops rather than stay in one place. Infants ride on an adult's lap, and children from age 3 can join, though the trip isn't recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, or pregnancy.
ATV and Zipline Tour from Tamarindo: 7 cables and forest trailsA 3.5-hour ATV and zipline tour from Tamarindo combines off-road riding through tropical forest and mountain back roads with a canopy tour of 7 cables, 2 suspension bridges and a tree climb. The guide, hotel pickup from Tamarindo or Flamingo, helmet, safety gear, water and fresh tropical fruit are included. Suitable for ages 4 and up, though only riders 16 and older can operate the ATVs; younger children ride as passengers.Is it for me?Book the single-driver option if you want to control the ATV yourself and have the freedom to set your own pace through the forest; choose the driver-with-passenger option if you'd rather ride as a passenger and focus on the scenery and the zipline course without managing the ATV.
Tamarindo Ziplining Tour: ATV Rainforest & Canopy CablesAn ATV and canopy zipline activity in Tamarindo combines a guided ride through rainforest and rivers on four-wheeler with zip-line cables up to 500 meters long strung between the trees. Hotel pickup from the Tamarindo area is included, along with a professional guide, helmet and bottled water; children from age 6 can participate, though only riders 16 and older can operate the ATV. The maximum weight limit is 260 pounds.Is it for me?Book this if you want to ride terrain and operate an ATV yourself rather than watch from a vehicle, and if you're comfortable with river crossings and getting muddy. The ATV portion is what gets you to the ziplines, so the two activities are one experience, not separate stops.
Playa Flamingo: Canopy Zip Lines, Hot Springs & Sugar Mill TourYou zip-line across the rainforest canopy, slide down a natural waterslide into a pool, tour a working sugar mill and taste fresh Costa Rican coffee, then spend your afternoon in thermal hot springs with mud treatments and saunas. Hotel pickup, lunch, and a professional guide are included, and the day ends with a return to your hotel.Is it for me?Book this if you want to pack Costa Rica's main experiences—adventure, culture, and relaxation—into a single day without arranging transport, timing activities separately, or deciding what to do next; the fixed itinerary handles all of it, and the small group size keeps each stop from feeling rushed.
Tamarindo: Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt Game & Local SurprisesYou’ll wander Tamarindo solving playful riddles at your own pace, with seven days to explore hidden murals and meet locals along the way. Expect spontaneous moments—like arranging seashells or catching live music—and unlock special discounts through your scavenger hunt app. This isn’t just sightseeing; it’s letting Tamarindo surprise you.
Kayaking and snorkeling tour Tamarindo: Paddle to Captain IslandA 2.5-hour kayaking and snorkeling activity in Tamarindo where you paddle your own single or double kayak from the beach to Captain Island, then snorkel the waters around it with a bilingual guide. The tour includes a 20-minute kayak lesson if you need one, snorkeling gear, water and snacks, with pickup and drop-off in the Tamarindo/Langosta area. Departure time shifts with the tide and will be confirmed after booking.Is it for me?The guide speaks English and Spanish, so you can follow the whole paddle and snorkel comfortably in whichever language you prefer. This tour suits anyone with moderate fitness who can paddle for 30–40 minutes and spend 45 minutes in the water, and it works well for small groups or families who want to move at their own pace without a large tour boat.
See Sloths & Blue River Waterfall in Costa RicaYou’ll swim under a hidden waterfall, hike to a surreal blue river, and spot wild sloths—all in one day. It’s a real taste of Costa Rica’s wild side, with local guides who know every shortcut and secret spot.
Airport to JW Marriott Guanacaste: Private car, no waitingYou land at Liberia, your driver meets you at arrivals with a sign, and you're driven directly to the JW Marriott Guanacaste in an air-conditioned vehicle with a vaccinated driver. The price is fixed before you arrive, infant seats are available, and you skip the taxi negotiation entirely. No surprises, no waiting — just a smooth handoff from airport to resort.Is it for me?Worth booking if you land at Liberia without a rental car or want to skip the taxi negotiation — the driver meets you at arrivals and the price is set, so ground transport stops being a problem the moment you step outside.
Tamarindo Private Zipline, Horseback Riding & Hot SpringsA private 10-hour adventure in Guanacaste combining zipline flights over Rincón de la Vieja volcano, horseback riding through transitional forest, a 420-meter water slide, and cultural stops at a sugar cane farm and pottery workshop, ending with hot springs and mud baths. Pickup from Tamarindo is included, as are all equipment, lunch, snacks and a live guide in English or Spanish; children are welcome from age 4.Is it for me?Book this if you want to pack zipline, horseback riding, water slide, cultural stops, and hot springs into one day—the private format lets you move between activities on your own schedule instead of waiting for a group.
Tamarindo Catamaran Sailing: Dolphins & Snorkeling TourA private catamaran tour from Tamarindo with a bi-lingual crew aboard a 40- or 50-foot sailing catamaran, running 4.5 hours north along the coast with stops for swimming, snorkeling, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding in a cove near Playa Huevos. Breakfast or a light meal (depending on morning or afternoon departure) and all beverages are included; the crew handles the boat while you handle the water.Is it for me?Choose the private charter if your group wants to set the itinerary and pace in the cove rather than follow a fixed schedule with other passengers.
