Playa Junquillal doesn't appear on "Top 10 Costa Rica Beaches" lists. You won't find a strip of beachfront bars, roving vendors, or a rack of electric scooters in the parking lot. And that's precisely the point.
Forty-five minutes south of Tamarindo on a well-graded dirt road, Junquillal is a two-kilometer crescent beach where the Northern Pacific swell arrives unfiltered and leatherback turtles nest between July and December without neon witnesses.
What to Do in Junquillal
Surf
Junquillal breaks well for intermediate surfers: point and beach breaks depending on the tide. Peak months are December through April during the dry season. Arrive early — the offshore wind disappears before midday.
Sea Turtles
Between July and December, leatherbacks (Dermochelys coriacea) — the world's largest turtle species — nest on this beach. There are no mass tour groups: sightings are coordinated with local conservation teams. Luca, Odisea's on-site concierge, organizes the night walk when the season allows.
Kayak and Mangroves
The estuary at the south end of the beach holds an intact mangrove system. By kayak, just meters from shore, you'll commonly spot herons, brown pelicans, and in season crocodiles basking on the mudflats. The tour departs before sunrise to work the tide.
Horseback Riding
The empty beaches flanking Junquillal — Lagarto, Iguanita — are best seen from horseback. Two hours of untracked sand, with the Sierra Guanacaste as backdrop. Coordinate through the estate with 24-hour notice.
Getting Here
From Liberia's Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR): 1 hour 20 minutes south on Route 21. From Tamarindo: 45 minutes on a well-maintained dirt road. The final stretch requires a 4x4 during rainy season (May–November).
When to Visit
Dry season (December–April) delivers perfect days with golden Pacific light. Green season (May–November) brings fewer people, the jungle in full bloom, and lower rates — in exchange for afternoon rains that usually end before dinner. Junquillal works year-round.
Whether you arrive in January or September, the sunset from Villa Diosa del Mar's infinity pool has the same quality of light. What changes is what's in the air.
