Sámara
Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica
Sámara is the calm one on the peninsula, with a swimmable bay protected by a reef and a beach where Tico families and foreigners mix. It's walkable, relaxed and less expensive than Nosara or Santa Teresa. The hospital in Nicoya is about 45 minutes away, and the Liberia airport is about two hours.
Location
Hover over the map to explore
Get the full Sámara guide
Members get the in-depth local guide, plus tools and a vetted provider network. Start with our quick quiz to see if Sámara fits your life.
Build My Custom Action Plan5 Minutes · 11 Questions · Free Instant Results
Join 1000+ people who have mapped their move.
Similar towns
- Caribbean
Cahuita
Cahuita is the quieter, more local side of the Caribbean coast. The road ends at the entrance to Cahuita National Park, where the beach trail winds through jungle full of sloths and monkeys. Evenings mean jerk chicken and live calypso. It's small and easygoing, with fewer services than Puerto Viejo, about 20 minutes south.
- Southern Pacific
Dominical
Dominical is the south's surf village, where jungle-covered mountains drop straight to wild beaches. It's barefoot and bohemian, with good waves, a small foreign community and wildlife all around. Most people live in the hills above town. Uvita is about 20 minutes south for bigger shopping, and San Isidro is about an hour inland.
- Caribbean
Puerto Viejo
Puerto Viejo is the heart of the Caribbean coast, colorful, bike-friendly and a little wild. Evenings bring reggae and rice and beans at a family soda, and the walk to the beach often comes with a sloth overhead. People from dozens of countries live here alongside Tico, Afro-Caribbean and Bribri families. Services are basic, and high season gets busy and loud.
Explore more towns in Nicoya Peninsula.