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Voykit pocket guide · Costa Rica
Las Catalinas
Half-day to 2 nights: walkable beach town with good snorkeling and dining, but limited activities. Best as a short stop on a Guanacaste road trip.
Las Catalinas is a small, master-planned resort town on Costa Rica's Pacific coast, built on New Urbanism principles with a walkable centre and traditional architecture. It offers a calm beach, good snorkeling, and a handful of restaurants and shops. Most visitors spend half a day to two nights here as part of a Guanacaste itinerary.
- Country
- Costa Rica
- Best months
- Dec–Apr (dry season)
- Avoid
- May–Nov (rainy season, some businesses close)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CRC
- Money
- Currency is the Costa Rican colón (CRC, ₡); US dollars are widely accepted in tourist areas, with change often given in colones.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₡30,000–50,000 excl. bed · Mid ₡50,000–100,000 excl. bed · High ₡100,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Kölbi, Claro and Liberty sell SIMs at SJO and in towns; passport required.
- Emergency
- Police, Fire, Ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · US-style plugs.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10% service is in the bill; extra optional.; Guides: US$5–10 per person per tour.; Shuttle drivers: US$2–5.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in most of the country, including San José; drink bottled on parts of the Caribbean coast and in remote areas.
- Toilets
- Western toilets; put paper in the bin in many places.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | ₡1,500–2,500 |
| Lunch (casado) | ₡5,000–8,000 |
| Dinner (seafood restaurant) | ₡10,000–20,000 |
| Beer (bottle in restaurant) | ₡1,500–2,500 |
| Taxi from Liberia airport | ₡30,000–40,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LIR · Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (Liberia)
- About 40 km (25 mi) east, 45 min driveAbout 25 mi (40 km) east, 45 min drive
Typical fares
- Liberia airport → Las Catalinas
- about ₡30,000–40,000 taxi, 45 min (check)
- Taxi to Playas del Coco
- about ₡10,000–15,000, 20 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Las Catalinas is walkable; no car needed within town. For nearby beaches and towns, rent a car or take a taxi from Liberia.
See and do
Known for
- Walkable town centre
- Snorkeling at Playa Danta
- New Urbanist architecture
- Sunset views from the headland
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Playas del Coco | Drive 20 min south | 30 min |
| Brasilito | Drive 15 min south | 25 min |
| Playa Grande | Drive 25 min south | 35 min |
| Liberia | Drive 40 min east | 50 min |
Sleep
- Town centre
- All accommodation is within walking distance of the beach and restaurants.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | HolaOH-lah |
| Thank you | GraciasGRAH-see-ahs |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-toh KWES-tah |
| Where is the beach? | ¿Dónde está la playa?DOHN-deh es-TAH lah PLAH-yah |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favorlah KWEN-tah por fah-VOR |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Buenas' and a handshake; cheek kiss among friends; avoid: Skipping the greeting
- Conflict: Stay polite and indirect; avoid: Raised voices
- Time: Be on time for tours; avoid: Expecting social events to start on time
- Nature: Stay on trails, keep quiet; avoid: Feeding animals
Scams and watch-outs
- Some restaurants and shops close during the rainy season (May–Nov).
- The beach has strong currents at times; swim with caution.
- No ATM in town; bring cash from Liberia.
Very safe; petty crime is rare. Watch for strong currents at the beach and drive carefully on the unpaved access road.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Las Catalinas yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Walkable town centre
- Snorkeling at Playa Danta
- New Urbanist architecture
- Sunset views from the headland
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Las Catalinas official website: www.lascatalinascr.com/
- Wikivoyage: Las Catalinas, revision 5044562 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5044562
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Las Catalinas
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, Fire, Ambulance911
The US Embassy is in San José; nearest consular agent in Liberia (check).
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/las-catalinas). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.