Playa Avellanas is a excellent beach located on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. The sandy beaches provides for pleasant walks both north and south as the waves wash over your feet. And the waves are something else, attracting surfers and swimmers alike. Lolo, our hostess at the Mikado Natural Lodge, recommended this as her favorite beach, and, seeing there were too many beaches to select from, we decided to go with it.
Getting There
Typing Playa Avellanas into Google Map takes you to the Hacienda Pinalla Beach Club, a private resort which charges $35 per person for a day pass. With a practiced professionalism that shows how many people make the same mistake, you are told to head towards Lola’s. And, to our surprise, fifteen minutes later we arrived.
Two options for parking: street and paid public parking. Street parking is not always available and, not speaking Spanish, not exactly sure of the rules. The public lot is a left turn just before the end of the street and costs ₡2000 or $4, cash. The attendant can provide change in whatever currency is available.
Facilities
The beach was not crowded on any of our visits, with plenty of space to lay down your towel or enjoy the surf.
Beach lounge chairs and umbrellas are available for rent, grab an available chair and be ready for someone to arrive quickly asking for payment. The rental charge appears someone fluid, as we were told $20/chair and our neighbors $10/chair. Purchasing your own beach chairs for multiple visits is likely a better option.
Lola’s has both wooden lounge chairs and tables/chairs and seemed unconcerned with people using them. Likely they expect you to buy drinks or food, but it’s convenient and gives you access to their restrooms as well.
At the corner of Lola’s as you enter the beach proper is a stand renting boogie and surf boards. A cart was selling fresh fruit, machete’d in half. A masseuse was asking if anyone needed to relax.
The Beach
The beach near Lola’s and northward is decently sandy, but southward it becomes rocky starting in the surf and to shore. Even where the beach is sandy, rocks may be just beneath the surface so carefully check the area out before riding the waves in. I was surprised one and hurt my feet slightly; it would have been a lot worse if I was swimming.
The water depth increases gradually, allowing you to walk fairly far away from the beach, making it easier to float up-and-down in the waves. As the beach is known for surfing, don’t be surprised if a much larger way suddenly crashes down on you: mainly it was uneventful, but occasionally much larger, harder, and more fun.
Final Thoughts
Lola was right: this is a great beach. I don’t typically enjoy extended times at beaches, but the waves kept me engaged. We also walked south until we reached the corner, about a quarter of a mile away. The beach appears popular with locals, which is a good sign.
And the sunset was phenomenal!
Image Credits
All images © 2024 Scott C Sosna
