Steve’s guidebook to Avellanas
Food scene
These are our favorite restaurants in/near Avellanas
Good vibes and amazing food. Yael and Roee are super cool and have crafted the perfect setting for an exotic brunch experience. The Shakshuka and French-toast are two of my favorites and the “sexy smoothies” are amazing. Best brunch around!
8 locals recommend
SoulShine Hotel & Restaurant
Good vibes and amazing food. Yael and Roee are super cool and have crafted the perfect setting for an exotic brunch experience. The Shakshuka and French-toast are two of my favorites and the “sexy smoothies” are amazing. Best brunch around!
Lola's
Great place for enjoying the amazing sunsets at Playa Avellanas.
Come for the awesome fish tacos and wide variety of excellent food and drink choices! Park here and grab a wonderful breakfast or lunch!! Walk from the restaurant through the mangrove to the beach! The mangrove bridge is one of the most photographed scenes in Guanacaste.
11 locals recommend
Cabinas Las Olas
Playa AvellanasCome for the awesome fish tacos and wide variety of excellent food and drink choices! Park here and grab a wonderful breakfast or lunch!! Walk from the restaurant through the mangrove to the beach! The mangrove bridge is one of the most photographed scenes in Guanacaste.
Barumis'
Daria and Asaf are wonderful and make some of the best burgers in Costa Rica!
Amazing Italian cuisine and pizza! One of our favorite restaurants in Avellanas.
22 locals recommend
Il Rustico, Playa Avellanas
Amazing Italian cuisine and pizza! One of our favorite restaurants in Avellanas.
Bar y Restaurante El Manantial
Corazón Surf Café
Great cafe, just a short drive down to Negra.
Excellent cafe in Playa Negra, just a short drive down from The Point.
26 locals recommend
Cafe Playa Negra
Excellent cafe in Playa Negra, just a short drive down from The Point.
The newest place in Avellanas to eat, listen to music and enjoy the community and culture. Located on the corner where you turn off the main road to Lola's.
8 locals recommend
La Esquina De Avellanas
The newest place in Avellanas to eat, listen to music and enjoy the community and culture. Located on the corner where you turn off the main road to Lola's.
Nice ambiance, excellent food and craft drinks. One of my favorite restaurants in Tamarindo.
L' Estanco El Jardin Escondido
Nice ambiance, excellent food and craft drinks. One of my favorite restaurants in Tamarindo.
Zaguate Restaurant
Smash burger is amazing here!
Villa Deevena
Ultra fine dinning in the jungle!
Favorite Beaches
Playa Avellanas is one of the best surf beaches in Guanacaste and conveniently located less than 1 mile from The Point.
142 locals recommend
Playa Avellanas
Playa Avellanas is one of the best surf beaches in Guanacaste and conveniently located less than 1 mile from The Point.
Playa Negra
Playa Langosta
Tamarindo
Playa Lagartillo
Easy StAwesome white-sand beach and margaritas across the street at Margaritaville make for a great sunset happy hour!
217 locals recommend
Playa Flamingo
Flamingo Beach RoadAwesome white-sand beach and margaritas across the street at Margaritaville make for a great sunset happy hour!
Grocery Shopping
Great grocery store. A bit pricey, but they have a large selection of imported food options that you won’t find at the smaller grocery stores.
309 locals recommend
Auto Mercado
Great grocery store. A bit pricey, but they have a large selection of imported food options that you won’t find at the smaller grocery stores.
Super Economico
Calle PrincipalDiscount grocery store
Medical/Emergency
Medical office for covid testing and/or any medical attention while staying in Avellanas.
Clínica Médica-Dental Villarreal
Medical office for covid testing and/or any medical attention while staying in Avellanas.
Sightseeing
Great place for extreme ziplines and seeing exotic animals.
150 locals recommend
Diamante Eco Adventure Park
350 east RIU HotelGreat place for extreme ziplines and seeing exotic animals.
Playa del Ostional is the scenery for a rarely-seen biological wonder. In rainy season, the week before new moon, hundreds – and sometimes hundreds of thousand sea turtles come to one specific mile of beach at Ostional to dig their eggs into the black, volcanic sand.
Please note that this is a protected beach and you should have a local guide escort you to see the turtles.
12 locals recommend
Playa del Ostional
Playa del Ostional is the scenery for a rarely-seen biological wonder. In rainy season, the week before new moon, hundreds – and sometimes hundreds of thousand sea turtles come to one specific mile of beach at Ostional to dig their eggs into the black, volcanic sand.
Please note that this is a protected beach and you should have a local guide escort you to see the turtles.
Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve
Carretera a Reserva de MonteverdePoza Los Coyotes
Catarata La Leona
Surf
Avellanas Soul Surf School
City advice
Getting around
Best to have a car to get around in Avellanas.
Always lock the doors when parked and don't leave valuables in sight.
Customs and culture
Costa Rica septic systems are not designed for toilet paper
The plumbing in Costa Rica is not designed to handle toilet paper. It is a standard practice in Costa Rica to not flush toilet paper - please use the bins next to the toilet.
Useful phrases
Pura Vida!
“Pura Vida” means “pure life” in Spanish, a Costa Rican philosophy that encourages the appreciation of life's simple treasures. Slowing things down, celebrating life's natural and pure beauty. The phrase is commonly used to greet someone or to say goodbye in Costa Rica (similar to the Hawaiian use of "Aloha").