Puntarenas Province is Costa Rica's largest, and covers a huge amount of territory, including most of Costa Rica's Pacific coastline. From a visitor perspective, the province can best be split into three main areas. At the northern end is the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, most of which is in Guanacaste Province. There are some stunning hideway boutiques here, as well as a number of surf hotels, bordering the spectacular Cabo Blanco nature reserve and its marine conservancy.
Moving further south you come to a long stretch of Pacific coastline, dotted with beach resorts - some super luxurious, some more affordable. The area is known for it's long white pristine beaches and mangrove swamps, stretching over 100 miles from Playa Hermosa in the north, past the chic resorts around Quepos (gateway to the Manuel Antonio National Park, and one of the world's finest areas for big sport fishing), to Uvita in the south.
Finally you come to an area of extensive rainforests in the Osa Peninsula and on the Gulf of Dulce (the Gulf of Sweetness), all protected in a number of national parks and nature reserves - the Terraba Sierpe wetlands, Corcovado National Park, the Golfo Dulce forest reserve, and Piedras Blancas national park. Dotted amongst them are some of Costa Rica's loveliest eco-lodges and rainforest hideaways.
Below, we've categorised the best places to stay in Puntarenas by geography. As you would expect, they are all very popular, especially in the January to April peak season, so book ahead in plenty of time to avoid disappointment.
