Secluded Shores And Powdery Sands Provide A Surfing Sanctuary In This Coastal Central American Town

Fringed by soft white beaches to the east and dramatic black shores to the west, Central America's coastlines are among the best in the world. Costa Rica, filled with dense jungle and soaring volcanoes, attracts more tourists than any other country in the region. As such, its sweeping beaches are comparatively inundated. With the country growing massively in popularity year after year, more and more travelers are actively seeking out Costa Rica's little-known beaches to avoid the crowds. So, skip the steep prices of the touristy beach bars and luxurious resorts and head instead to the quiet shore of Playa Avellanas.

Fifteen of the 20 busiest airports in the U.S. run direct flights to Costa Rica, landing in either the capital city of San Jose or westerly Liberia. The latter shares a province with Playa Avellanas, and organizing an airport shuttle straight out to the coast is painless, with the journey typically taking less than two hours. Arranging a ride from San Jose is similarly straightforward, but the journey time racks up to at least four hours. Arrange your travel around the dry season, from December to April, but keep in mind that the showers that keep the country perpetually green can fall at any time of year.

Surfers gather daily on the golden sands of Playa Avellanas, first-timers and long-seasoned pros alike. Tackle rocky reefbreaks and beachbreaks at key points along the shoreline, starting at the spot dubbed "Little Hawaii." Identifiable by its hefty swells and shallow reef, you can catch its waves at the far northern end of the beach. The dead tree laid out to rest on the sands marks another ideal spot, named El Palo, to catch a high-tide swell, while the left and right breaking waves at El Parque can be found opposite the parking lot.

Though plenty of travelers just venture out to Playa Avellanas as a day trip from nearby Tamarindo, there are several accommodation options for those seeking to extend their stay. If you're planning on going all out on a luxury Costa Rican romp, rest your head at the JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa. Situated right on the sand, the sprawling hotel sits on the rim of the 4,500-acre Hacienda Pinilla, a working ranch with riding stables and an 18-hole golf course. If you're after a lower-key stay, book one of Cabinas Las Olas' secluded cabins in the mangroves or get fully immersed in the surfer scene by joining the team at Nieves Surf Camping.

With coves cloistered within lush rainforests, black shores capped by low rumbling volcanoes, and soft sands peppered with rare turtle nests, Costa Rica's coastlines are home to no shortage of world-class beaches. When planning a trip to the Central American hotspot, your first step is to choose a side: While it's easier to ditch the crowds on Costa Rica's underrated Caribbean coast, the best surf and the premium tourism infrastructure is all centered on the Pacific shores, from the little-known paradise of Playa Zancudo to the area surrounding Playa Avellanas.

Traversing the volcano-stained sands of the dramatic west coast, you can still dodge the crowds during a day at the beach. The shore around Playa Avellanas is, of course, a great jumping-off point, but if the surf crowd interrupts your quiet time, take a day trip to another secluded spot on the Pacific coast. Spy the rose-hued sands of Playa Rosada, a two-hour drive away, or head to the dramatic ashen coast of Playa Negra just 20 minutes south.

Travelers with more time to work with should tack on a trip to Costa Rica's Caribbean shore, filled with jungle-laden national parks and small shorefront settlements undisturbed by tourism. Here, the shoals of tropical fish and gigantic gliding manta rays easily outnumber the visitors splayed on the sands.