1 guide, each rated 1 to 5 with the reason — and two lists per place, where you are comfortable and where to pay attention. Nowhere is called dangerous; the specific thing is what helps.
A relaxed and generally safe town. The real risks are the ocean and petty theft: rip currents are strong on this coast, and belongings left on the beach do disappear. Never leave anything visible in a parked car.
Comfortable: Tamarindo · Playa Langosta · Playa Grande
Tamarindo Estuary — the river mouth, where the rip and the crocodiles both are
Leaving anything on the sand or in a rental car
Riptides on the main beach, which is a surf break, not a swimming one
The ratings are this site's own, from the guides' authors and the corrections readers send in; they are not an index. Read the general advice in travel safety tips.
