Costa Rica Nicoya Peninsula: Cobano is a vibrant town in the South

Writen by Jenny Araya

Cobano is a vibrant and picturesque town located in the southern Nicoya Peninsula; this is a pass by zone that you are going to visit on your way to Santa Teresa, Montezuma, Malpais or the Cabo Blanco Reserve as part of your holidays if the area is included in your vacation package. It is a small hub in the region, from where you can go to any of the beautiful surrounding places in a matter of minutes.

This is in fact a less developed area than some small coastal towns such as Flamingo, Conchal or Tamarindo in Guanacaste Costa Rica, where you can find some of the best all inclusive family resorts of the country. What is amazing there is that you have a lot of natural attractions to discover and other different stunning beaches but that are not so crowded.

How to get there

Even though it is located in the Nicoya Peninsula, Cobano belongs to the Puntarenas province, and the easiest way to get there is taking the Paquera Ferry at Puntarenas, drive past Tambor and then continue around 35 miles to Cobano. You can also take a plane in Liberia or San Jose and get to the Tambor Domestic Airstrip and drive from there or take a cab to Cobano.

You can take shuttle shared services, private transportation to be more comfortable or hire a car if you are more adventurous and want to explore as many stunning places and spots as you can on your vacations.

About the area

If you come from Tambor, Santa Teresa or Malpais and you are on the road to any of the neighbor and prettiest beaches, but need a place with many available services – facilities, you may go to Cobano. It has become an important town in this area, having services such as banks, hotels, drugstores, medical services, supermarkets, a small hospital, restaurants where to taste typical food in Costa Rica, and a gas station just outside of town. This is exactly what you need during your family holidays.

Many locals and tourists hang out in Cobano, especially during the dry season months from December to April. Although there are not many places for partying and night life, you will find a few restaurant – bars, where the people go at night to eat a bar snack, and have a drink with friends; this is a perfect ambiance for a family trip.

For those who enjoy seafood, this is a good place to taste something incredible since those small coastal towns usually has the freshest products and, on this way, you are going to help in the local economy.

If you visit Cobano between February and March, you could catch the annual rodeo, and local festivities that kick off with a horse parade and extend for three days. It is one of the funniest things to do in the Guanacaste region.

Besides the rodeo, there is bull riding, a staple of this area, traditional food sale, and partying day and night. This is a unique experience, very local and a funny way to share with “ticos” (Costa Rican people) and learn about culture and traditions while visiting this amazing place during their trip in the country.

These festivities are the traditional Pacific Coast town parties. The bull riding events are particularly exciting, and have many fans in Cobano and Guanacaste overall. We are sure, this will be something new and hilarious for your adventure vacation. Additionally, there you will find a kind of food that is not really common in the regular restaurants, it means that there are some specific or special dishes that are popular for this kind of celebrations only.

There are a lot of possibilities and activities to do, especially if you are looking for some of the Costa Rica top beaches in the area. If you want to be more active and try a little bit of adventure during your visit, you can take a zip lining tour, boat expeditions, take surf lessons whether you are not an experienced surfer or on the other hand, go surfing in some of the best spots for the activity.

If you prefer more relaxing activities, the horseback riding is a good choice, maybe stand up paddling or snorkelling to discover the hidden marine gems we have. This way, the most recommended activity to think and include in your vacation package is to chill by the beach and admire the incredible landscapes, while enjoying a tropical beverage.

Finally, but not less important, Cobano has a really good position for you to connect or go to other attractions, touristic places such as Monteverde, Arenal and is very close to San Jose, the capital city and where is located the most important international airport.

You may know that our country is diverse and has a lot to offer for the perfect Costa Rica family vacations; for example, we have the 6% of the world biodiversity in such a tiny land.

Did you decide to visit Cobano? Check our latest deals to travel in Costa Rica. Contact us! Our travel designers are waiting to hear from you and prepare the trip of your lifetime.

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