Where to Buy in Nosara: Playa Guiones vs. Playa Pelada vs. Playa Garza vs. Ostional
Nosara is several beach communities, not one place, and the right one depends on how you plan to use the property: Guiones for walkability and rental demand, Pelada for a quieter local feel, Garza for space and ocean-view hills, and Ostional for a small village inside a wildlife refuge.
The rocky point and bay at Playa Pelada. Photo: Brayan Alexander, Surfing Nosara.
Nosara's Beach Communities at a Glance
If you only have a minute, this table shows how the four areas compare for a buyer. Details on each follow below. Nosara community map
Playa Guiones | Playa Pelada | Playa Garza | Ostional | |
Feel | Busiest and most developed; surf, yoga and dining | Quieter, more local, built up but low-key | Fishing village with rolling hills | Small village on Nosara's main turtle beach; black volcanic sand |
Distance from Guiones | Center of the action | A few minutes by car or bike | About 6 km | About 12 km north of Nosara |
Walkability | Highest; restaurants, shops and the beach close together | Moderate; small town near the beach | Low; a car or bike is the norm | Low |
Surf | Long, consistent beach break for all levels | Reef in the middle of the beach; not a surf beach | Outer reef breaks; calm, reef-protected cove | Intermediate to advanced waves; remote |
Typical property | Homes, condos and lots near the beach, plus ocean-view homes in the hills behind it | Homes and lots near the town center and beach | Ocean-view acreage, gated communities and larger estates | Land and rural lots; check zoning carefully |
Best for | Rental income, walk-to-beach living, first-time Nosara buyers | A quieter base close to the Guiones scene | Space, privacy and views | Nature-first buyers comfortable with more restrictions |
Playa Guiones: The Walkable Hub
When people say "Nosara," they usually mean Playa Guiones. It is the most developed of the beach communities and home to the area's best-known surf schools, yoga studios and restaurants, with one of the longest-established expat communities in Costa Rica. The beach itself is known for long, consistent beach-break waves that work for beginners and experienced surfers alike.
Surfers and breaking waves along Playa Guiones. Photo: Brayan Alexander, Surfing Nosara.
The beach sits inside the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge, so there are no buildings or hotels on the sand. Development sits back from the beach in the jungle, under low-density rules, which is why you will find boutique condos, villas and homes rather than towers.
What buyers like about it
- The most walkable and bikeable area in Nosara, with dining, wellness and surf within a short ride of most addresses
- Established infrastructure and services, plus steady vacation-rental demand from surf and wellness travelers
- Variety: lots, homes and condos near the beach, and ocean-view homes in the hills behind it
What to weigh
Properties closest to the beach and the main commercial area generally command higher prices
It is also the busiest area, especially in high season
Who it suits: buyers who want to walk or bike to the beach, plan to rent the property part of the year, or want to be close to the center of Nosara's social scene.
Playa Pelada: The Quieter, More Local Side
Pelada sits just north of Guiones, separated from it by a rocky point. It is a little more built up than Guiones, but it feels noticeably more local: more Costa Rican families and fewer surfers, in part because the reef in the middle of the beach is not suited to surfing. What it offers instead are calm tide pools and safer swimming, with a small town of restaurants, bars and shops nearby.
The headland and bay at Playa Pelada. Photo: Brayan Alexander, Surfing Nosara.
What buyers like about it
- A lower-key atmosphere close to Guiones, a few minutes away by car or bike
- Easy swimming and tide-pool beach days that suit families
- A town center with everyday services nearby
What to weigh
It is not a surf beach, so it appeals less to buyers whose main goal is to surf out front
Who it suits: buyers who want to be close to the Guiones scene but prefer a quieter, more local neighborhood, and families who prioritize calm water.
Playa Garza: Fishing Village, Hills and Space
Garza is a working fishing village on a reef-protected, crescent-shaped bay, about 6 km from Guiones. Locals bring in the daily catch, and the surrounding hills are a mix of cattle farms and homes with ocean and valley views. It has grown steadily in recent years, with a private Waldorf school (Casa de las Estrellas) and a supermarket in the village, and nearby communities such as Delicias and gated developments in the hills above the bay.
The crescent bay and forested headland at Playa Garza. Photo: Brayan Alexander, Surfing Nosara.
What buyers like about it
- More land and privacy than the beach-side areas, with ocean and jungle views from the hills
- A quiet, small-village rhythm with easy access to Guiones, roughly 10 to 15 minutes by car depending on where you are
- A good fit for families, including those drawn to the local school
What to weigh
You will need a car or bike for almost everything
Services and dining are more limited than in Guiones
Who it suits: buyers who want acreage, privacy and views, prefer village life to a busy tourist scene, and are comfortable driving to Guiones for dining and surf.
Ostional: The Wildlife Refuge Village
Ostional is a small, simple village about 12 km north of Nosara and the area's main turtle beach, with black volcanic sand and waves best suited to intermediate and advanced surfers. It is best known for the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge. Created in the early 1980s to protect one of the world's most important nesting sites for olive ridley sea turtles, the refuge hosts the mass nestings known as arribadas, which typically run from around July through December, with September and October the usual peak. Ostional is also the only place where the community is allowed to harvest eggs legally, under a managed program.
Jungle meeting the beach at Ostional. Photo: Brayan Alexander, Surfing Nosara.
The refuge stretches roughly 15 km along the coast and includes the Ostional, Nosara, Pelada and Guiones beaches, so protected-area rules matter here more than anywhere else in this guide.
What buyers like about it
- A remote, uncrowded, nature-first setting with a genuine village character
- Nosara's main turtle beach, where the arribadas are the area's signature wildlife event
- Waves that appeal to intermediate and advanced surfers
- Ocean-view land in larger parcels than are easy to find closer to Guiones
What to weigh
Surf: the waves here suit intermediate to advanced surfers, so it is less beginner-friendly than Guiones
Black volcanic sand that can get very hot during parts of the day
Zoning and use: some land here is marketed as agricultural or unzoned, and the surrounding municipality has been developing guidelines for a buffer zone around part of the refuge. Confirm exactly what can be built before you buy
Maritime zone: much of the coastline falls within the first 200 meters from the high-tide line, where concession rules apply instead of full ownership (see the next section)
Services are limited, and the area is farther from Guiones's restaurants, shops, and healthcare
Who it suits: nature-first buyers who value quiet and wildlife and are comfortable with more due diligence and tighter limits on what they can build.
Before You Choose: Maritime Zone, Title and Utilities
Three checks apply in every area, and each can matter more than the beach you pick.
1. Is the property titled or a concession?
Under Costa Rica's Maritime Zone Law (Law 6043), the first 200 meters inland from the high-tide line is regulated. The first 50 meters is public and cannot be privately owned or built on. The next 150 meters is a restricted zone, where land is held under a municipal concession rather than full title, and special eligibility rules apply to foreign buyers. Some parcels were titled before the law took effect, so the answer is specific to each property. Beachfront alone does not tell you which one you are buying; your attorney confirms it in the public registry before you commit.
2. Utilities and access
Water, power and road access vary from one part of Nosara to another. We confirm them as part of standard due diligence, and we go over them with you when we look at a property.
3. Is it suitable for what you want to build?
Zoning, access, utilities and any protected-area restrictions all vary by location, and are most significant near the refuge in Ostional. A proper due diligence report covers title, protected areas, zoning, boundaries, liabilities and utilities. For the legal basics of buying as a foreigner, see Can Foreigners Legally Buy Property in Costa Rica?
See how Nosara fits among Guanacaste’s other coastal regions
Which Area Fits Which Buyer
- Walk-to-the-beach lifestyle or part-time rental income: start with Guiones.
- A quieter base near the scene, with calm water for kids: look at Pelada.
- Space, privacy and views, with village life: look at Garza and the hills above it.
- Nature first, turtles and intermediate-to-advanced surf: consider Ostional, with zoning and maritime zone checks done early.
If you are unsure which fits, visit more than one before deciding. Each community feels different in person than it reads online, and after more than 22 years working in Nosara real estate, I am happy to walk you through all four.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best area to buy in Nosara? There is no single best area; it depends on how you will use the property. Guiones suits walkability and rental potential, Pelada suits a quieter local feel, Garza suits space and views, and Ostional suits nature-first buyers who accept more restrictions.
What is the difference between Nosara and Playa Guiones? Nosara refers to the whole area, which includes the inland town center and five beach communities: Guiones, Pelada, Garza, Playa Nosara and Ostional. Guiones is the most visited and developed of them, which is why many people use the names interchangeably.
Can I buy beachfront property in Nosara? Possibly, but you need to know whether the property is titled or a concession. The first 50 meters from the high-tide line is public, and the next 150 meters is generally held by concession. Your attorney verifies the status in the national registry before you commit.
How far is Playa Garza from Playa Guiones? About 6 km, or roughly 10 to 15 minutes by car depending on the address.
Is Ostional a good place to surf? Its waves suit intermediate to advanced surfers, and its black volcanic sand can get very hot during parts of the day, so plan beach time around the heat. It is also Nosara's main turtle beach.
When can you see sea turtles at Ostional? Mass nestings, called arribadas, typically happen from around July through December, with September and October the usual peak. Access during an arribada is by guided tour through the refuge.
