About 6km north of town, Playa Grande is the best surf beach in the area. It's a 3km-plus stretch of waves and sand, which never gets too crowded as it requires a 30-minute hike to get here. But what a hike it is, wandering along between the turquoise waters of the Pacific and the lush greenery of the Montezuma Biological Reserve.

　　Playa Grande is sometimes a destination for topless or nude sunbathers. This is not the cultural norm in Costa Rica, so please be discreet if you're trying to get rid of your tan lines.