Activities and Attractions

www.puravidahouse.com

Golf Cart Rental

Enjoy this fun and convenient way to get around in the Resort and see lots of wildlife – monkeys, iguanas, anteaters, birds, and more!

Massages & Spa at Pura Vida House

Enjoy a great massage or spa services in the comfort and privacy of your own villa.

You’ll want one every day!

There are also spa services available within the resort at the Beach Club or JW Marriott spas.

Beach Club

Set on the North end of Avellanas Beach, in front of the world class Little Hawaii Surf Break, you can enjoy days on end inside the Hacienda Pinilla private Beach Club. Here there is a restaurant, tiki bar, swimming pool, surfing, boogie boarding and spa. Plus, you can walk south to Lola’s famous surf restaurant in the sand with famous Lolita the pig.

Pura Vida House is the only villa that offers 100% free and unlimited access to the Beach Club. Just tell the front desk you are staying at Pura Vida House with Jorge Morera and they will have your names ahead of time to allow you access during your stay.

Beach Club is closed the Month of October, and Tuesdays (except holiday weeks).

At Hacienda Pinilla

Golf

Play the world class Hacienda Pinilla ocean course, with its famous #15 Shark hole. We’ll get you a great discount on their regular rate, or ask us about unlimited weekly golf packages.

Horseback Riding on Trails and Beach

Duration 2-2.5 hours. Ride through tropical dry forests, hills and open grasslands, then out onto Playa Langosta. Ideal for beginners or experts alike.

What to bring: clothes YOU feel comfortable riding in, most people prefer longer shorts, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen.

Tennis and Pickleball

Play tennis or pickleball, or take lessons on Hacienda Pinilla’s two hard courts.

Mountain Biking

Venture onto one of two trails snaking throughout Hacienda Pinilla’s 4,500 acre property; one geared towards amateurs, the other for pros. A great way to get a work out in and earn that time lounging around the Beach Club pool.

Pura Vida House offers two free bicycles for your use; and more can be rented at the JW Marriott.

Langosta Beach

Enjoy a nearly-private section of the beach. Walk for miles on the white sand, play in the waves, explore the sea-life in the rocks and the wildlife in the dry forest behind the beach - monkeys, iguanas, birds, hermit crabs and more.

Mansita Beach (Snorkel)

Snorkel inside Hacienda Pinilla around the rocky outcrops along Playa Mansita in front of the JW Marriott.

Tamarindo Beach & Town

Tamarindo is the largest beach town in this part of the Nicoya Peninsula. Come here for shopping, dining, surfing and night life. Let us know if you want recommendations.

Avellanas (Lola’s)

Walk south from the Beach Club, or drive to the south end of Playa Avellanas. Grab a great meal and some cocktails at Lola’s famous surf restaurant in the sand.

Surf or watch the surfers, great sunsets, and visit famous Lolita the pig.

Conchal

Be spoiled in paradise, get a massage on the beach. Playa Conchal is consistently ranked in the top 10 scenic beach of Central America. Here you can snorkel on the north end, jet ski, each fresh grilled sea food and kabobs on the beach and take in the beautiful scenery.

More Beaches

Zip Lines

Duration 2-3 hours. Fly through the forest canopy on the best zip lines in Costa Rica. Fly forward, upside down, superman/superchica, and see great views of the Guanacaste hills and lowlands.

What to bring: shoes that strap-on (no flip-flops).

Rio Celeste: Hike Rainforest, Blue Waterfall and Wildlife at Tenorio Volcano

Duration full day. This excursion has intense hiking, gorgeous blue waterfall and river, and wildlife like sloths, poison dart frogs, toucans and other tropical birds.

What to bring: Shoes for hiking, often through mud, layers of clothes, rain jacket, camera, binoculars.

Tours and Activities

Adventure day at the Foot of Rincon de la Vieja Volcano

Duration full day. This is a day of action and activity with relaxing spring-water pools and volcanic mud spa at the end. Activities include zip lines, repelling/rock climbing, horseback riding, tubing or white-water rafting and the spa. Choose which activities you do, or do them all! Includes lunch.

What to bring: Shoes that are both athletic and amphibious are ideal - that both strap on and will be comfortable in water; bathing suit, outfit for dry activities. But we can make it work with what you bring.

Estuary Biodiversity & Wildlife Boat Ride

Duration 2 hours. Take a boat ride up the Tamarindo Estuary to view birds, crocodiles and other wildlife. See up to 20 or 30 bird species, howler monkeys and crocodiles with some of Guanacaste’s best naturalists.

What to bring: Shoes that may get just a bit wet. Camera, binoculars.

Palo Verde Scarlet Macaw & Biodiversity & Wildlife Boat Ride

Duration Half-day. Take a boat ride up the Tempísque River in Palo Verde National Park. Here you will see many varieties of birds — including the possibility of seeing scarlet macaws, and the endangered Jabiru — capuchin monkeys, giant iguanas, crocodiles and more.

You will also stop to see an indigenous pottery demonstration. Includes a typical Costa Rican lunch.

What to bring: Shoes that may get just a bit wet. Camera, binoculars.

Giant Turtles Nesting at Night

Duration 2-3 hours. Witness this prehistoric event for yourself. Each night, giant turtles (Pacific Green, Pacific Black, and if you’re lucky, Leatherback) crawl up onto the beaches in the Playa Grande area to nest. Hike out on the beach in the dark with some of Guanacaste’s best naturalists, and watch a giant turtle come up out of the water dig a hole, and lay up to 120 eggs in the sand. May contain strenuous walking/hiking.

What to bring: Shoes good for walking on both sand and trails.

Ostional Giant Turtle Arribada

Duration half-day, early morning. Only occurs once every 45 days. Witness this prehistoric event for yourself. Walk on the beach in the early dawn light with thousands of Olive Ridley sea turtles crawling up onto Ostional Beach to nest.

What to bring: Shoes good for walking on sand, camera.

Ocean Fishing

Duration; half or full-day. One of our more popular excursions, fish for dinner or sport! Sport fishing includes rooster, sailfish or marlin, or catch tuna, mahi mahi or snapper for dinner. You can also jump off the boat and snorkel!

What to bring: shoes that can get wet, sun screen and hat/shirt, bathing suit if you’d like to swim.

Snuba and Scuba DivingDuration half-day. Dive to see the enigmatic large sea life of Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast. Snuba with no certification, or dive full-scuba to reach even deeper.

What to bring: Shoes that can get wet, bathing suit, sunscreen and hat/shirt.

Marimba Band

Duration 1-2 Hours. Enjoy the festive and authentically Costa Rican sounds of a local marimba band for the evening at Pura Vida House. Local musicians will arrive to the house for a night of music and dancing with marimba (the official musical instrument and style of Costa Rica) and other instruments performing live.

What to bring: Dancing shoes and your Pura Vida spirit!

Swimmable Waterfalls

Duration half-day. Swim in one of Costa Rica’s iconic “secret” waterfalls, a freshwater spring oasis. Ideal when visited on trip to or from LIR airport. Climb “behind the scenes,” hike to the top, or just relax in the shade and spray.

What to bring: Shoes that can get wet, but also acceptable for hiking up to the top or climbing on the rocks, if desired, bathing suit.

ATVs

Duration 1-2 hours. Guides will lead you through the lowlands and tropical dry forest of Guanacaste on semi-automatic ATVs.

What to bring: Closed-toe shoes and clothes that can get dirty.

Gourmet Sunset Sailing

Duration half-day. Snorkel, swim, or laze around the boat, then Sail into the sunset to the tune of live music. Trip includes great food and open bar. Be ready for a good time! And, there’s a chance you’ll see whales and dolphins!

What to bring: Shoes that can get wet, bathing suit, sunscreen and hat/shirt.

Local Rodeo “Toros a la Tica,” Thursday-Sunday Evenings

Experience a truly unique Guanacasteco experience at one of the local fiestas. Most weekends December-April, Thursday through Sunday nights, one town in the county will hold a bull-riding rodeo. Most weekends you will be the only foreigners.

Yoga

There is a free hour of group yoga Wednesdays at 10:30am at the Beach Club gym. Or you can schedule your own private session up to 6 people (they will charge a little more after 6) anywhere you like - the gym, the villa, the beach!

Occasionally the schedule changes; ask at the front desk of the Beach Club for latest schedule.

Eco Adventure Park

See rescued Costa Rican wildlife up close (think sloths, ocelots, toucans, butterflies and more!), as well as a great ocean view zip line, ATVs and more. Packages are available for any combination of activities. This activity is about 90 minutes from Pura Vida House, and a great way to see wildlife if you or members of your family would rather not hike!

Barra Honda National Park and Caves

Venture down and explore through the caves and hike the tropical dry forests of Guanacaste at Barra Honda National Park. Great panoramic views above and adventure-filled caving below! A good fitness level is required.

Coffee Plantation Tour

On this half day tour, you will see the whole process of producing Costa Rica’s gold … coffee! From seed to plants to drying, production and roasting. You will also learn about the history of coffee in Costa Rica and of course — coffee tasting! Lunch is included.

Chocolate Creation Class

Learn the history of cacao the plant, and chocolate the food. Tour the production facilities, make 3 chocolate bars of your own, and learn how to taste chocolate professionally while tasting the many varieties of chocolate they produce, the cacao fruit, roasted beans and occasionally other tropical fruits.