Check the Beach

Playa Matapalo

Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Playa Matapalo 3 photos

  • 500px provided description: Boat service, to other near by beaches or activities such as snorkeling, scuba diving, and others Matapalo beach, views from Riu Guanacaster Hotel, beach access. [#beach ,#

    500px provided description: Boat service, to other near by beaches or activities such as snorkeling, scuba diving, and others Matapalo beach, views from Riu Guanacaster Hotel, beach access. [#beach ,#. Franklin Garcia, CC BY-SA 3.0. Source

  • 500px provided description: Were beach ends on the right side Matapalo beach, views from Riu Guanacaster Hotel, beach access. [#beach ,#ocean ,#surfing ,#pacific ,#costa rica ,#snorkeling ,#matapalo]

    500px provided description: Were beach ends on the right side Matapalo beach, views from Riu Guanacaster Hotel, beach access. [#beach ,#ocean ,#surfing ,#pacific ,#costa rica ,#snorkeling ,#matapalo]. Franklin Garcia, CC BY-SA 3.0. Source

  • 500px provided description: Matapalo beach, views from Riu Guanacaster Hotel, beach access. [#beach ,#ocean ,#surfing ,#pacific ,#costa rica ,#snorkeling ,#matapalo]

    500px provided description: Matapalo beach, views from Riu Guanacaster Hotel, beach access. [#beach ,#ocean ,#surfing ,#pacific ,#costa rica ,#snorkeling ,#matapalo]. Franklin Garcia, CC BY-SA 3.0. Source

Today at a glance

Best: 6 am to 12 pm, sunset 5:21 pm
6 am
6.8
8 km/h5 mph wind, Good
7 am
6.9
8 km/h5 mph wind, Good
8 am
6.9
7 km/h4 mph wind, Good
9 am
7.4
6 km/h4 mph wind, Great
10 am
7.3
5 km/h3 mph wind, Great
11 am
7.2
6 km/h4 mph wind, Great
12 pm
5.9
9 km/h5 mph wind, Good
1 pm
5.2
11 km/h7 mph wind, Fair
2 pm
3.0
8 km/h5 mph wind, Poor
3 pm
3.8
7 km/h4 mph wind, Poor
4 pm
3.9
2 km/h1 mph wind, Poor
5 pm
3.9
8 km/h5 mph wind, Poor

This page puts what matters first for today's conditions.

Best time to swim

Best: 6 am to 12 pm. Beach score for daylight hours, with wind in km/hmph underneath.

Air
26°C78°F
Water
31°C87°F
Wind
63 km/hmph SSE
Gusts
117 km/hmph
Waves
1.0 m3 ft
UV
0 low
Tide
falling
Rain
0%
Sunset
5:21 pm
Today
6.8Good6 am85
6.9Good7 am85
6.9Good8 am74
7.4Great9 am64
7.3Great10 am53
7.2Great11 am64
5.9Good12 pm95
5.2Fair1 pm117
3.0Poor2 pm85
3.8Poor3 pm74
3.9Poor4 pm21
3.9Poor5 pm85
Sat
6.4Good6 am64
6.5Good7 am64
6.5Good8 am53
6.6Good9 am43
6.7Good10 am63
7.6Great11 am74
6.4Good12 pm106
5.7Good1 pm106
4.9Fair2 pm95
4.4Fair3 pm128
4.5Fair4 pm138
4.7Fair5 pm95
Green, 7 and upYellow, 4 to 7Red, under 4Best stretch

Tide, next 24 hours

Tide falling now. Low at 6 am, -0.1 m. High at 12 pm, 1.3 m. Low at 6 pm, -0.1 m. High at 12 am, 1.5 mLow 6 am, -0.1 m<1 ftHigh 12 pm, 1.3 m4 ftLow 6 pm, -0.1 m<1 ftHigh 12 am, 1.5 m5 ftNow8 am2 pm8 pm2 am
  • Low 6 am, -0.1 m<1 ft
  • High 12 pm, 1.3 m4 ft
  • Low 6 pm, -0.1 m<1 ft
  • High 12 am, 1.5 m5 ft

Tide is modeled, not measured. Rip current and water quality data are not available for this beach yet.

Beach info

Lifeguards, parking and facilities before you head down.

Facilities

  • Showers490 m0.3 mi away
  • Food and drink11 within 1 km0.6 miNearest 450 m0.3 mi

Getting there

Nearest airport
24 km15 miAeropuerto Internacional Daniel Oduber Quirós (LIR)

Nearby places

  • Monkey's Bar/RestaurantFood and drink
    450 m0.3 mi
  • Bar La PlazaFood and drink
    590 m0.4 mi
  • Pura Vida Loungs BarFood and drink
    600 m0.4 mi
  • OcetalFood and drink
    610 m0.4 mi
  • Santa CruzFood and drink
    620 m0.4 mi

Facilities from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Check posted signs; details change. Data sources

Nearby beaches

Where to stay near the beach

Compare hotels and apartments near Playa Matapalo.

Partner links

Beachfront rooms go first on warm weekends.

Loads the map from Stay22, our stays partner.

Hotel results come from our stays partner. We may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you, and it never changes the beach score.

The days ahead

Best score each day, with the stretch to aim for.

  • Sat7.6 GreatBest 9 am to 12 pmWind up to 13 km/h8 mph, rain 79%
  • Sun7.7 GreatBest 7 am to 12 pmWind up to 11 km/h7 mph, rain 43%
  • Mon6.6 GoodBest 6 am to 6 pmWind up to 12 km/h7 mph, rain 27%
  • Tue8.3 GreatBest 6 am to 1 pmWind up to 17 km/h11 mph, rain 45%
  • Wed9.3 ExcellentBest 7 am to 11 amWind up to 13 km/h8 mph, rain 24%
  • Thu9.2 ExcellentBest 6 am to 2 pmWind up to 13 km/h8 mph, rain 59%