Playa Blanca - Manzanillo
Quick Facts
- Location : Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge
- Type : Coarse golden sands
- Popularity : locals, hikers
Coarse golden grains of sand mix with the smooth pebbles of eroded seashells along the shores of Playa Blanca inside the Gandoca Manzanilllo Wildlife Refuge. From November through February, large waves roll in from the Caribbean breaking in a spectacular display as they roll over the off-shore reefs and crash against Manzanillo Point.
read more closeTo get to Playa Blanca, you'll have to follow the sandy beach trail through the town of Manzanillo and into the coastal forest along the town's southern tip. At the top of the first hill, you'll reach Manzanillo Point, a sandstone bluff with breathtaking views of Costa Rica's south Caribbean coastline reaching down into Panama. Beneath the point, you'll find Playa Blanca; a favorite spot for Costa Rican locals.
Just off the coast of Playa Blanca, an island props itself against the surf standing more than 20 feet high; its base eroded from the daily tidal surges.
During the months of August and September, the waves retreat and a certain calmness pervades the ocean, making the beach a great destination for swimming and snorkeling. The rest of the year though, it's best to just sit on the beach and marvel at the ocean's beauty.