Playa Cocles
Quick Facts
- Location : Two miles south of Puerto Viejo
- Altitude : Sea level
- Popularity : Surfers, visitors
Playa Cocles' bronze sand spreads in a broad swath from the tide line to the street, a great place for a pick-up game of soccer, building sandcastles or having a picnic. More than just sand, Cocles' has the second-best surf in the area along its northern tip, known as Beach Break.
read more closeSurfers visit Beach Break at Playa Cocles for a respite from the brutal giant waves and coral reefs of Salsa Brava. Beginner and intermediate surfers can enjoy decent surf year-round, but the best season runs from December to March. Local surfers offer board rentals on the beach for $20 a day and two-hour lessons for $50 per person, while nearby hotels pitch-in for an on-duty lifeguard.
A rocky island just off the coast denotes the northern section of Playa Cocles, the point where the coastal forest gives way to Cocles' sandy two-mile long expanse that connects Puerto Viejo to Playa Chiquita. Farther down the beach past Beach Break, the Cocles River cuts through and meets the Caribbean Sea attracting area wildlife including herons, egrets and small mammals like coatis and raccoons.