Puntarenas A Hot Beach Spot For Many Reasons
Thinking of heading to the beach? Then be prepared for the crowds as the summer vacation is in full swing.

Many Costa Rican families take the month of January to spend with their families, ahead of the school year that begins in February, and the favourite if the sand and sun of the beaches

Puntarenas is one of the more visited beaches by Costa Ricans, second to Playa Jacó. One of the reasons is proximity to San José and bus service.

Puntarenas has a bus coming and going every half hour to 45 minutes, from early in the morning to well past 11pm, while most other beach destinations have only two or three buses daily.

Driving to Puntarenas is also under two hours and soon to be less when the San José-Caldera highway is complete.

Puntarenas also offers Costa Ricans and foreigners a mix of traditional Costa Rican favourites and touristy attractions. Bored in Puntarenas, hop on a ferry across to the Nicoya Peninsula to other beach spots like Tambor, Montezuma and Mal Pais.

And the Puntarenas Carnival, which this year is being held between February 9 and 19, is entertaining and fun. The highlight of the Carnival is the "Reina del Carnival" competition. The Puntarenas Carnival is so popular it has it's own website to promote itself.