Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [248]
Sámara Computers (2656-0973; per hr ₡800; 8am-7pm Mon-Fri, to noon Sat) Internet access, located directly across the street from Banco Nacional.
Sámara Beach Travel Center (2656-0922; www.samara-tours.com; 9am-9pm) On the main road, this place has an internet cafe (per hour ₡1000), and can book flights and Interbus tickets and arrange tours. It also rents bicycles (US$10 per day), scooters (US$25 per day) and kayaks (US$20).
Sámara Laundry (2656-3000; per kg ₡700; 8:30am-6:30pm Mon-Sat) Laundry service located on the main road, one block up from the beach.
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Activities
CANOPY TOURS
The local zip-line operator is Wing Nuts (2656-0153; adult/child US$55/35), located on the eastern outskirts of town off the main paved road.
FISHING
The French-owned Samara Fishing Trip (2656-1033; www.samarafishingtrip.com; US$450-550) offers a variety of inshore and offshore sportfishing trips.
FLIGHTS
Several kilometers west, in Playa Buenavista, the Flying Crocodile (2656-8048; www.flying-crocodile.com) offers ultralight flights (20-minute tour US$75). It also offers flight lessons (US$170 per hour).
SNORKELING & DIVING
The highly recommended Pura Vida Dive Center (2656-0643, 8313-3518; www.puravidadive.com; 2-tank dive incl equipment US$95) arranges diving, snorkeling, fishing and dolphin- and whale-watching tours. Or get your PADI open-water certification (US$400) in three or four days. Ecuadorian dive master Oscar has thousands of dives under his belt, speaks English and has excellent equipment. His shop is located across from Posada Matilori, about 100m east of the main road.
Cabinas Kunterbunt has an onsite dive school and offers diving and lodging package deals.
SURFING
Experienced surfers will probably be bored with Sámara’s inconsistent waves, though beginners can have a blast here.
The experienced and personable Jesse at Jesse’s Sámara Surf School (2656-0055; www.samarasurfschool.com) has been teaching wannabe surfers for years, as does his daughter Sunrise. Their friendly, expert instruction is highly recommended by readers (private one-hour lesson US$40). Jesse also arranges custom surfing safaris to secret spots all over the coast and offers yoga and pilates classes.
Another great choice is the C&C Surf School (2656-0590; cncsurfsamara.webs.com; 8am-8pm), which gives one-hour private lessons for US$30; the fee includes another hour of board rental afterwards, and the school donates 10% from every surf lesson to a local children’s school and a turtle conservation project. It also rents kayaks and surfboards and arranges a variety of tours and trips throughout Costa Rica. Its shop at the north end of town also has a basketball court, skate ramp and gym.
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Courses
Centro de Idiomas Intercultura (2656-0127, 2260-8480; www.samaralanguageschool.com) has a campus right on the beach. Language courses begin at US$285 per week, or US$425 with homestay accomodations.
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Sleeping
HOSTELS
Hostel Casa Brian (2656-0315; casabrian@hotmail.com; dm US$16, s/d US$30/40) The only hostel in town, these spartan but comfy and clean rooms are owned by Brian, a superfriendly Canadian and former commercial fisherman. Amenities include a shared kitchen, all-you-can-eat breakfast (Sunday is banana pancake day) and free use of bikes, snorkeling gear, toys, coolers and more. It’s only 60m from the beach, about 300m east of the main road.
BUDGET
Showers are all cold unless otherwise noted.
Camping Los Coco (2656-0496; camping per person US$5) On the eastern edge of the beach, this attractive site has well-maintained facilities but can sometimes be absolutely packed. There are several other campsites along this road if Los Coco has no space.
Cabinas Kunterbunt (2656-0235; www.cabinas-villa-kunterbunt.com; s/d/tr US$30/40/50, s/d without bathroom US$20/25; ) Tommy and Antje, the German owners, have built a beachfront house and ‘multicolored’ (in case you were