Playa Avellanas
An almost empty surf beach twenty minutes south, away from the Tamarindo schools.
Duration
3 hrs – 5 hrs
Best time
Rising tide, early morning
Open
Every day
Entry price
Free
Playa Avellanas is twenty minutes south of Tamarindo and it is the opposite of it: two kilometres of nearly empty sand, without a surf school every fifty metres, with mangrove behind.
It has several distinct peaks along its length, including Little Hawaii, a reef break that fires on a good swell and gave the beach its nickname. The other peaks break over sand and are approachable. The access road is dirt over the last few kilometres, which naturally limits the numbers.
Getting there
Fifteen kilometres south of Tamarindo, twenty minutes including several on a dirt track.
What to bring
- Reef shoes
- Board
Rules on site
The access track becomes difficult in the rainy season, May to November, and a high-clearance vehicle is preferable. There is no lifeguard, and Little Hawaii breaks over reef — beginners stay on the sand peaks.