Mike's & Krista's Samara and area Guide Book
Tour Company
OCTOPUS TOUR
good tour guides
Samara Adventure Company
Beaches
Playa Carrillo
quiet family beach. make sure to take your BBQ and hammocks.
Amazing white sand beach, you would think you are on the Caribbean side of the country.
27 locals recommend
Playa Barrigona
Amazing white sand beach, you would think you are on the Caribbean side of the country.
Playa Camaronal
black sand, turtle beach
Playa Samara
Family friendly surf beach
Food Scene
El Lagarto
If you want the best steak on the planet, you gotta eat here.
great Mexican food and beer tap room.. try the fajitas and chocolate vanilla stout.
14 locals recommend
Coco's
great Mexican food and beer tap room.. try the fajitas and chocolate vanilla stout.
La Perla
Best Soda in Samara. Great food, low price. Local Costa Rican Tico Food
Roots Bakery & Café
go to coffee and bakery. Good breakfasts.
Gusto Beach Restaurant Pizzeria Bar
great beach bar and restaurant
Mama Gui
great Italian restaurant
great lunch spot, every Thursday and Sunday they serve Chifrejo, pronounced chi free ho. A true Costa Rican dish. It's not on the menu and you have to ask for it.
Bar & Restaurante El Ancla
great lunch spot, every Thursday and Sunday they serve Chifrejo, pronounced chi free ho. A true Costa Rican dish. It's not on the menu and you have to ask for it.
The Emerald House
good traditional soda (Costa Rican food)
Cabinas y Restaurante El Colibri
best bar and steakhouse in Carrillo
Ti Kaz La
French and Caribbean cuisine
L'Authentique - Wine & Tapas
Tapas, French cuisine
Samara Organics
The only place where you get a small bowl of soup with every beer order! perfect hangover cure.
Pablito's
160The only place where you get a small bowl of soup with every beer order! perfect hangover cure.
Las Olas Beach Bar & Rooms
great tapas and sushi
Bar & Restaurante El Ancla
great seafood restaurant
Frank's Secret Beer Garden
Sports bar with good food
Malehu Coffee Shop
new coffee spot
great breakfast and lunch spot for typical tico food. best mango smoothies
8 locals recommend
Restaurante Sheriff Rustic
great breakfast and lunch spot for typical tico food. best mango smoothies
Cos-Ita Pizzería Romana
great pan pizza
greatest view and great burger and pizza place. hour and half drive through the coastal countryside and mountains.
Yiya's Restaurant
greatest view and great burger and pizza place. hour and half drive through the coastal countryside and mountains.
Shops
super new china samara
go to place for groceries and house hold items
Palí
grocery store with just the essentials, but lower pricing
Samara Organics
Feria Sámara
Calle de la PlayaSaturday morning farmers market
Sightseeing
La Roca Waterfall
nice waterfall, belen is better.
Actvities
Belen Waterfall
Best waterfall for the whole family
Traveler advice
Useful phrases
Pura Vida
one term you should be familiar with is “Pura Vida” (pronounces poo-rah vee-dah). Simply translated, it means “simple life” or “pure life”, but here in Costa Rica, it is more than just a saying—it is a way of life.
Costa Ricans (Ticos) use this term to say hello, to say goodbye, to say everything’s great, to say everything’s cool.