Quaint Little City of Dominical, Costa Rica
Dominical is a unique little surfing village located on the pacific coast in the Puntarenas region of Costa Rica. From San Jose’, you can take the Inter-American Highway south over mountainous terrain to San Isidro de El General, and then go west on highway 243 to Dominical. If you wish to visit other northern Pacific destinations, you can make your way from San Jose’ over to the west coast, then south on highway 34, or the Pacific Coastal Highway. One important thing to note is the last twenty-five mile stretch of this highway is still unpaved and quite rough with a travel time of around ninety minutes.
Once in Dominical, you will feel the pace sync with the rhythm of the ocean. Wander around the dirt roads throughout this little town and meet interesting people from all over the world, as well as the friendly locals. Browse the shops and boutiques along the road, or stroll the beach and find interesting souvenirs and unique hand-made crafts. Rent a board and catch some great waves or just lounge on the beach and observe this fascinating sport.
Accommodations range from backpacker’s hostels and camping, to beautifully furnished villas set among lush gardens. Restaurants range from inexpensive local “sodas” to finer gourmet dining. Internet services, banking, shopping, Spanish school, and surfing lessons are also available.
Accommodations:
Villas Rio Mar, www.villasriomar.com
Hotel Rio Lindo, www.riolindo.com
Diuwak Hotel & Beach Resort, www.diuwak.com
Restaurants:
Coconut Spice – Thai cuisine; located in the Pueblo Del Rio Marketplace.
DomiLocos - Excellent, Authentic Italian food in a tranquil setting; located 150 meters south of El Cocos restaurant.
San Clemente Bar and Restaurant – Mexican/American food and classic rock; don’t forget the Spicey Mike’s!
Tortilla Flats – Great breakfast, lunch, and dinner; on the beach.
Tags: costa rica, Dominical, hotels, restaurants, surfing village
February 11th, 2008 at 2:47 am
You dont know how happy i am to read this post! Im looking at visiting CR after coming across the Costa Rica HQ blog a while ago. I must say im a keen surfer so i’ll definately put Dominical on my list of ‘places to visit’
Thanks again!
Rob
February 11th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
I’ll be in Dominical in several months and I would like to give surfing a shot. Are there any local surf shops that also provide lessons?
February 15th, 2008 at 12:10 am
Check out GISC (Green Iguana Surf Camp)www.greeniguanasurfcamp.com . These guys are great. They have lodging too.
March 8th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
I’m looking for an all-inclusive resort in Dominical that’s adults only. Does anyone have suggestions?
March 11th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
If you make the drive between San Isidro and Dominical, you will find Mirador Los Chorros Bar Y Restaurante, a popular mid-way stop between these two destinations. Los Chorros is situated atop a beautiful mountain right off the highway with amazing views of the valley below and the Pacific Ocean on the horizon.
This is a perfect place to take a break from traveling and enjoy the view and fresh gentle breezes with a refreshing natural fruit drink, or order one of the delicious typical Costa Rican dishes from the menu. I recommend the Arroz Con Pollo, a tasty chicken and rice dish served with cabbage salad and French fries.
Open 7 days a week.
March 11th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
I originally looked for an all inclusive in Dominical but had no luck. We ended up in Manuel Antonio instead and stayed at Makanda Resort by the Sea. It’s an adult’s only resort that was AMAZING. It wasn’t cheap but it was worth every penny. If your dead set on adults only this is worth taking a look at.