After spending a week being beach bums in Playa Guiones, Shaun and I figured it was high time to adventure over to Playa Pelada, the next beach over.

There is getting by these rocks!

So often in Costa Rica you can walk the shoreline for miles, ending up on different beaches without even realizing it. Here it is a little different. Unlike many beaches, a rocky outcrop prevents you from being able to walk along the beach in Guiones over to Pelada. Although there are ways to get there on the roads, our lack of vehicle meant we had to get creative with our adventure.

So creepily amazing

We ambled down the beach one morning, hoping to find a way to cut through the forest to get over to Pelada. We had seen a lot of activity at this end of the beach, so figured one would make itself apparent.Sure enough, we were in luck! We found a trail that took us right through.

Now, here is a little tip about this trail. On the right, you will see a crazy awesome looking abandoned resort. In fact, no matter where you are on Playa Guiones, you can see the top most peak of this resort towering in the distance. Interested individuals often get tempted to hike over to it and check it out. Word to the wise though, as tempting as it may seem to go and explore this eerie structure, there is a pack of wild dogs that live in it. Likely put there on purpose to deflect nomadic surfers from squatting. So, as you walk along the trail just be aware that these dogs are in the area. Maybe don’t carry sausages in your pocket.

Anyways, we made it to Playa Peleda without any canine conundrums and it was beautiful (although I’ve yet to see a beach here that isn’t.) It’s a small beach with white sand and huge splays of lava rocks all over the shore. One of the rocky area has a huge hole in the middle. When the tide is right, waves rush underneath it, and spurt up like a geyser. I snapped some epic photos of Shaun as he found out about the geyser the hard way.

I then made him take a zillion photos of me so I could try and look like I was conducting the water like Mickey in the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. I think we have 20 photos of me holding my hands in the air with nothing happening. (edit: after writing this post, I made us go back to Pelada to re-do my photo shoot. Shaun snapped this beauty first try! I pretty much embody Fantasmic! in this shot)

Sunset at La Luna

There are a couple of bars right on the beach, La Luna and Olga’s. Although we never went to Olga’s, it sounds like a hoot. Lots of people we spoke with in Guiones recomended checking it out. We did pop into La Luna one evening for a beer. A gorgeous place to lounge and enjoy the sunset.

If you are in Playa Guiones for a couple days, tear yourself away from beach bumdum (that may be the best word ever), and hike over to Playa Pelada. It’s a short little adventure, and well worth it.

Pura Vida!

Kate

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