Playa Flamingo is one of the few genuinely white-sand beaches on Costa Rica's Pacific coast. The bay is sheltered and the waves are gentle, which makes it suitable for swimming and for launching kayaks and stand-up paddleboards directly from the shore. The beach is about a kilometre long, relatively uncrowded compared to the surf beaches further south, and backed by palms and the occasional beachfront restaurant.
Kayaks and stand-up paddleboards can be rented on the beach. Catamaran tours depart in the morning, typically running north along the coast or out toward the Catalina Islands, with a snorkelling stop and drinks on board. The sunsets here are among the better ones on the Guanacaste coast — the bay faces southwest and the light on the Pacific from the hillside above town is genuinely spectacular on clear evenings.