Playa Herradura is a dark-sand beach 6 km north of Jacó on the Pacific coast. The bay is calm and well-protected, making it better for swimming than many nearby beaches. The Los Sueños marina development dominates the north end of the bay; the marina is the largest on Costa Rica's Pacific coast and a major hub for sport fishing charters.
The town itself is small and quiet — a contrast to the busier resort of Jacó to the south. It is a good base for visiting Carara National Park, about 15 km north on the coastal highway. Carara is one of the most accessible parks on the Pacific coast and reliably good for scarlet macaw sightings. The beach itself is sheltered and swimmable, with dark volcanic sand characteristic of this stretch of the Pacific.