The beach itself is about 1.5 km of dark volcanic sand curving around the protected bay. The dark sand is characteristic of Costa Rica's central Pacific coast — it absorbs more heat than white sand beaches, so wear sandals. The bay is well sheltered from the open Pacific by rocky headlands, making the water calmer and better for swimming than the more exposed beaches north and south.
The beach has relatively little commercial development directly on it compared to Jacó to the south. There are no major beach clubs or sunbed operations — you lay out your own towel in the shade of whatever palms you can find. The calm water makes it good for stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking, both of which can be rented near the marina. At low tide a rocky reef at the south end of the beach is accessible and worth exploring for tide pool life.