Playa Potrero is the village's own beach — a wide, gently curving bay of dark volcanic sand that stretches for nearly two kilometres. The headlands on either side shelter it from the open Pacific swell, making the water calm and suitable for swimming almost year-round. The colour of the sand surprises visitors used to the white beaches nearby, but the water is warm and clear, and the bay is considerably less crowded than Tamarindo or even Flamingo in high season.
The beach has a distinctly local character. In the mornings, fishing boats come in and out of the small marina at the southern end. On weekends, Costa Rican families from Liberia and Guanacaste come down to picnic under the almond trees. Compared with the packaged resort experience a few kilometres away, it feels refreshingly unmanaged.
Good snorkelling is possible around the rocky headland at the northern end of the beach, where fish gather around the boulders. Kayaks and paddleboards are available for hire from a couple of spots on the beach road.