The main beach is a long sweep of pale sand running south from the river mouth. The break is famously forgiving — a sandy bottom, no rocks, waves that re-form repeatedly across the bay — which is why dozens of surf schools have set up here over the years. On any given morning the water is full of beginners on foam boards and the occasional pro warming up.
Outside surfing hours, Tamarindo's beach works fine for swimming and sunbathing, though the south end gets congested in high season. The middle of the beach has the strongest current near the rivermouth — keep an eye on the lifeguards. Watch the sunset from anywhere along the strip; the orange-and-pink Pacific evening light is reliably spectacular.