Getting between stops
The center favors walking, while arrival, parking, steps, stone surfaces, and steep terrain matter for the full trip. Trail and cycling plans need more preparation than a restaurant visit in the central streets.
28 places shown


Anthony Adventure organizes Guanacaste days through rainforest, waterfalls, wildlife, coffee and chocolate, and Miravalles hot springs. Other outings include ATV and zip lining, 6 a.m. Papagayo sport fishing, a 150-person catamaran sunset cruise, and a three-beach circuit to Flamingo, Conchal, and Tamarindo.

Artesanias Catalinas is a Potrero co-op of local artisans making furniture and accessories from Costa Rican woods, paired with imported chairs and upholstery. It outfits vacation and rental homes with furnishings, window treatments, linens, art, lighting, custom pieces, and full installation and staging.


Brew House by Papagayo Brewing Co. pours handmade Guanacaste craft beer with bar bites at Plaza Mercado in Las Catalinas. Expect styles such as Tropical IPA, Beach Lager, and Sour Gose, plus fish tacos, steak nachos, and hibiscus seltzer. The taproom is a short walk from Santarena in town.

Casa Alouatta is a multi-level ocean-view estate in walkable, car-free Las Catalinas, with a main villa, separate guesthouse, five bedrooms, and an infinity pool overlooking the Pacific. Outdoor living includes a BBQ, covered dining, sunset deck, yoga palapa, and beach-trail access beside tropical dry forest.

Casa Brewer is a three-story ocean-view villa at 19 Paseo del Mar in Las Catalinas, with a main house, guesthouse, courtyard garden, and family pool. A dedicated house mom prepares breakfast and light snacks from guests' ingredients and coordinates daily housekeeping. Beth Webb interiors include an open kitchen and ensuite suites.

Celeste is a beachfront restaurant on Playa Danta in pedestrian Las Catalinas, with indoor and outdoor seating plus a second-level Canopy Lounge. The menu includes fish ceviche, catch of the day, local prawns, and burgers, with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options and craft cocktails like the Ginny Rita.

Copper & Stone Gourmet Market in Las Catalinas stocks groceries, organic and gluten-free items, and a wine cellar of more than 200 bottles with a Napa Valley focus. The deli serves sandwiches, salads, soups, prime CAB cuts, smoothies, and protein shakes, plus picnic baskets, apartment pre-stocking, and wine tastings in the Cava.

Coquelicot at Plaza Mercado in car-free Las Catalinas serves homemade ice cream with natural, fresh ingredients and seasonal flavors, plus light, airy Belgian waffles. Costa Rican coffee completes the dessert menu, and outdoor seating makes it an easy midday stop among the town's cobblestone plazas.

D-Aqui Design Studio in Beach Town, Las Catalinas, offers authentic Costa Rican furnishings, kitchenware, linens, handmade furniture, art, lamps, vases, and cushions made with native artisans. Custom-designed pieces can be shipped abroad. Costa Rican architect Andrina Fonseca owns the studio; its name means "from here."


Hotel Barcaza Maria del Mar is a hotel near Las Catalinas and Potrero on Guanacaste’s Gold Coast. It has a swimming pool and parking, a practical base for short drives to Playa Potrero, Playa Penca, and the Flamingo marina.

Hotel Riu Palace Costa Rica is a beachfront 24-hour all-inclusive resort on Matapalo Beach in Sardinal, Guanacaste, currently under renovation until April 2027. Facilities include Splash Water World, six pools, five restaurants, seven bars, a Renova Spa, and RIU Land kids entertainment.

Las Catalinas is a car-free beach town on Costa Rica's Guanacaste coast, with walkable plazas, homes, shops, restaurants, and small hotels. Trails through tropical dry forest support hiking, trail running, and mountain biking, while Playa Danta and a second beach offer swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, and snorkeling.

Las Catalinas Beach Club sits on a bluff above Playa Danta in the car-free Guanacaste town of Las Catalinas. It offers a 25-meter four-lane lap pool, lounging and kids' play pools, a hot plunge, gym, restaurant, cocktail bar, and an octagonal pavilion for private events.

Las Catalinas Real Estate lists residential sales in Guanacaste's hillside beach town, including Montaña Flats, Lantana Residences, village resales, and homesites. Inventory covers oceanfront and ocean-view homes, pool properties, designed homes, and lots with pre-approved building plans.

Pascual is a Spanish tapas and bar on the beachfront in Las Catalinas, Guanacaste, serving tapas, pintxos, paella, and main courses with cocktails and Spanish wines. The restaurant recommends two tapas per person before a paella or main course, and arranges private events at Plaza Mercado.

Playa Danta is a calm cove at Las Catalinas on Guanacaste's northern Pacific coast, about 15 minutes north of Playa Flamingo and an hour from Liberia Airport. The sheltered bay suits swimming and stand-up paddleboarding, with a walkable village just behind the shore. A short hike north leads to quieter Playa Dantita.

Playa Dantita is a small white-sand cove just north of Playa Danta in the walkable beach town of Las Catalinas, Guanacaste. Rocky outcrops create pockets for swimming, snorkeling, and tidepooling when the sea is calm. Reach it by a short forest trail or a low-tide walk over the rocks; there are no restaurants or restrooms on the sand.

Pots & Bowls Las Catalinas serves coffee, pastries, cold-pressed juice, poke, and vegan plates daily from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. in Las Catalinas, Guanacaste. The same stop includes a retail shop and plant nursery, with public and private parking, valet service, and wheelchair access.

Punta Penca is a hillside street in Las Catalinas, Guanacaste, where multi-story vacation homes sit above the car-free Beach Town. Rooftops look over the Pacific Ocean, tropical dry forest, and the streets below. Listed houses include family-sized villas with pools, terraces, and housemom service.

Pura Vida Ride sits about 50 meters from Playa Danta in Las Catalinas, offering mountain bike and Trek Rail e-bike rentals, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards from a full-service shop. Pura Vida Grind Cafe serves shade-grown organic espresso, daily muffins and empanadas, Italian gelato, and Hawaiian shaved ice.



Tour Guanacaste arranges ATV, jet-ski, zip-line, mangrove boat, volcano, and waterfall outings for hotels, resorts, and vacation rentals across Guanacaste. The same operator also books catamaran and diving trips, private vans with bilingual drivers, and wedding or in-home event services.


Las Catalinas is organized around a compact pedestrian core beside Playa Danta, with dining, accommodation, wellness, shops, and access to hillside trails. Businesses may serve visitors inside town or operate from the surrounding road and hills.
The center favors walking, while arrival, parking, steps, stone surfaces, and steep terrain matter for the full trip. Trail and cycling plans need more preparation than a restaurant visit in the central streets.
Confirm parking or arrival instructions, reserve equipment or experiences when required, and match footwear, water, and timing to the hills. Check weather before trail use and ask about current access or equipment rules.
Confirm current hours, the precise entrance or meeting point, reservation needs, payment options, accessibility, what is included, and who to contact if plans change.