Playas del Coco is one of the oldest beach communities in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica. This region is also one of the fastest growing areas of tourism in Costa Rica. It has long been a popular destination with both local Costa Ricans as well as visitors from other countries during the traditional holiday seasons. Local Costa Ricans refer to Playas del Coco affectionately as «El Coco», while travellers from outside of Costa Rica use the name «Coco Beach», when mentioning this attractive locale.
Playas del Coco is located approximately 20 miles (32 kilometres) from the town of Liberia, Costa Rica. Liberia, the largest town in the province of Guanacaste, is connected to major historical events. While Costa Ricans have always appreciated this area as a vacation destination, the town experienced rapid growth due to the increasing number of international visitors and foreign born residents, who started arriving in the 1990s. Due to the fact that Playas del Coco is one of the few beach areas in Guanacaste with a rapidly expanding infrastructure, it has become a hub for tourism and business. Other adjacently located beach areas continue to grow as tourism related activities and the local population base expand.
In 2011, the Municipality of Carrillo gave rise to an infrastructure project that would give a new face to the town of El Coco, seeking to boost tourism and local commerce. This project was generated in three stages. The first stage began in 2008, with the demolition of the different illegal structures that were located within the 50 m established for public use. Once this action was carried out, it was defined to use that area for the construction of a tourist walk called Amor de Temporada, a name which is recognition of a very popular traditional song in Costa Rica, which was written and composed about 80 years ago by the Guanacaste artist. Héctor Zúñiga, where a love story that was born in Playas del Coco is told. This project has an approximate length of 420 m, where concrete sidewalks were placed so that visitors can settle in and enjoy the beach, planting native trees (almond, palm and olive trees), irrigation systems and underground lighting, basketball courts , beach volleyball, pole lamps and three terraces.
Here the story begins
there in the beaches of Coco
on a summer day
that radiates crazy enthusiasm
they played guitars
the marimbas sounded
the boats were rocking
clinging to their moorings
Fragment of a verse from Amor de Temporada, by Héctor Zúñiga.