Before visiting any vacation spot for the first time, it's always nice to get the lay of the land. Each place is different and presents its own unique set of circumstances. Playa Tamarindo is not different, though maybe a bit more quirky, than most. Still, it can be hard to know what to expect, even if you have read all of the travel sites.

So, to help you better prepare for your visit, here is my list of Top 8 Things to Know before Visiting Tamarindo!

1. Crime and Safety

Let's start off with the most common question/concern that we get from our clients; How safe is Tamarindo? From a personal safety standpoint, it is very safe. Violent crime is essentially nonexistent. During the day and evening, you can walk anywhere and there is no part of town that you cannot visit. However, do not walk by yourself on the beach in the middle of the night, especially if you have been partying too hard. If you do not put yourself in dangerous situations or go looking for trouble, you'll be fine.

Tamarindo is a very popular destination and where there are tourists, there is always going to be petty crime. Don't leave your stuff on the beach unattended while you go for a swim. Illegal drugs are readily available on the beach and throughout the center of town. The dealers are pretty obvious and will likely ask you if you are interested. Don't put your phone or purse down or out of your site in a public area, like a restaurant, shop or on the beach. Use the safe in your hotel or vacation rental to store important papers, passports and valuables. And never, ever, leave anything in your rental car, even for a minute to snap that 'Once in a Lifetime' shot of the sunset. There will be another amazing sunset tomorrow; it's Tamarindo.

2. Internet Connection and Cell Service

How do I get on-line and what's the cell service like? These days we all wanted to stay connected, even when we are vacationing in a tropical paradise. The good news is that Tamarindo has strong internet access and the cell coverage is great. The easiest way to keep up with your social media, and post those selfies on the beach, is to use your existing cell service from home while in Tamarindo. Both AT&T and Verizon offer international plans for $10/day and you can use your phone like you are at home. If you have unlimited data on your plan, then you have it in Costa Rica as well. Simple.

However, if you plan to stay for any length of time, this can get quite expensive. A very popular and free App is WhatsApp. Essentially, you download this and then when your phone is connected to WiFi, you can make free calls. And there is free wifi everywhere in Tamarindo. There are coffee shops, bars, restaurants, hotels and shops and all of them have WiFi access for guests. If you are going to be in Costa Rica for months you will want to look into getting a local chip for your phone. It is pay as you go, with data, text and calls at pretty inexpensive rates. There are a number of shops in town that sell the chips with minutes already on them.

3. Weather and Best Times to Visit

It never gets cold in Tamarindo, ever. Don't bring jackets or sweaters, unless you plan on visiting the cloud forest. The northwestern region of Costa Rica is located in a Tropical Dry Forest. What this means is that it is dry half the year and the other half, it rains, but much less than the rest of the country. The Dry Season starts around the middle of November and goes through the end of April. The rainiest months of the year are September and October. The most popular times to visit Tamarindo are the two weeks of Christmas and New Years, along with the week before Easter, called Samana Santa. These peak times can see the town filled to bursting. The rest of the time between December and April is considered the Tourist High Season.

If you look at the daytime highs and lows throughout the year, it does not vary much. During the dry season daytime highs and lows average 90*/75* and during the rainy season (aka Green Season) it's 86*/73*. It is humid all year round, with the least humid month being January.

I have two favorite times to be in Tamarindo, January and from the end of June to the middle of July. January has the Papagayo Winds that make it the coolest month of the dry season. In June/July there is a short 'Indian Summer'. So it is the rainy season and everything is green, but it doesn't rain for about three weeks. Also, the water temperature has a year-round range of 81* to 84*, with the warmest conditions in June and July.

4. Money and Banking

The local currency is called the Colon. For the last year or so (2018/19) it has been trading at c600+ to $1 USD. Rule #1, Never exchange money before you leave your home country or at any airport. You will lose up to 1/3 of your value if you do that, so don't. US dollars are universally accepted in all of Costa Rica, so bring down a small amount of cash, no more than $100, in small denominations. You can use this for anything you need or emergencies. However, once you get settled in we highly recommend that you use local colones for all cash purchases.

There are three banks and four ATM's in town; Banco Nacional, Banco Costa Rica, Bac San Jose. All are in the middle of town and within a couple blocks of each other. The Davivienda ATM is located on the main beach road in front of the Subway sandwich shop. All ATM's will dispense both colones and US dollars from your home bank account. One thing to keep in mind is that they shut down after 10PM. Credit cards (MC, VISA & AMEX) are widely accepted in most restaurants, shops and bars. Often you will be asked if you want them to charge the card in USD or in local Colones; always choose local Colones. Your card company will use the actual rate of exchange, not one chosen by the establishment.

5. Tipping and Taxes

This can be very confusing to a first time visitor and it doesn't help that the locals sometimes muddy the water with some misinformation. These are the facts: There is a 13% Sales Tax added to everything you buy. This means food, alcohol, clothes, souvenirs, hotel rooms and that Airbnb your staying at. With restaurants and bars, there is also a 10% Service Fee added to all bills. The Service Fee is the Tip and is mandated by law. It is illegal for an owner not to charge this and not to give this to their employees. However, Tour Guides and Drivers do NOT receive this automatic tip and should be tipped directly at the end of the service.

The problem I have is when establishments, servers or bartenders straight up lie to get you to tip more. Some of the ways they do this is to tell you the service fee is a tax, not a tip. Or that it is given to the workers in the kitchen, not the servers and you need to do that separately. The service fee is split between all of the employees equally. When paying by credit card they will often have the tip line there with recommended amounts of tip. Or with the new tablets, they will show you a tip screen with 20% or 30%. Now I am not saying you shouldn't tip more if you want to or you feel it is warranted. Just understand that, no matter what the waiter tells you, you are paying a 10% tip on everything you order.

6. Getting Around Town and Transportation Options

Tamarindo is small and most things are going to be walking distance from where you are staying. I tell clients that for most people, a rental car is not necessary. And if you want one for a day-trip out of town, there are seven different agencies from which to chose. There are also local and long distance public buses and private shuttles. There are private drivers, taxis and shared rides. There are hourly and daily rentals of bikes (mountain, beach and electric) and golf carts. Here is a detailed list of options.

There is essentially one main road in and back out of town and this can become very congested, especially during holidays and peak season. This road will bring you all the way to the old roundabout on the beach. Just before you hit the roundabout, you can turn inland, through the middle of town, and it connects with the road to Playa Langosta, which is Tamarindo's upscale, sister town. This is where the road ends, it is a much quieter and less nightlife oriented place. There is a dirt road at the back of town that connects with neighboring Villareal. It is mainly used by locals, but conditions, especially during the rainy season, can be rough to completely impassable.

7. Playa Tamarindo and Surrounding Beaches

There is one reason, and one reason only, that Tamarindo became an international travel destination and that is the beach. Playa Tamarindo is simply put, a beautiful beach. It is white sand and crescent shaped, with warm, bright blue water. Located on the southern side of Tamarindo Bay, it stretches over a mile and a half from the river mouth/estuary on the north, down to San Francisco Point to the south. There are world class surf spots, like Pico Pequeno and El Estero, as well as calm and sheltered places to swim. Sections of beach are separated by rocky outcroppings that completely disappear during high tide.

But, Playa Tamarindo is not the only stunning beach in the area. On the other side of the Estuary are Playa Grande and Playa Ventanas, which stretch over three miles and cover the northern half of Tamarindo Bay. As packed and crowded as Tamarindo can be, Grande and Ventanas are the opposite, virtually deserted. Grande is the home of big waves and big sand.

To the south, just on the other side of the point, is Playa Langosta. This rocky beach is fronted by luxury houses, condos and a large all inclusive resort. There is a great surf break at the river mouth and you can walk to it from Tamarindo, along the beach, at low tide. There are half a dozen spectacular beaches further afield, but no more than a 30 minute drive from town. They too are ripe for exploration!

8. Happy Hour/Sunset Hour

There is a tradition around the world, on west facing beaches, that is the Sunset Hour. It is a time when the people of the community make their way down to the beach, usually with a drink in hand, to watch the sun go down. In Tamarindo it is a time when local and tourist come together in hopes of seeing the Green Flash. The heat of the day is behind and the promise of a great meal is ahead. To facilitate this transition, all of the beachfront bar and restaurants offer some form of Happy Hour or drink Special. Adding to the experience, and in hopes of keeping you there after the sun has set, there are nightly fire shows on the beach.

On top of Happy Hour, most bars have specialty nights, the most popular being; Ladies Night, live music shows and Karaoke contests. On Tuesday night, Sharky's Bar combines both Karaoke and Lady's Night into one fun filled night of drinking and singing badly. For the last 30 years, Friday nights are Ladies Night at the Crazy Monkey Bar at the Best Western Hotel pool. Located on the beach road, at the entrance to town, this is the original, with live music and a DJ. Other places have live music nights with a number of popular local musicians and groups making the rounds. A very popular local rock band, and my personal favorite, is the Leatherbacks. Make sure to check them out!