Sunset catamaran sail from Playa Flamingo

Boats leave Playa Flamingo in the early afternoon and turn north along the coast, past hillside houses, dry forest and a couple of surf spots you only see from the water. The anchor goes down in a sheltered bay. From there you snorkel over a small reef with the masks and fins on board, or take a kayak along the shoreline where brown pelicans and boat-billed herons feed. Some boats also put fishing lines out.

Food comes after the swim, the bar stays open the whole way, and the sail back toward Flamingo is timed to meet the sunset. The whole trip is about four hours, with pickup from hotels in the Flamingo and Tamarindo area normally part of the deal. A few boats carry small kayaks for children.