Playa de Coco - General Info
Description:
Bahia Coco is a small horseshoe-shaped bay on the southern edge of the Gulf of Papagayo. It is open to the NW, but in settled weather offers easy access to the popular tourist town Playas del Coco (El Coco/ Coco Beach). There are no marinas, but nearby Culebra Bay is 7NM away and has Marina Papagayo. It is possible to clear in at Marina Papagayo, however, a clearing agent must be used if doing so with associated costs (approx. $500).
Cruiser Highlights:
Port of Entry (Customs & Immigration); airport; provisioning; bars and restaurants; tourism options; basic medical service.
Entry Notes or Cautions:
A reef is located in the middle of the anchorage (where there are no moorings) and in some conditions the surf can make parts of the anchorage very rolly.
Position:
10° 33’24″N, 85° 41’58″W (anchorage)
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Related to following destinations: Costa Rica, Pacific Coast (Costa Rica), Playa de Coco
Port Navigation
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It was an easy check into Costa Rica at Playas del Coco in January, 2018. Anchorage was good. The beach shallows slowly and it was easy, even as a single hander, to land the dinghy and launch it by walking through the surf. Land where the locals are picking up and dropping off. The dinghy can be secured at the top of the beach if you have a long, (2 or 3 m) cable.
The port captain’s office is a little south and about one half block inland. Immigration is on the same street about a 15-minute walk inland and on the right near the bus stop. Customs is at the Liberia airport about 25 miles away, 45 minutes by bus. The procedure was port captain – immigration – port captain – customs.
The officials were courteous, but don’t expect much English except at customs (Liberia is an international airport). The whole process took a painless three hours. The town was far touristy than I expected. Provisioning was ok. If coming from Mexico on a budget, plan on half as much beer in CR.
This anchorage has a reef right in the middle. The left side facing shore is very rolly. The right side is calmer and you can anchor out almost to the island in 30 ft of water. The middle part where there are no mooring buoys is where the reef is located, so do not go there.
Call on Ch 16 for a water taxi and save yourself the drama of a very rough surf landing. Provisioning is good, shopping is plentiful, and check-in is pretty simple except that you need to take a bus or rental car to the airport to go through customs.
As of May 2016, the office is in the airport itself, not down the road. Nice town, great restaurants, hardware store has most basics. Beware the surf!