Playa Negra

Costa Rica is home to not one, but two beaches named Playa Negra, meaning “Black (sand) beach”. Both are fairly well known but are located on opposite coasts. This Play Negra is situated near Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast.

Black sand may seem the absolute antithesis of a Caribbean beach and this phenomena is quite specific to Playa Negra. Neighboring Cahuita, which is also known as Playa Blanca (White Beach), is everything you would expect - white sand, clear warm water and swaying palms.

Whilst Playa Negra might not have the whitest sand, it is undoubtedly clean having been awarded a Bandera Azul Ecológica - a flag to indicate the beaches high ecological credentials.

As well as being clean,  the sea here is generally pretty calm making this one of the best swimming beaches around. However, when there is a big swell running the waves at Playa Negra tend to be fairly gentle and suitable for beginner surfers.