Thirty-five kilometres west of Liberia, with good road connections, Playa del Coco was the first Pacific beach to hit the big time with weekending Costa Ricans from the Valle Central. Its accessibility, budget accommodation and good restaurants make it a useful place for a couple of days' jaunt or, if you have a car, as a base to explore the better beaches nearby.

Playa del Coco is a popular snorkelling and diving centre: try Mario Vargas Expeditions (tel & fax 670-0351, mvexped@racsa.co.cr ) in Coco itself, or Bill Beard's Diving Safaris (tel & fax 672-0012, diving@racsa.co.cr ) in nearby Playa Hermosa. The staff at Rich Coast Diving (tel 670-0176, dive@richcoastdiving.com ), on the main road about 300m from Playa del Coco, speak English, organize snorkelling and scuba trips (US$65-80 for a two-tank dive) and rent out mountain bikes.