Playa Hermosa is indeed lovely but it is important to stress that much of the time, while it is a brilliant place to surf, the waves that break very close to shore make it rather turbulent to swim in the sea!

Playa Hermosa

Hermosa's smooth, greyish sand and shallow, safe crystal waters are gentle on the eye and the vibe at the family end of this blue flag beach is equally laid back. Fringed by many species of trees and famous for local wildlife conservation efforts, it's nevertheless large enough to offer a variety of seaside options down its length, with a selection of bars and restaurants to choose from along the promenade, a large faction of local and visiting surfers and a range of watersports available to those looking for a slightly less sedate experience.

Playa Hermosa

If the benchmark of a great beach is the colour of its sand then this beach may fall short, its sand is grey. If you can overlook that then the waves crash in a sedate way, it’s easy to get to it, it has all the mod cons and the atmosphere is advertised as being ‘laid back’. If you are interested in the asethics of the place you’ll be glad to hear that the shade of the sand is the only thing less than lovely, this beaches proximity to a national park means the water and vegetation is managed by people who value water so clear is shimmers and plants in verdant shades of green.

Most of the hotels are at the northern end, where you can also organise a horse riding trip along the beach.