Digital Nomad’s Guide to Nosara, Costa Rica

Sunset view at a serene beach with waves and a clear sky.

Nosara appears to be the digital nomad hotspot of Costa Rica. It’s a gorgeous town with beautiful beaches, great surfing, impressive residential architecture, upscale shops, and excellent restaurants (including a few solid vegan places). I like to think of it as Costa Rica’s Malibu.

(Want to know what Costa Rica sounds like? Unfortunately I couldn’t find much local music I liked, but here’s a playlist of great bands and artists from elsewhere in Central and South America.)

Coffee Shops

Sunrise Coffee Shop exterior with lush plants and cozy outdoor seating.

(Photo: Marc Z. Goldgrub)

Rolling Waves

100m S del Hotel Gilded Iguana, Guanacaste Province, Nosara, 50206, Costa Rica

Cute little cafe with incredible coffee and a nice outdoor seating area.

Entrance to Rolling Waves shop with butterfly motif and ocean-inspired mural.

(Photo: Marc Z. Goldgrub)

El Jardín

25 metros Norte del Minisuper Delicias del Mundo, Guiones Norte, Nosara , Nicoya, Provincia de Guanacaste, Nosara, Costa Rica

The coffee is in this old revamped bus, but the ‘jardin’ is the charming outdoor seating area (there’s also some shopping).

Retrofitted bus serving as a quirky café with a thatched roof and open sign.

(Photo: Marc Z. Goldgrub)

Restaurants

Luv Burger

Guanacaste Province, Nosara, Costa Rica

Best vegan restaurant in Nosara. Opens at 5 PM, so more of a dinner place. On the pricier side, but you’re paying for quality.

Luv Burger sign, tropical setting, vegan restaurant, health-conscious dining.

(Photo: Marc Z. Goldgrub)

Naked Foods

30 meters east of Las Delicias del Mundo @ Norte Nosara Guanacaste Province Playas de, Nosara, Costa Rica

The lunch complement to Luv Burger and practically next door to it. High quality plant-based foods, but bring cash.

Tropical café interior with "Naked Foods" health slogan and palm mural.

(Photo: Marc Z. Goldgrub)

Parks and Recreation

Playa Guiones

Guiones beach is the place to be in Nosara, whether for surfing, tanning, reading, or to enjoy the world’s most stunning sunset vista.

Exterior photograph of trees with no leaves by path to beach at dusk.

(Photo: Marc Z. Goldgrub)

Body Tree Yoga

W8RQ+8V4, Bodhi Street, Nosara, 50206, Costa Rica

There’s no shortage of places to do the best yoga of your life in Nosara, but this is where I ended up going (disclaimer: the photo is AI generated, not actually of the studio). It’s part of a larger resort. 

Yoga practice in a sunlit studio, focus on upper body and gentle hand placement.

Drugs and Alcohol Laws

Alcohol: Legal drinking age in Costa Rica is 18.

Cannabis: Recreational cannabis is prohibited, although personal possession is reportedly not subject to criminal penalty (subject to certain details). Regulated medical cannabis use was approved in 2022. 

Psychedelics: Costa Rica is famously an ayahuasca retreat hotspot, as the substance is unscheduled. Most other psychedelic substances, however, are explicitly prohibited.