I now live and base my business in Brasilito Guanacaste, and I am fortunate to live by one of the most unique and beautiful beaches in Costa Rica. Recently bought and managed by Westin the former Melia Resort and Members Club is a lush all-inclusive resort that opened in 1999 at Playa Conchal.

While I'm not very keen on enormous all-inclusive resorts per say due to their rather severe environmental impact, I have to admit the Melia was artistically done and the 18 hole pro golf course is impressive – in spite of the large amounts of water wanted to maintain it. More inspiring was the blinding wonder of Playa Conchal, a beach that is definitely one of a kind in Costa Rica.

The sand at Playa Conchal consists of millions of crushed seashells of many various colors; it appears to be white but with a decidedly pinkish tinge and is extremely cool to touch – glaringly not your standard sand beach. The beach is of a different composition than the ordinary dark volcanic sand mix one typically finds because of a large coral reef found solely to the south. Millions of years of currents and natural degradation have made the unique colors of Playa Conchal.

The waters are a superb turquoise blue with a very mild surf – excellent for swimming and snorkeling. Reminds me a touch of the beaches that you will find in the Mexican Caribbean. Besides the disorganized Melia resort which occupies the southern end of the beach, there are a considerable number of other small resorts scattered along the hillside. Located just north of Playa Conchal, parted by a hill and some rocks, is the small village of Brasilito – the sands at Playa Brasilito are a light grey, quite a contrast to the near by Playa Conchal.

Like all beaches in Costa Rica, Playa Conchal is open to the public- It used to be the sole way of getting to Playa Conchal was to swim round the promontory which separates it from Playa Brasilito. But now the beach is accessible to the general public from the Brasilito side and from the circuitous entrance from matapalo and Puerto viejo, but watch out for wet season. It is a reular occurrence to see fifty thousand dollar SUV’s floating out with the deep mangrove cuts and fishing out automobiles has become a cottage industry. In my opinion, Playa Conchal is by far the most lovely (and most unique) beach in Costa Rica.

Blue Water Properties of Costa Rica remains the top property agency for Playa Conchal and surrounding areas. Vacation Rentals in Costa Rica are their specialty and no other firm has the same selection of fine beach area holiday properties.

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