The little town of Sardinal, Carrillo, Guanacaste, is located about 10 kilometers from the downtown area of Playas del Coco. Sardinal is a typical Costa Rican worker neighborhood with a population of around 15,000. Most of the workers in Sardinal are either involved in agriculture or tourism, which are the two main economic resources of this region. Sardinal has extensive fields of melons and sugar cane, and there are dozens of four and five-star hotels along the coast, all within a 15-minute drive from Sardinal, which require local labor to cater to the thousands of tourists who visit the Papagayo region each year.
Due to the infrastructure improvements in the region, Sardinal has transformed from a small town with very humble residents who could barely make a living into a prosperous Costa Rican neighborhood. Its main streets are now paved, new businesses and restaurants have opened, there's a better public clinic, repaired bridges, and much more.
Sardinal still maintains its traditional customs and activities, including bull rides, traditional holidays, a typical band in the park of Sardinal, pool table tournaments, topes (traditional horse parades), and more.
There is still plenty of farmland in Sardinal for someone who wants to experience a Costa Rican lifestyle or set up a gentleman's farm with horses and cattle, or simply grow delicious fruits and vegetables. Sardinal is very close to all the amenities offered by the beach communities and is also located just 25 minutes from Liberia International Airport and 35 minutes from the provincial capital town of Guanacaste, Liberia, which is the largest city in the province of Guanacaste.
If you want to truly experience Costa Rica, visiting this little town is essential.
Pura Vida!